Willard Middle School - Target Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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THE TARGET 25 AND HER NAME WAS MAUD. Three pack mules and a saddle horse peacefully stood tied to the rus- tic hitching post, across the street from the general merchandise store and post-office. On the porch of this structure sat the usual loafers, smok- ing and talking while they awaited the incoming stage. Among them was a short middle-aged man ad- dressed as Shorty, who seemed to be the owner of the animals. Goin ' to take the mail and grub over to camp to-day, Shorty? asked one of the loafers. Sure, was the re- ply. At that moment the dusty stage rolled up to the platform, out of which came three pasengers, several boxes and a bag of mail, whose con- tents were dumped on the post-office floor. After waiting about an hour while the store-keeper and postman painfull}- sorted the mail, Shorty re- ceived a bag full which was to be taken to the U. S. Survey camp, a dis- tance of forty miles over the moun- tains. I wouldn ' t trust this sack of mail to any mule but you, Maude, said Shorty as he did the diamond hitch on her pack of mail and grub. After packing the other mules, he mounted his horse and set off up the trail driving them before him, Maude lead- ing. By two o ' clock he had reached the summit or half-way point where the trail began to descend. He was going across a level spot when sud- denly Maude jumped and started off through the trees at full gallop, the other mules following her. Shorty started after them and found they were headed for a nearby cliff which dropped seven hundred feet into the rocky ravine below. Maude ' s a goner, thought Shorty as they near- ed the brink of the cliff; but Maude was not a goner, for she had tried to go between two trees which were not quite far enough apart. The pack stuck and there the animal stood in a per- fect vice. The other mules also stop- ped, and Shorty dismounted to rescue Maude. I never thought that of you, said bhorty as he readjusted the pack re- joicing over the fact that Maud and the mail were not lost. He then re- turned to the trail, and upon coming to the same place, Maude again show- ed signs of fright. Shorty became alarmed, and looking up he saw crouched on a branch above the path, a mountain lion about to spring The driver calmly drew his six-shoot- er and made quick work of the beast. That evening as the men in the U. S. survey camp were eating dinner they heard the tinkle of a mule-bell and knew that a pack train was near. Soon Shorty came galloping in with his three mules. The men made a rush for the mail bag and listened to the driver ' s experience. Maude was much petted, especially by Shorty who gave her an extra large dose of barley and oats. SIDNEY BUCKHAM. THE THRUSH. When the sun is yet asleep When the birds begin to peep ' Tis then the thrush is singing And the solitudes are ringing With his song. After the golden sun is set, Before the grass with dew is wet, Then the thrush his song is singing And the night is quickly bringing Darkness to the living world. ELEANOR MEAD.

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24 THE TARGET was seventh in the caravan therefore we were No. 7. Nothing happened until the twelfth day out. It was about two o ' clock in the morning when my mother awoke me and told me that India ns were about to attack us. The guard had fallen asleep and the Indians had captured him. The guard could not send out an alarm of any kind. Luckily some one got up to get a drink of water and saw an Indian crouching down behind a bush. He immediately warned the other men. And not a minute too soon. Already the Indians had surrounded us and all we could do was to fire. Our wagons drawn up into a circle served as fortifications. There was only one place where we could escape and not more than one or two peoiple could do that. Two men volunteered to try to get to the nearest fort for help. They start- ed and in spite of many dangers suc- ceeded in getting through the circle of Indians and then rode at a break- neck pace for the fort which was quite a distance away. As they Avere going up a hill they saw a bunch of Indians coming down from the other side. There were three of them and at first they were very much alarmed but they came up to them in a friendly manner and told them they were enemies of the trbe w-hich -was fighting us. Their help was asked and granted. In the meantime there had been considerable hard and brave fighting at the camp. The Indians outnum- bered the whites three to one. A shot whizzed over my head and shot a hole through my hat. We were now getting out of am- munition and had to fight more skill- fully. Firing grew- less and the In- dians seeing this came nearer. As we w-ere all interested in what was go- ing on in one place, three Indians came up and frightened us. One man started to shoot but the Indians made a sign of peace. As they came nearer we could see that they were dressed differently from the Indians we were fighting. They told us that the tribe they belonged to were go- ing to help us. Eagerly everybody looked for the C ming of help when I saw off in th-a distance a cloud of dust and hollered, ' There they come. ' Soon there was firing and our enemies, knowing the warriors, fled, and left us to resume our journey. LORAINE CLEAVLAND. HELP YOURSELF. Mother! Mother! exclaimed the baby monkey, isn ' t there anything to eat? Yes! Yes! my little dear, replied the old wise looking mother monkey, but I am not going to get it for you every time you want anything to eat. You just watch me and and learn. You often see me when lean not find any- thing to eat; I just sit quietly and look wise. Then I feel something give me a little nip; then I scratch and scratch, and before you know it I have a big, beautiful fat flea, just the right eating size. Now you try for yourself and see how it goes. But, mother, pleaded the baby monkey, I have never tried it be- fore. But just the same he did try it, and he was so delighted with the result that he tried again, and again, much to the pleasure of the mother monkey, who thought that her baby was the smartest one in the neigh- borhood. GRAFTON CARLISLE.

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26 THE TARGET THE ADVENTUROUS BOWMAN. The Adventurous Bowman stands aloft, On a column of stone so white; By the faith of my body, quothe he one day, ' Tis tiring up here all the night. And as he stood so straight and tall, Very high up aboon, His mind was as busy as could be, Planning for to go doun. And e ' er he thought of it but once, Just once but barely three, He bethought him a way for to get doun, As fast as he could dree. I needs must acknowledge it is a bold feat, To try for to get awa ' ; But if I can do it soon, quoth he, I ' ll be far away by the daw ' . He betook him down the shaft amain, And soon was far over the lee; He went under the sparkling Tower of Jewels, Rested under yon greenwood tree. Next morning, after the cock had crawed, And the world was all astir, The guards looked where the bold Bowman had stood, But alas! he stood there no mair. MURIEL DURGIN. APPEAR BRAVE. Tell me a story, mother, of the time you lived in Kansas among the Indians. Did they frighten you? Well, sonny, I cannot say they frightened me much, save once. You know I have told you about Van, our half-breed cook. His mother was a negro slave to his father who was an Indian. Van taught me to walk; he was very good to me and my baby brother, and one day he saved your grandma ' s life. Tell me the story, mother, do! Well, Van had to go down to the town pump for water as our well was out of order. Your grandma was left alone with your uncle who was a tiny baby and me and there were no •neighbors within calling distance. Suddenly we saw a huge Indian with knives and pistols in his belt standing in the doorway. ' Heap nice squaw! Give me bread, quick. ' Your grandmother certainly tried to be quick, son; I can see her now as she fairly flew getting the things he or- dered. He said, ' Give me coffee, tea, jelly, ' but then came an order she could not fill for he wanted cake. Grandma told him she had none and he came into the room and grabbed hold of her. Just then Van entered with the water which he promptly set down and grabbing Mr. Indian by the seat of the pants and neck band sent him sprawling into the yard. ' Don ' t ever be afraid of Injin, Missy, ' he said, ' they is all cowards if you go at ' em right. ' Then he calmly put the groceries away which your grandma had gotten out. LOUIS LININGER. SAVED BY COOPERATION. Samuels, a story writer, was a man of adventures. In the later years of his life he would tell of his experi- ences in getting material for his stories. One day I heard him tell a gold miner ' s yarn. Once while up in Klondyke in search of a plot for a story, I found for a companion, Sam Simpson. He was tall, muscular and fairly intelli-