Wells High School - Crimson and Gray Yearbook (Southbridge, MA)

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10 THE CRIMSON AND GRAY eventually. Then would he taste the plea- sures of Monte Carlo, Rome, Paris, any- where. What matter if the atmosphere now was oppressing, if the old man ' s company was irritable? Cedric could bide by these minor inconveniences even though the ad- venturer chafed at the inaction. Would the old man ever die? Daily the thought pressed down on his consciousness. Somehow he sensed in the old man ' s demo- nical laugh, mockery, amusement, and even victory. Matters steadily grew worse but Cedric remained expecting a fortune to descend upon him daily. Then came the war! and with it patriotism of Uncle Rupert. For the first time, he opened his purse strings, but not for Cedric. Instead six hundred pei-fect ly good English pounds were donated with all show of patriotic fervor to the British cause. Poor Cedric looked on hungrily as the gold passed through hi.s fingers, but what was even worse, the old man expected him to enlist. However, Cedric tactfully smoothed over this unpleasantness and gleefully no- ticed his uncle ' s failing health. Surely the toothless creature must be losing his hold, but again some unseen hand pulled him through. Then Rupert decided to go to Italy for his health, Cedric accompanying him as a mere unsalaried secretary. Winter found them basking in the warm Italian sunshine which proved almost a fountain of youth to the old man. Now he even became sociable, often calling on Mr. Hartwood and his elderly raster. Little did Cedric scent the romance in the old man ' s heart, for he did not reckon upon Rupert ' s new susceptibility to com- pany, until one day he chanced upon the venerable Rupert and Miss Hartwood enjoy- ing an afternoon stroll. Here, indeed, was danger, thought Cedric seeing his uncle literally capering with the Hartwood poodles. Thereupon Cedric formed a committee of one to constitute ways and means of rid- ding himself of a prospective aunt. Being a Don Juan, but one thing pressed itself as a capital scheme, that of wooing the antiquat- ed damsel himself. Cedric, thenceforth, became the cour- tier, while Alicia Hartwood, rejuvenated by so much attention, coquetted before the eyes of the enraged Rupert. It was not Cedric whom he blamed but at once resorted to hi,s old theory — women were all alike, fickle, traitorous and foolish. Thus Rupert coldly withdrew his suit and then even Cedric ' s courtship began to lag while Miss Hartwood found herself abandoned by both. Rupert, meanwhile, had acquired the habit of wandering through the hills in search of ancient relics. In the course of one afternoon, he came upon the fragments of a stone vase. Triumphantly, he brought it home and thence began his mania for Roman antiques. Before Cedric realized its importance, the old gentleman had in- vested another large slice of his; leaking fortune in a collection of such relics. When Cedric discovered this he was des- perate and for many days he harbored a scheme for preventing further benevolences, a trip to India — how that would appeal to Rupert ' s childish imagination. Thus he set about to persuade his uncle to go, with glowing accounts of Indian magic and my- steries. Rupert was enthralled with the idea and readily they made plans for the trip. Red, blue, and green guide-books bulged from the old man ' s coat pockets while he talked endlessly of Marathon, Athens, the Hellespont, Jerusalem, and Babylon. Finally, in the fall, they set out, stop- ping at various places, while Rupert browsed through the old ruins. About this time he ac- quired a copy of Hero and Leander. He read it over and over again, daily awaiting a glimpse of the Hellespont. After a few days they arrived at an inn on the banks of the Hellespont. Both retired early but something in Rupert ' s manner de- noted extreme excitement. Cedric had a room on the top floor while his uncle ' s was on the ground floor just overlooking the banks of the sea. Rupert soon fell asleep but later he be- came troubled by a nightmare. Stealthily he dressed himself and opened the book which was lying on the table. The lights flickered but still the old man read on. Finally, however, he seized the lamp in one hand, the book in the other, and he walked out. Down through the hall, unheard

