Watsonville High School - Manzanita Yearbook (Watsonville, CA)

Page 27 text:

THE MANZANITA A Near-Elopement l was a belted knight i' faith, With name and title grand, The fairest lady of our court, Had promised me her hand. But to her father I was naught, He bade her count me out, And swore by all he held most dear She'll marry no such lO11t. Wliat should an ardent suitor do? This problem me perplexed, I could not run her father through, 'Twere bound to make her vexed. Some plan we must eontrive, my fair, Elope this e'ex1, by note. Alaek a day! her answer came, l'm prisoned next the moat. By pigeon then I gave her elew, And said, Be of good hope, This very night l'll be below And pass you up a rope. The evening came, and I, beneath Her window in the wall, Did cast my line up on the sill And held it lest she fall. The burdened line did sway and pull I greater effort made, l felt a tugging at my head And woke-I held my braid! DELO RIDER, '18. 3

Page 26 text:

2 2 THE MANZANITA Stealthily he made l1is way to the edge of the clump of trees where he could see the blaze of the great fire, lighting the sky. All too well he knew its significance. Many a time he had seen these lights and heard the dreadful war whoops of these people. His plan was definite. There was but one thing for him to do. It was indeed dangerous and daring, but his two sons must be saved. He crept silently across the open space toward the fire. Slowly a11d unnoticed he carrie to the clump of' trees. The whooping had ceased. He listened intently. It was the chief who was speaking. He was urging his braves to make an attack on the pale-face intruders. Their hunger for the sight of blood was aroused, murder gleamed and burn- ed in their dark eyes. They were ready to kill. Utter-ing a silent prayer, the noble and strong-hearted white man sprang into the circle and knelt before the great chief, then arose and in a passion-frought voice began his plea. Oh, mighty chief, oh, powerful warrior, leader of a great tribe, noble and true! Would it not be cowardly for you, so great and strong, to attack this group of weak and unprotected men? VVould it not be worthless? Only three sealps! Of what value are they to you? You are too brave, too noble, too power- ful and mighty to do this deed. We are your friends! Grunts and jeers came from the group about the blazing fire, but the chief was much moved by pale- face 's words. He stood silently in meditation, his great arms folded across his mighty breast. The plea was continued, honoring the chief, and heaping fliattery upon him, and telling him of his greatness. The derisive Warriors were quieted by the silence of their leader. The mighty head of the chief bowed. Slowly in deep and meaning tones he spoke the word of freedom to the white man. His gratitude expressed, Baird slipped quietly from the circle. Back to the camp he made his Way to bear the welcome and triumphant news to his awaiting sons. Days of travel followed. The journey was completed and a new home built in that wild but fertile valley of the north. is 'QW ds f.J O no Qwyh , - 0 ..... - K y I X P ' I fl

Page 28 text:

2.4 THE MANZANITA Getting Dinner CARRIE FRANK SLIGHT breeze gently swayed the grasses in the meadow. The old oak tree by the stream spread out green leaf-bedeeked limbs invitingly, while the birds in the branches twittered an aeeompani- ment to the purling of the waters below, I 4 i, 'Ml- 'mw wi its eool But all this did not in the least interest the long, lean, hungry-look- ing eat, erouehed still as if earved in marble, close to the earth near by. It was almost impossible to disting- uish her from the dead leaves and grasses, so well did her dull yellow eoat match them in eolor. The large eyes whose gaze was fixed on a hole next to a mound of still damp soil, seemed slowly to beeome large as the pupils dilated until only a small rim of topaz was visible. Oeeasional- ly the whiskers twitehed and her upper lip was drawn up, revealing a row of tiny teeth, eruelly sharp and snowy white. Another soft breeze swept over the meadow, eausing the grasses a- gain to whisper among themselves and the golden fur to ripple along the eat's spine. But she paid no heed, never onee removing her from the small hole before her. denly the earth beside the moved slightly, that was all. inuseles of the eat grew rigid she bent lower. Onee more the gaze Sud- hole The and dirt slightly shifted and a small blaek nose fing little ous and in another instant showed above it, visibly animal bei-ame more eou the air. Smelling nothing, snif- the rage- two bright eyes appeared. Puss was motionless, some grass effeetively hiding her from view, but as the gopher crawled out, her whiskers again twitehed. The gopher, mean- while unaware of the presence of his enemy, sat up on his haunehes, to 'enjoy the beauty of the after- noo11. Slowly Puss shifted her weight to one fore foot, cautiously extending the other in front of her. She moved several inehes in this manner without making the slight- est 11oise. Drawing her body to- gether, her legs again stiffened and in another moment a sharp ery of terror and pain rang out, but only for a moment, however. The white teeth sank deeper and deeper into the soft throat until at length the body beeame limp and apparently lifeless. Puss, with a look of triumph, then laid down her victim, and purring audibly began leisurely to wash her faee, apparently oblivious of the presence of the gopher. But sud- denly the grey body moved alld in an instant was out of sight, but the eat was no less quick and was at his heels. Freedom was not his. for in another moment Puss returned, bearing in her mouth the now life- less gopher. She preferred to run no more risks so at once set about erunehing the small bones. Half an hour later a very eon- tented and self-satisfied looking eat sauntered out of the meadow, eross- ed the road, and disappeared in the brush.