Vermont High School - Comet Yearbook (Vermont, IL)

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Tim comm gg gg M gpg pg 1910 steadfast friend, who proved his confidence by giving him, at his own request, the most important post in the country-that of VVest Point. The same reckless impulsiveness which characterized his Fighting clung to him as a traitor, and would not let him be a villain on a small scale. He would not only go over to the enemy, he would also deliver his country to them by a scheme colossal in its wicked- ness. The fortifications of the Highlands were to be betrayed into the hands of Clinton. These fortilications were believed to be impregnable. They had been built with prodigius labor without cost to the state, by the hands of American soldiers,-soldiers in rags, ill- fed, generally unpaid-every stone a momnnent to the patriotism which nerved their arms. Now Arnold would betray these works, and the men who built them, to the enemy,- Arnold, whom the soldiers loved, whom he had led again and again in the van of battle. Through no rclenting on the traitor's part, the plan miscarried. he lived to see his name disgraced in the eyes of all honest men. lle is an awful example of a man of grand possibilities wrecked by his inability to conquer himself. His last years are said to have been years of remorse, and there is a tradition that on his deathbed the old lighter, feeling that death was at hand, donned his worn American uniform, saying: 'tLet me die in this olg uniform in which I fought my battles. May God forgive me for ever putting on any ot er.' On the old Saratoga battle ground towers a mighty obelisk of blue granite. In niches on the outer faces of the obelislc are heroic bronze statues of the great leaders of the battle. On one side stands Schuyler, the grand patriot who had patiently plowed and sowed, and then, for his country's sake, stepped aside without a murmur, while another unjustly reaped the harvest. ln a second niche stands Gates, the gatherer of that harvest. In the third Morgan, the hero of many battle fields. On the fourth side is carved yet another niche. The real hero of Saratoga was Arnold, who led the charge and won both Fights. His niche is there, but it is empty. In the designing of the monument, justice has been done to Arnold. In that empty niche the whole sad story is told. He lost what he had won, the verdict is just. NVe grant although she had much wit She was very shy of using it. - DOROTHY CRAFT. tt As in a cradled llereules you trace The lines of empire in his infant face. DEAN GEER. H VVhat a glorious creature was he who first discovered the use of tobacco. CLARE Fos'rER. l am sure care is an enemy to lifef' CLAUDE T1NoLEY. How happy Could I be with either, XXVCTC t'other dear eharmer awayfl CLARE FOSTER. Ulfragile beginnings of a mighty end. THE FRESHMAN. t'To say why gals acts so or so, Or don't 'ould he presumin'3 Blebhy to mean yes an' say no Comes nateral to women. ROXANNA JOHNSTON. EIGHTEEN

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I 'V' 'lil Ili COMET 1910 this expedition was first shown toward Arnold that state of jealousy and political rivalry which tinally proved his undoing. Next we see him, at the head of an absurdly inadequate force, struggling through the primeval wilderness of Maine toward Canada, his iron will set on the capture of Quebec. This was an enterprise which called into play all his persistence and daring. They forced their way against the swift river current, carried the boats on their shoulders through the tangled undergrowth of unbroken forests, waded dangerous bogs, pressed on with feet cut by sharp stones and clothing torn to shreds, ate their dogs in their hunger, but followed their dauntless leader unfalteringly. Our hearts leap responsive to the Hsplendid bravadou with which, the historian tells us, he led his little wornout army, reinforced by Mont- gomery's weakened companies, before the strongest fortress in America, and summoned the enemy to come out and tight, or surrender. But with our present knowledge, we are tempted to regret that in the chivalrous charge on Quebec which followed, he did not fall beside his brave comrade, Montgomery, while his honor was yet stainless. Recovered of wounds received in that brave charge, he was sent to oppose the enemy's fleet on Lake Champlain. There, off Valcour island, he attacked a British fleet twice the size of his own, held his position till nightfall, and then, aided by the friendly darkness, stole with his crippled tlotilla between the enemies' lines and escaped. Yet, in spite of Washington's coniidence in Arnold, the latter's powerful enemies in- tiuenced Congress, and tive of his inferiors in rank, men who had shown no extraordinary abilities, '- ' ' ., .' ' '. afrrd f111 ITm'e could not forgive. Yet, at the request of Washington, his friend and general, he did not resign his commission. Shortly afterwards the British invaded Canada, and, still striving to aid l1is country and to gain the honors which he so justly deserved, Arnold joined the militia raised to repel them, and at the battle ot Ridgelield showed remarkable courage, and barely es- caped with his life. Congress, seemingly somewhat impressed by this evidence of his ability and courage, appointed him a major-general, but still declined him his proper rank, given to men of inferior ability. lrle then co-operated with Washington in opposing the advance of Howe toward Phil- adelphia, and was appointed to act with Schuyler, a brave and competent general, in checking the progress of Burgoyne through eastern New York. Given this command, he raised the siege of Fort Schuyler, and at the battle of Bemis Heights was recklessly prominent, ever in the forefront of battle. But General Gates. vain, cowardly, and incompetent, who by intrigue had superseded Schuyler, became jealous of Arnold, a bitter quarrel ensued, and the latter was deprived of his command. llut when the second battle of Saratoga, the last scene in Burgoyne's attempted march through the states, occured, Arnold, seeing his old command hard pressed and victory hanging in the balance, in detiance of orders, galloped from his tent, rallied the broken regiments, turned the tide of battle, and scattered all before him. A wound in the leg, received on that momentous occasion, disabled him for field service and after the evacuation of Philadelphia, Washington placed him in command of that city. There, moving in fashionable society and living extravagantly, Arnold naturally in- curred criticism, and to this the executive council of Pennsylvania added definite charges or arbitrary exercise of military authority and favoritism to Tories. At his request a court martial was appointed, but ahnost a year elapsed before it was held, when he defended himself without counsel, and was acquitted of intentional wrongdoing. but was sentenced to be reprimanded by XVashington, who, while rebuking Arnold, urged him to regain the esteem of his countrymen, which he had formerly so much desired and deserved. But these last events, coming on top of previous slights and insults, proved too much for Arnold's virtue. Up to this time he has had our sympathy, as he had that of his commander-in-chief and fellow officers. Now we turn in sadness and horror from the man who deliberately planned the betrayal of his coun- try, in revenge for slights, which, though they did sting at the time. yet sink into utter insigniticance in comparison with the foul deed he is plan- ning. Our souls revolt at the thought of his personal treachery to XVashington, ever his SEVENTEEN 1