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THE CRIMSON AND GRAY zling the spectators as they flash in the sun. Lancelot is hard pressed. He fears for his hard earned honors. The unknown knight seems fresh and eager but Lance- lot ' s breath comes harder and harder. Lancelot trips, comes near falling, it is the first time in a great many years. Is the tale of the nine diamonds to remain un- completed? Guinevere ' s breath catches in her throat as Lancelot stumbles. She won- ders if he is mortally wounded. But no, Lancelot recovers himself and advances more determined than ever. His rival weakens. He is down. Lancelot has won the victory. Guinevere ' s heart leaps with joy but she dares not show her happiness and pride. The crowd is in an uproar over its hero ' s victory. The tale of the nine dia- monds will be completed. Lancelot receives the diamond from Guinevere and her eyes send him a message which he receives with joy. Arthur is very proud of his chief knight and congratulates him. The un- known knight, because of his great prow- ess, is summoned before Arthur and as he takes off his casque the spectators become silent with astonishment for the unknown is Gareth, one of Arthur ' s own knights who had been gone for a great many years. Long and merry was the feast at Camelot that evening and the Round Table resound- ed once more with many a toast. — JEANNETTE S. THERIAULT, ' 31 SPIRIT OF AUTUMN Poems are made by fools like me But only God can make a tree. I thought of these lines many times yes- terday while riding in the country. I think it must have been at this season of the year when Joyce Kilmer, the author of the above poem, wrote these lines, as he realized how insignificant man ' s work is when compared to the handiwork of the Creator. It is, I think, impossible for mere words to describe the beauty of th e autumn foliage. We constantly hear peo- ple remarking that they never saw the trees so beautiful or the coloring so bril- liant as this autumn. This is, of course, due to the fact that we have had very few rainy days, as the rain discolors the leaves and also causes them to fall off. Yesterday we rode up through Worcester and then off through Springfield. We went up mag- nificent hills where we could look down and see quiet, peaceful valleys and low- lands. The scene shone brightly and with a delicious warmth that reminded one of midsummer. Streams of clear water flowed through green meadows, while the bril- liant plumage of the trees seemed not con- tent to gladden the eye as it moved softly in the light breeze, but reflected its beauty in the water so that not a particle of its loveliness might be wasted. We saw children playing happily and they expressed their gratitude for the beautiful day by their carefree stens and sunny laughter. The busy town and the busy city may signify progress, but it is the work o- man; and while we may admire the achievements of the age, it is in the open country that we see the wonders of nature. Dorothy Frances Gurvey most fittingly expresses what trees, flowers and foliage mean to us when she wrote: The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God ' s heart in the garden Than anywhere else on earth. All along the roads we saw stands where autumn fruits were for sale. There were such wonderful rosy apples and they were trying to outshine the trees by their handsome coloring. There were also huge piles of splendid squashes and golden pumpkins. These combined with sweet cider, apples, grapes and other seasonable products reminded us of Thanksgiving which will really soon be here. — E. CONSTANTINE, ' 31. THE INHERITANCE To a wordly creature, life offered no. brighter vista in the village of Greylock, than that of a hunt or swashbuckling in the village inn. Yet under the pinch of circum- stances, Cedric Archer found it expedient to endure these until he came into his own, for being the favorite nephew of a wealthy but miserable antediluvian, he expected a huge inheritance to come into his possession

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THE CRIMSON AND GRAY 11 be all, Rupert directed his steps toward the front door. Soon he found himself out on the brink of the cliff overhead. He noticed the veiled moon and the cloudy sky. Across the water, he saw a flickering light, that was his goal. There Hero was waiting for him, the one he had been searching for all his life. He stopped. Would he risk it? No, he turned away but still the urge was strong within him. Again he faced the light, closed his eyes and plunged into the dark chasm below — Morning found the inn all astir. The aged tourist wa.s missing ! but soon the truth was known as they looked below on the jag- ged coast. Cedric was spellbound, remorse stirred in his soul and now too late he rea- lized the madness. Still, Cedric found his conscience troubling him, although he rea- soned that it was a dramatic end for a man whose life was almost ended. Yet what was even worse, was that all that was left him was the dilapidated old manor house back in Greylock, a moth-eaten bequest for two years of labor. CATHERINE McKINSTRY, ' 31 WILL-O ' -THE-WISP Lo ! Yon castle lights are gleaming, Nightly from the tower beaming; And to me they bring a feeling, A message to me revealing. Come! Come! They are repeating, Rapidly my heart is beating; I linger there translating, That message so elating. Lo ! Yon castle lights are waning, But their message still remaining; Lures me, calls me, mystifying; To express it I am trying. But my grasp it is eluding ' Tis a message so deluding; Lo ! ' Tis vanishing, now ' tis gone, Perplexed I stand, alone, forlorn. — Dorothy M. Lanphear, ' 31. ' M ® K m