Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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with food and rations, and paying tribute to his nation. The Kaiser had been in this long sleep during four years, and when he awoke and found that his ambition should be made of sterner stuff, he threw up his hands and turned his empire over to the Allies. Let us conclude that ambition cannot be used as a toy to be played with, but must be used as a tool to further the welfare of man- kind. — Francis Maguire, ' 19. THE BLACK CAT THE LANGUAGE OF THE TWO AMERICAS I wonder if, when we are speaking this language which we use now in America, we realize that there have been twelve hundred languages spoken in the two Americas. This number setnio very largj to us when we think of the few that are taken up in the schools. The many tribes in these two countries have changed their vocabularies, but the identical method of putting words together has survived without any change. One striking characteristic is the frequency of long words, which is illustrated by the Az- tec word, used for letter postage — amat- locuilolitquit catlaxtlahuilli , the literal meaning of which is, the payment received for carrying a paper on which something is written. By comparing and classifying, this great number of languages has been put together in a few great groups: the Tumeh group covers the northern part of the Rocky Mountains; the Aztec group has its seat in Central America and in Central Mexico; the Maya group has its seat in Central America and Yucatan; the Appalachian tribes include all those with whom the Eng- lish and French first came in contact from the Atlantic to the basin of the Mississippi, and also the tribes of the northern part of South America; and finally the Amazonian tribes occupy a large part of South Ameri- ca. So when you have one of those lessons in English grammar which seems to be so difficult, just think what it might be if those numerous languages hadn ' t been grouped together; then you will realize that the lesson isn ' t half so bad and can be done very easily with only a little good concen- tration and thought. — Margaret Anderson, ' 19. She was small and haggard looking. Her countenance revealed jealousy, wickedness, and ruthlessness. She possessed weird ways and owned a small garden patch upon which she fared. It was a question wheth- er she was half-witted, or whether she had a sound mind. She doubted everybody, and judged them most foully. The neighbors frowned, and looked upon her with suspi- cion and awe. Black Cat, as the neighbors called her, lived with a girl whom she had lured from her former home. This small girl was called Owlet. The old witch educated her in the rudest way, teaching her to deceive, lie, and abuse the surrounding inhabitants. The two gardened all day, and roamed about the country during moonlight nights, listening to the fro gs, owls, and plaintive cries of distressed birds. The old witch was dreaded by all in the village. She and Owlet would meander, toward dusk, along dusty roads, scaring children to such a degree that they ' d flee, dropping their parcels or whatever they were carrying. This was one way in which she managed to live. Often times she ' d procure a gun, put on a slouch hat, and would, with wizzled face, scare berry-pick- ers, who with great terror and shrill cries ran like idiots through the dense forest, leaving berries, pails, or clothing for Black Cat. She chuckled to herself, gathered them up and waited for her next attack. It was no wonder that she was feared. Peo- ple would run past dark places on the road while the howls of the wind added to their terror. When they heard a snake gliding through the dry leaves or were startled by a toad, they ' d let out smothered shrieks. If Black Cat were in the bushes, she ' d stick out her head, moan sorrowfully, and she de- lighted in watching her victims hurry on. One of her most evil doings occurred on a dreary night while rain was falling heavi- ly. Previous to the storm the crows trav- elled in flocks, swine squealed, frogs croaked, and winds moaned. The person whom she intended to in- trude upon this night was a kindhearted Irish lady, who lived beside her. Black Cat ' s purpose was to get, with the aid of Owlet, the woman ' s treasures. She made plans with the girl and finally set out across the open space between the two houses. The Irish lady feared staying alone that 15

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down their backs, with big splashy bows, as has been the custom in bygone years. It was hardly a week later before the pret- ty, little Juniors wore their hair down, too. The little mocking birds! (No hard feelings, Juniors!) Take notice, hereafter, if you doubt my words, and you will see for yourself how one will mock another. Moral : Never start anything that you don ' t want every girl in the school to follow! — Lillian V. Lofstrom, ' 19. THE TRAVELS OF A CHRISTMAS GIFT One day in the late fall, a young lady sat in her room sewing on a small silk bag which she intended to send to a friend for Christmas. A few days before the twenty- fifth, she wrapped the bag up to send away. Inside the bag, there was a tiny, flat pocket in which she placed a note wishing her friend a Merry Christmas. When the friend received the package, she thought, The bag is vei-y pretty, but it is just what I wanted to give to my cous- in. So she sent it off to her cousin. The cousin used the bag two or three times and laid it away, (as many Christmas presents are). The next Christmas she de- cided that there was not much use in keep- ing something she was sure she would nev- er use again, and besides it just suit- ed a friend who had recently been mar- ried. The bride gave it to a friend who gave it to someone else; until in the course of time, the bag came back to the maker. The lady thought it looked rather famil- iar and when she found the note (for no one else had found it) , she knew it was the same bag that she had made several years before. I am sure I do not know what she did with it, for my story ends here. Perhaps she gave it away again. — Helen Goodale, ' 21. AMBITION Ambition is abstract. It is a feeling throbbing within a person to reach a goal ; that goal is undoubtedly a noble station in life. It is a power that may result in good or evil, a mighty power when curbed, but when unrestrained often results in evil. Every man can possess it, but every man does not. However, it is an es- sential weapon in the acquisition of the world of