Willard Middle School - Target Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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A PsintsiSY A great desert, somewhere in Nevada, day was vanishing into night. The beautiful desert sunset was passing when two scientists curled up in their sleeping bags. During the night their fire played a silent guard. Just when the morning sun peeped over the horizon, two specks moved off over the hot, sandy waste to explore a great salt cave. The salt had been deposited in prehistoric times by the waters of old Lake Boone - ville and gradually had been covered with silt. Thousands of years later, the Indians dug a great cave in their quest for salt. This cave had been discovered the day before by t he scientists when it was too late to explore its interior. The sun had grown hotter, and the rattlesnake coiled in the sun. The heat was making lakes and oases on the distant horizons. All the night prowling animals had disappeared. The two men went into the mouth of the cave. The interior was like a great auditorium with a very high ceiling and terraces resembling Japanese rice farms on the hillsides. These terraces furnished a footing for the Indians while they were getting the salt. The cave was brilliantly lighted for in the ceiling there were open- ings to let slender beams of sunlight strike innumerable, dazzling, salt crystals. The scientists, after a careful search for old Indian relics, found themselves at the foot of a great, stone image built by the Indians many years before Columbus started on his eventful voyage. This figure was about twelve feet high and had gre at, green eyes which glowed wickedly when reflecting the dazzling salt. The statue had been skillfully made from beautifully carved rocks. The men stood in awe of this relic of the far distant past. In a few minutes, however, they began to examine it. While touching the eyes, a hole suddenly opened in the wall behind the statue. Looking within, they saw a great chamber lighted by an unseen source of light. This chamber was evidently a room where the Indians had held their games, their feasts, and performed their ceremonies. It looked like a small, football field with stone seats surrounding a small circle. While the men were gazing at the arena, a multitude of Indians came from another entrance and sat down on the stone seats. The scien- tists watched them with fascination as presently another group of Red- men with bows and arrows entered. They formed a small circle in the middle of the arena. Small animals came from another entrance and the Indians tested their skill in killing the animals. After this they engaged in games, which were followed by a feast of freshly roasted animals, which had just been killed. After the feast was over, the Indians dis- appeared. The two men would have explored the interior but, as the last of the Redmen passed through the entrance, the mysterious light disappeared.

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metal bar and flung it at the oncoming warriors who were making to- ward him. Two more sharp cracks were heard! Two more Huron war- riors fell dead! The other warriors became confused. Some turned to see where the shots had come from while others tried to get to White Buffalo, who had disappeared into the forest at the side of the village. We circled and found White Buffalo running swiftly toward us. He had discovered a river and a canoe, which he said were not far away. Hurons no good trackers, ' he said. ' Much harder to find trail if go in canoe. ' After three days and nights of hard traveling we reached the fort unharmed except for White Buffalo ' s burns. Douglas Miller. Cultan was a beautiful turkey. His feathers, now used as a duster, had slender, white stripes which looked very enchanting against the dusky background. Every evening at six o ' clock it was my duty to feed Sultan. As king of the barnyard he felt that it was beneath his dignity to eat with the common fowl. One day a small boy came to stay at the farm for his health. His mother had left orders that nothing must hurt her darling son. We could not punish him in any way. David was a very naughty, little boy, and it was with remarkable self-control that we refrained from spanking him. Sultan never had a peaceful moment after David ' s arrival. David would perch on the branch of a tree and with a long pole give short, vicious jabs at the poor turkey. The result was that Sultan became a maniac. He pecked at everyone who came near him. I, the feeder of the turkey, was afraid to go near the old bird, but I certainly could not admit my fear to the family. After many days of scheming, my brother and I thought of a plan which would surely work successfully. We knew well that David was not ill. He was just petted, so, after everyone was in bed, Jim and I stole softly out to the barnyard. With us we carried a butterfly net, some string, and a white cloth. After a little struggle we managed to capture Sultan, tie his legs, and cover him with the white cloth. Softly, oh! so softly, we sneaked onto the porch to David ' s window where we pushed Sultan into his room. David slowly opened his eyes. What was this strange presence which he felt? He sat up in bed and gazed speechlessly. There was a white thing moving about the room! Then with a loud shriek he bounded into mother ' s room. Mother gathered David in her arms and quieted his fears. She went into his room where she saw Sultan emerging from a white covering. The next morning at breakfast Jim and I put cushions in our chairs before we sat down. What mattered a spanking for we had accomplished our purpose? David never bothered Sultan again. Constance Barker.

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Then, as the two men departed, the opening closed. The desert sun had set before they had reached their camp. The next morning the sky was just becoming tinted with a light orange color when the men were again on the road to the cave. They went directly to the stone image and touched the emerald eyes but, contrary to the day before, they failed to reopen the hole. When the men had left the night before, the delicate mechanism, which for centuries had been untouched, had broken when jarred by the shutting of the entrance. The two men after many unsuccessful efforts to repeat their experience re- turned to their camp with only the memory of the marvelous sight which they had beheld. The secret of the old salt mine is forever lost to mankind, but the statue sits as formerly with its emerald eyes looking into the future. Loring Barker. ESclatcri Koomcmmj J £ Y cousin who attended the University of California about ten years ago decided to go to the University of Adelaide to continue his studies under Dr. Robertson, who had accepted a post in the Australian University. He was interested in the peculiar geology of Australia, so he spent a vacation in arid, Western Australia. He spent a few days in a little village in this sparsely settled country. There was a corner-store, meeting place where all the villagers congregated evenings. One evening my cousin found when he reached the corner gathering that he was not the only stranger. The other newcomer was also a Yankee , a typical traveling agent who soon revealed that his name was Edward Davis. He was busily engaged in trying to entertain the rustic audience. Davis related in a loud, boastful voice of all his expe- riences in different, distant places, and he bragged of his physical strength. Then he said, I ' ll tell you fellows, there ' s nothing requiring physical skill I can ' t do, just nothing at all. A lean, gaunt native spoke slowly in reply. Stranger, I think there might be many things you couldn ' t do. Now, for instance, bet you can ' t throw a stone across the Darling River. Edward Davis immediately bet he could. The spirit and wagers ran high. My cousin knew the Darling River was only about fifty yards wide at the appointed spot. He also knew the unique geological structure of the surrounding country, so he was at the designated place the next morning in time to witness the event. When he arrived, all the villagers seemed to have met there. Davis wandered toward the group of specta- tors. The unconcerned salesman walked up and down the bank scrutiniz- ing carefully each step he traversed. When the braggart retired to the laughing crowd, he drew a stone from his pocket, took aim carefully, and hurled it across the river. Now, boys, Davis said, turning to look at them, pay up! You see I ' ve been here before. I knew there weren ' t any stones hereabout so I brought my own with me! Elizabeth Bums.