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THE COMET 1910 WALTER F. MARTIN How Vermont May Be Made More Attractive There are conditions in Vermont and in all cities, the removal of which would greatly benefit the town. The Business Blen's Club of Chicago awoke a year or two ago, to the faults of their city and are devoting millions of dollars to the removal of these conditions. They are straighten- ing streets and placing parks where they may be easily reached by the poorer people who will thus have a chance to gain fresh air, which is obtainable in no other way. ln order that people may have the most pride and pleasure possible, their home town must'be beautiful. And not only will they obtain --1-l ' pleasure from the beauty of the town, but if a public park is added to its beauties, they will receive physical and moral benelit. And be- side the pleasure of the people. the iinancial profit of the promoters of a more beautiful town is to be considered. Therefore there are two reasons why the Business Mt-n's Club of Vermont should exploit the natural beauty of their town and remove the blemishes placed on this beauty by man, the first of which reasons is love of their town and fellow-meng and the second, the promotion of business. The tirst improvement to be made in Vermont would be a general clean-up of the streets. ln the street is to be seen every kind of refuse, from small bits of paper to old broken-down vehicles, varying in size from the baby's express-wagon to the largest wagons in use. This is a condition seldom found about a private residence. Therefore. if it is not desirable about a private residence it is not to be desired in the streets. The streets must be cleaned and receptacles, so placed as to conveniently receive the rubbish and facilitate the keeping clean of the streets. These receptacles should not be of the huge wooden kind covered on three sides with printed advertisements and on the fourth with a gaudy picture of the latest vaudeville favorite, but they should be neat metal containers, conspicuously placed. The practice of posting bills, advertising various things, is also as objectionable as unclean streets. There is a street, passing east and west by the Lehmann Hotel, which is very conspicuous because of its old buildings and the accompanying adventisements. There is an old board fence, a barn and other buildings, well covered with old bills and advertise- ments of such kinds as to produce a very disagreeable effect. That part of this street ex- tending west is also disagreeably prominent because of the proximity of the Christian Church which makes it necessary for the larger part of the congregation to pass this col- lection of old shantics. Yet this same church keeps up an ash-pile a large part of the winter, solely for lack of a neat metal receptacle placed in a corner at the back of the building. buch conditions as l have described above must be prohibited in the public park, if it is to have the greatest effect for good. It would also be undesirable to have such ugly, supposedly ornamental decorations as iron fountains placarded with advertisements. Another source of ugliness in the streets of Vermont is the mass of overhead tele- phone wires which are supported by ugly wooden poles and zigzag from side to side ot the streets. These wires could as well be placed in a cable such as is already in use on one street, and the poles all put on one side of the street. The poles should also be painted some color such as would be appropriate to the adjacent part of the street. And in this matter of overhead wires the town itself is an offender, for it maintains wires and poles to furnish light. These lights are situated high in air above the middle of the street and not close enough to earth to be of much use. considering the kind and size of the lamps. The lights being hung over the middle of the street on wires, must be high, so as not to interfere with traffic. But why need they be over the middle of the street? As incandescent lamps are used, it seems that they might be placed at one side on shorter poles. It might even be well to NINETEEN