Willard Middle School - Target Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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The Target 9 A Sierra Experience One day, when I was in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, I fell asleep un- der a large tree. When I awoke a strange feeling came over me. I seemed to understand the language of the birds! Above me two hawks were conversing. These airplanes make me sick, said one. They frighten me almost to death, replied the other. I wouldn ' t be surprised if we lost the freedom of the air on account of those things. Yes, said the first one, I guess you are right. But tell me, are you really in earnest or are you joking? I am in earnest, answered the second hawk. Airplanes make a lot of noise, and when they ' loop-the- loop, ' as men say, it makes me feel quite giddy, and I feel as though I were going to fall. But stay, here comes one now. Sure enough, as I looked up I saw an airplane flying rapidly across the cloudless sky. Then, to the birds ' horror, it looped-the-loop. The birds closed their eyes and would not open them until five minutes elapsed after the airplane disappeared. When the birds finally opened their eyes, they were shaking with fear, keeping close together and mumbling things to each other. I could only catch a few words now and then, such as beastly things, scared the life out of me, how horrible, crazy things, and so on. They kept this up at least half an hour, and at the end of that time were still shaking. Let ' s go home, said one. I ' m sick. You get sick entirely too easy, said the other. The thing fright- ened me almost to death, but it didn ' t make me sick. That doesn ' t matter, replied the first one. I ' m sick and I ' m going home, but I don ' t think I can get my dinner. With that he flew away, leaving the other alone. As it was near sundown, I stayed no longer, but started off for the little town in which I was living, thinking if the airplanes drove the birds away, how the insects would overrun the country. WHEATON ADAMS. TONY, THE PATIENT. Tony was an Italian boy. He had a mother and two little sisters to support. When the war broke out he couldn ' t enlist because he had to take care of his mother. He wanted to do something to help Uncle Sam, but he had no money. What could he do without money? One day Tony went out to wash some windows. When he arrived at the house a man came to the door and said, We have decided to have our windows cleaned by someone else. Good day, sir. Aw, listen mistaire; I got a mother and two little sisters to take care of. I need the money. I don ' t care. We don ' t want you here, said the hard-hearted man, and he banged the door in poor Tony ' s face. Oh, what am I to do? cried poor Tony. I got to live, I got to help. Oh, what am I to do? Like a flash of lightning a thought came to Tony. He ran home quickly, and found one of his father ' s old Italian costumes. I will sell this and maybe I can spare enough money to give some to the Red Cross, thought Tony. He decided to auction the suit off to the high- est bidder. He ran out to the street cor- ner and stood on a box. First

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8 The Target Disturbing a Hornet ' s Nest Little Bob was sulky. His big brother Jim would not take him on the hike which was to start at nine o ' clock that morning. Bob was wish- ing he was fourteen like his brother, instead of a little boy of seven. Sud- denly he hit upon a plan, and jump- ing from his seat in the oak tree he exclaimed, I ' ll do it! I ' ll show him he ' s not so smart as he thinks he is! He found a forked stick and ran to a tree not far off, where he re- membered seeing a hornet ' s nest. Carefully he took it down with the forked stick and hurried back to the house. Looking around to see if anyone was about, he opened the window of Jim ' s room and crawled in. He was very careful about handling the nest. Pushing back the bedclothes he slipped the hornet ' s nest into the foot of the bed. He then crawled out of the window, not giving the hornets another thought. That night when Bob came in to dinner a young lady was there. His mother said: Bob, you will have to sleep with Jim tonight, for Miss L — is going to remain all night and will have to use your bed. Bob was sent to bed at eight o ' clock that night and, not remembering the hornets, he gave the covers a hard pull. The hornets, free from the covers, swarmed on Bob ' s face, hands and bare feet. He set up a loud cry and Jim, who had just entered, ran to open the window. Soon all the hornets were out and Bob ' s mother asked how the hornets got in the bed. Bob, with the tears rolling down his swollen face, sobbed out the story. His mother did not scold him, for she knew he had learned his lesson. Bob was contented to stay at home after that and did not grumble when Jim went on a hike, for he remem- bered the hornets for many years. WILLA CONZELMANN. THE WELCOME TO OUR BOYS. Last Tuesday San Francisco gave a welcome to the 263rd and 347th regiments. As early as half past five a. m. people from Berkeley and Oak- land crowded into ferry boats to go to see our returning heroes, who were to march through Market Street in San Francisco. Mothers, fathers, sweetTiearts, friends — all were there to see the boys. At last they came in strictly mili- tary fashion, looking straight ahead, turning not to left or right. But when one would hear his name called out from amid the throng his face quickly changed and a smile stole across his lips. What military dis- cipline could keep their loved ones away from them? None! So very soon the ropes were down in the street and relatives and friends of our brave heroes were marching up the street, in step with the soldiers. Some in the crowds were crying, some singing, some laughing, and many were yelling to the top of their voices for joy. At the end of the day everybody went home happy. JANE AHERN.

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IO The Target the people stopped, just from cu- riosity, then they became interested when they found out his cause. The bids became higher and higher un- til poor Tony held his breath in excitement. Finally the suit was sold for the sum of $25. Tony fairly bubbled over with joy. He gave half to his mother and half to the Red Cross. Tony decided that while one man was cross and mean, there are hundreds that are good. HAZEL HUNT. THE SIXPENCE. John was going to the Fair. He lived in a small English town. His father had given him a sixpence. What shall I buy? a little voice kept saying inside of him. He was to meet Jim and Ted at the cross- roads. Pretty soon he came to a large clump of trees; he heard an odd kind of noise, as if someone was crying. He ran to the place from which it came and, stooping down, he took into his arms a small white dog. The dog was very thin and weak, and his eyes looked very sad. Now John was very gentle to ani- mals and could not bear to see the poor thing die of hunger. So, for- getting all about the Fair and the boys, he ran home with the dog in his arms. When he got there, he ran into the house and, putting the dog into a chair, poured some milk out of a pitcher into a saucer, and putting the dog on the floor let him drink it all. As the dog was drinking, John ' s mother came into the room, and on seeing the pup drinking the milk she exclaimed, John, what have you done? That milk was for the baby and we have no more. John jumped up with a look of dismay on his face, but it brightened as if by magic. I ' ll run to the Fair and get some with the money father gave me for myself. May I keep the dog, mother? he asked. Yes, dear, you may. GRACE PEDERSEN. SUPERSTITION. Sambo, said Rastus, as he sat looking at a small candle that light- ed the room a little, ain ' t you ' fraid ob dem goblins an ' ghosts? What would you do if one walked in here right now? Why, said Sambo, I ' d reach right over an ' get my big gun. Well, I ' se heard you couldn ' t kill ghosts. Wen, mebee not, but I ' d sure shoot until my gun gave out o ' shots, if I saw one. They must live on an ' on an ' on, said Rastus. Just then there was a noise coming from the wind. It sounded, to them, like a moan. Sambo ' s knees trembled as he reached to the corner and picked up his gun. Look! exclaimed Rastus. Sambo ' s gun fell to the floor as he saw something white in a dark corner of the room. Rastus, with shaky hands, picked up the gun and shot six times. When he went to bed he found six bullet holes in his white pajamas that had been hanging on a nail. ALICE HENDERSON.