honor, respect, and noble position, but it is a keen weapon that often plagues the wielder. Ambition leads too many to employing a bad means for a good end. It -stirs too many by its enticing allurements, which finally accomplish destruction and grief. Its force is mighty, but its restrain- crs are few. That is the abstract nature of ambition. Every man must first have ambition be- fore he can raise his hand to the accomplish- ment of a task, whether the task be great, or small; noble or wicked. It furnishes men in practical life with inspiration to accomplish something honorable. It pro- vides the weak with the inclination to per- petuate evil. Therefore its scope is broad. It reaches the humble and the haughty. It inspires rich and poor alike. Therefore, let us con clude that ambition is a universal gift to all peoples, but though it is com- mon, its nature depends on the personal use it receives. The man and woman who possesses this and wishes to make good in the world must go and work for it; this word work does not necessarily mean hard labor, but a strife for the goal one wishes to reach. One cannot sit down and have it come to him, but he must fight difficulties great or small, and overcome them. No man has ever reached the stage of glory unless he used his ambition correct- ly. Look back, for a moment, and take into consideration Columbus, Washington and Lincoln. Columbus never would have discovered America if he had not been am- bitious; Benjamin Franklin would not have discovered electricity if he had not gone out and flown his kite. Ambition, in another way, is a mirror in which one may see himself at the goal he is trying to reach. The Kaiser was ambitious or he never would have attempted the great crusade of trying to rule the world. His ambition brought destruction to the whole German nation. It was that brand of ambition that leads to a bad end. He could picture him- self on a throne made of the wealth of his lands, and being worshipped as a god; he could see his empire stretching from England to the farthest corner of Russia, down to the toe of Italy. He could see Uncle Sam as his butler, supplying him 14

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night. She saw a black pigeon perched upon her sill, when the lightning flash ed. This she knew was an evil omen, and being terror strickened, locked the doors of her gloomy dwelling, excepting the one on the south side of the house. The Black Cat came hissing around the house, chuckling and muttering to herself, trying every door and at last gaining en- trance on the south side. The thunder pealed louder and louder; lightning flashed, — then all was still for awhile. The hail stones pounded against the window, upon the sill of which was perched the startled pigeon. The stairs began to squeak as the old witch ascended with blood-shot eyes, in search of the treasure. As there came a second peal of thunder, she broke into the room. The Irish lady sat with wdthered hands, clasped over her thumping heart. She had time to catch sight of the horrible figure, with open mouth in which an ugly tongue was hissing between a few decayed teeth before the wind came through the open door, blowing the light out. In her haste. Black Cat dropped the coins which she had taken but she ran off with some shawls. She lost her balance however, and tripped while hurrying homeward, over a fallen tree. She finally reached her smoky apart- ment, stirred the sizzling embers and nursed her bruises. Nobody ever saw any traces of Black Cat. Finally some daring ruf- fians entered her home and found her dead. They believed her death was caused by the sore on the side of her head. The same day that the Irish lady heard of Black Cat ' s death, a pair of doves fluttered to her sill and cooed joyously. The End walked slowly up the wide gravel path with tall drooping elms making a perfect arch- way overhead. This path led directly to the mansion. It was a low building and, like many such homes, was white. Ivy vines were climbing on the stately pillars of the broad piazza, where so many parties had been held. There were a number of gables and a large cupo- la crowning all. I walked around the house, through the orchards with their drooping trees, overladen with their green fruit. There was the kitchen, with its crumb- ling chimney, and I could just imagine the odor of pies and cakes that the old mammy had made. Going through the grai e arbors, I came to the servants dwellings. There were five or six low huts around whose doors many little pickaninnies had played. But the thing of most interest to me, was the old fashioned flower garden. The hon- eysuckles, gladioli, china astors, and colum- bine, seemed to rejoice in their unkept state. Maybe the mistress or master had come out before some party to pick one of these for belt or button hole, — but the flowers lived on, even though unpicked and uncared for. Following the uneven paths, that led under a white arch, covered with roses, I came to the stable. There were the large doors, through which so many shining car- riages had been drawn by carefully groomed horses, to the door of the mansion. I fol- lowed the winding path that the horses had trod to the entrance, and turned for a last look at this southern mansion and grounds. — Emily Boody, ' 20. A SOUTHERN PLANTATION FACTS OF THE DRAFT OF 1917 In one of my strolls, one warm after- noon in July, I came upon a grass filled old road, which seemed to invite me on to see what secrets of olden days it possessed. Fol- lowing this road, I passed by fields and woods where the birds were twittering and scolding. Turning a corner, I came upon a large southern mansion with its acres of land, and its many buildings. The end of the grounds next to the road was inclosed by a high stone wall, with a large iron gate thrown open in front. The grass had grown around this gate and dirt from many storms had washed against it. I entered and Nothing has done more towards winning the war, than the passage of the Selective Service Law. Hundreds of thousands of men have been sent overseas to do their part in winning this world conflcit. During the Civil War, a modified con- scription bill passed Congress, and was in effect for a period of two years, but this could hardly be called a success. Men in this draft could escape it by the payment of bounties or hiring substitutes, which really tended to make it a means for add- ing inducements to volunteers. It was re- ceived throughout the country with an ill grace of riot and protest. It resulted in 16