Watsonville High School - Manzanita Yearbook (Watsonville, CA)

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20 THE MANZANITA mind and a certain determination around her mouth. She told him simply that she was going hack, for she had not forgotten, and she want- cd him to go with her. He kissed her with gladness in his heart, and in a few hours they were flying over the fields on their way to that brok- en-hearted couple. Oh! how good it was to fly over green fields and smell the sweet fragrance of wild flowers once more! Betty, indeed, was changed. The train was slower than she had ever known one to be, and she felt that she could never wait until she was there with those two ill-treated people who loved her more than any- one else in the world. Hurrying from the train, they got into the only hack to be seen, and Betty urged the yawning driver to hasten with all speed. Her heart gave little bounds of mingled grief and joy as she saw her grandfather leaning back in his chair on the veranda. Jumping from the hack, she raced up the walk, and was soon sobbing in that old gentleman's arms. Her grand- mother appeared in the doorway, tired and sad, but oh! the wonder- ful gladness that leaped into the wrinkled face as she held her own little Betty in her arms again. The old grandfather squeezed the young '.nan's hand with a grip that told more than words, for sometimes the gift of speech is not possible, and silence is best. PF fr Night Night in her sable robe softly is gliding Over the meadows with dew-drops impearledg Peaceful and tranquil the night quee11 is smiling Down on the silent and sleeping world. Fresh rustling breezes creep through my dark window, Murmuring softly from land and from sea, Now o'er the waters come myriads of voices, Whispering, calling, from grass, bush, and tree. Night, with her moon angel, lulls me to slumber, Kissing and cooling my feverish brow, Candles of heaven flood light on my pathway As off I go tripping to Dreamland 11oW. -MARJORIE MOORE, '16,

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THE MANZANITA 19 As she dressed for the party, her mind turned repeatedly to those two old people down stairs. lt seemed impossible that she had lived with them and loved them just a little over two years before. Her mind was so confused and scattered. If she could only be away from it all-- to think, in some quiet, shady spot, where green grass and wild flowers were plentiful. But no, she must hurry to the party and atte11d to a hundred and one other things be- sides. That night the little broken heart- ed grandmother tossed restlessly a- mong her pillows. What was that soft click, click that sounded so far yet so real? She away and was waited for it to stop, but it kept up the same click, click, click. Sliding from the bed, she walked noiseless- ly to the staircase and peered down. Her heart almost stopped beating at what she saw, for there, at the foot of the stairway, between two great pillars, two forms crouched, and one carried a small flashlight. The clicking had ceased, and papers and rolls were being drawn from the safe: for yes, it was a safe, she had taken particular notice of it as she came up the stairs. But they were making away with the money! And she could not utter a sound! ln a moment those two masked forms had glided out into the darkness with their booty. i Sinking limply on the top stair, the little old lady gathered her scat- tered wits. Yes! there was only one thing to be done. Tip-toeing back into the bedroom, she took out all their hard earned savings, savings that they had been accumulating ever since she could remember, but -it was a thousand dollars, thank God it was that. Hastily writing a little note, she stole down the stairs, and placed it, with the roll of bills, inside the safe. Then the iron door elieked shut, and the little lady, sob- bing, went back up the stairs. Waking the old man, she told him all, and thirty minutes later they, too, stole out of the same door that the masked men had just left, away from that unwelcome mansion for- ever, and back to the little farm where they would be welcomed by the mooing of the cows, by the neighing of the horses, by the cackl- ing of the chickens, and by the bleating of the sheep. The next morning Frank Thorne discovered that his safe had been robbed, and also discovered the thousand dollars and the note. Reading the latter, light dawned upon him, and for the first time since Betty had know him, be be- came really angry, angry, not for the loss of his money, but because of that untrue Wife. Seizing the note and money in his hands, he went with set teeth and blazing eyes to seek her, his wife. Soon he found her. Her face was ehalkly white and her teeth ehattered. 'fOh! Frank, they 've goneli' and Betty sank to her knees, sobbing like a child. Frank gazed at her pityingly. His youthful face relaxed its hardness. After all, there was more than one way. Handing her the pitiful and heart-wringing little note, he gently told her to read it. and left her there, with it and the money. He could hear her moaning from a distant room, and after a long while, she appeared before him in traveling clothes, with a refreshed

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THE MANZANITA. The Plea for Life RUTH ROSE, '16 nerr Up to the time of our story, hr. had spent all his i life near l1is rude home by OIINX Baird was a hardy pio- old Fort Steilieoom, on the coast of that beautiful body of water, Puget Sound. Often when but a child he had found refuge in the fort. He could remember the days, when the great wooden doors l1ad shut groups of terrified settlers away from the fierce attacks of the savage Indians: and the guard had locked the heavy door with that huge iron key, with which he had so often longed to play. So he had grown to manhood strong and brave, possessing almost unlimited knowledge of the modes of frontier life Ztlld Indian warfare. At last glowing reports of interior lands were brought to him. These so exeited his long silent desire to roam that after a time, he, with his two sons, husky young lads in their twenties, made ready to leave their little cabin on the eoast. They eros- scd the Cascade mountains and were pressing on into the fertile valley of the Yakima. Travel was not easy in those days. Flach day had its hardships. Trails were to be made, beasts of the forest overcome, game to be killed, and often suffering from hunger to be cndured. There were many hard- ships of whieh travelers today know nothing. It was evening, after a particular- ly hard and trying day. The three weary travelers, having found a lovely spot by a mountain stream. had made eamp for the night. They had cooked their seanty evening meal over a fire built of dry fir boughs. The fire still faintly glow- ed, throwing a pale light on the three sleeping men wrapped warmly i11 their blankets. All was silent. Only the tiny stream, rushing on to the sea, ripplcd over its roeky bed, singing a restful lullabye. The bright moon shone through the trees, shed- dillg its silver light upon the water. Now and then a gentle breeze whis- pered among the leaves, then pas- sed on into silence. The tired men had forgotten their hard-ships and a peaceful quiet filled ther minds. The whole world seemed at rest. But hark! A sudden series of shrill shrieks broke forth upon the still night air, growing louder and morepiercing and shrill. Again and again they came. The startled men sprang up together, anxiety written i11 every line of their swarthy faees. From the peace of the beautiful night they had been plunged into this dreadful chaos. A terrified gleam of understanding erept into the older man's eyes. 'Tis the Indians, he said in quiet tones. We are discovered! For a moment he stood in pensive silenee, then spoke again. VVait here in hiding, sonsg I shall return. Trust in God. Fear not, all will be well. With these words of parting he was gone, leaving his sons in quiet anxiety, awaiting his return.