Winamac High School - Totem Yearbook (Winamac, IN)

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i; THE TOTEM now, and lie had only three charges of ammunition left. These four chickens lasted for two more weeks; at the end of this time there was but half a chicken between them and starvation, and no sign of Ned. On the day of the last chicken Sam was all morning carrying water enough for the fever that night. That night his fever was worse than ever; in the gray dawn he was awakened by a curious sound not far away from his bed, a splashing of water. He turned his head to see two glaring eyes within a foot of his face. Sam gazed in horror for a moment, then closed his eyes ; surely he was dream- ing. He tried to find his voice but could only mutter. In the morning he did not know whether it had been a delirium or not but he made a feeble attempt to stop up the hole under the lowest log with some firewood, where the lynx had entered the house. TI13 food that day was flour and water; all the am- munition being gone, he laid the old fish spear by the bedside. That night as before he heard the same splashing of water and saw the glowing eye- balls. He aiose and slowly called out, Helen! Mabel! The lnyx— here ' s the lynx again! May God help you, for we can ' t, was the answer. He tried to scare the beast away, but it leaped on the table and stood up growling over I he useless gun. He struck a match and lighted the pine- root candle, and took the old fish spear, meaning to fight, but he had to use it as a crutch. 3 1 is knees were smiting together, but he made a feeble lunge toward the brute. It sprang at the same moment, not at him but under th e bed. Sr.m then set the torch on the table and took his weapon in both hands. He steadied himself with a great effort and plunged the spear with all the force he could give it. A hideous snarl came forth. The spear struck some- thing soft and Sam threw all his weight upon the weapon. But at this moment the rotten spear head broke off and the beast sprang out of the window. Sam fell on the bed and lost con- sciousness. He lay there he knew not how long, but was awakened in broad daylight by a loud voice, ' ' Hello ! Hello! Are you all dead? Sam! Helen ! Mabel ! ' ' Sam told Ned the story of how the lynx had visited them, and stolen their bacon and chickens. Well, you got even with her, and Ned pointed to the trail of blood across the floor. Good food, nursing and medicine restored them all. A month later when the girls wanted a new barrel Sam said, I know where there is a hollow basswocd as big as a hogs- head. He and Ned went to the place, and when they had cut off what they needed they found at the far end of it the dried-up bodies of two lynx kittens with that of the mother. By the side of the old one was the head of a fish spear broken from the handle. —WILLIAM JACKSON ' 12.

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THE TOTEM 17 the death it died; even before the a large creature like a big bob-tailed others bad time to fly the lynx was kitten appeared and Looked Lnquir- gone with its prey squirming in its ingly at him. Then a second one thai jaws. he had not noticed began to play with One day Sam had gone without a the first. He had almost raised his gun as lie on ' y meant to gather some gun when a fierce grow] close at hand wjntergreen berries lie had seen. As startled him and turning around, not he cane to the place which he reCOg- ten feet away stood the mother lynx, nized by a fallen elm. his eye caught tierce, and as big as a tigress. Before two moving things on the log. They he was ready to shoot at her, how- were the head and tail of an enorm- ever, she had picked up something ous lynx, the body being invisible he- near her feet; the boy got a glimpse of came it was so nearly the color of the :i newly killed fawn; then she passed log. She had seen him and was glar- out of sight. The kittens followed ing and grumbling; under one paw and he saw no more until he was less was a white bird that at a second able to shoot than then. glance proved to he one of their Six weeks passed until one day precious hens. How tierce and cruel Ned arose and went to the woods to the brute looked! How Sam hated work, feeling unusually bad. He it! As he stood wondering what to came home early and was trembling do, the lynx growled more loudly, from head to foot. After several picked up its victim, and leaping from hours he was in a high fever and in the log, was lost to view. spite of ad their herbs and nursing On another day he came upon pig- the young man got worse. At the like footprints in the woods. Later end often days he couldn ' t work. he caught sight of a mother deer, Say, girls; I can ' t stand it any searching through the woods, trying longer, Ouess I better go home. the ground for trails. Sam remem- I ' m well enough to drive today. bered a trick Ned had told him. Mot her ' II have me all righl in a week Making a whistle out of a broad or so. blade of grass, he gave a short, shrill Half a week had scarcely gone he- ld at. and the deer, though a long fore all three of them, Sam. Helen and way off, came bounding toward him. Mabel, were taken down with chills He snatched his gun. meaning to kill and fever. her, but he desisted when she stopped Soon Sam was the only one ah ' e to and looked inquiringly at him. Her rise, and one morning when lie big, soft eyes touched his heart, and dragged himself to cut as usual the as she bounced behind a large tree little slice of their treasured bacon, he exclaimed: Poor thing. I he- he found to his horror that the whole lieve she has lost her little one. piece was gone. He was in despair Half an hour after seeing this lonely when his eves lighted on the chickens deer as he passed the huge basswood, in the stable. There were only torn-

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THE TOTEM 19 JUNIOR CLASS PLAY. ■■ Muldoon ' s Blunders, a force in three ' acts, was presented by the Junior class Thursday evening, .Jan. 12. at the opera house ' . Although this was the iirst attempt of the Juniors in the thespian arts, a laige audience joined in commendation of the work of each character. The play was a success from every standpoint, and when the same class gives its final Eigh School play next year, all may expect an evening of pleasure and pi otit. Sterling Hedges and Warren Man- ders carried the house with their Dutch and Irish jokes. Beatrice Hedges won everyone by a practical joke on her father. The count and Juliana did themselves honor also. Widen MeGreevy did fine and Harry Parrott made a good preacher. Toby Twilight will become a future John- son if he keeps in practice. A large part of the success Avas due to the ability of Mr. Spencer, who trained the cast. The proceeds were $101. which was paid on the piano debt ami the library fund. POPULAR SONGS AMONG THE JUNIORS. One of the late parties was given March 23 at the home of Miss Laura N . where the faculty and Junior class gathered for one of the best social affairs of the year. One of the many events of the evening was the auction of bundles which con- tained prizes. M. .M. Gone But Not Forgotten. .1. W. — Happy is the Miller. A. II. (all Me l ' p Some Rainy Afternoon. V. T.— Walk Right In. Turn Around Walk Walk Right Out Again. K. M. — Nappanee. P. M.— Pass Dai Possum. H. J. — It Looks Like Rain. M. H— Don ' t Be an Old Maid, Marjorie. B. H.— Cutie. W. J.— Mary ' s a Grand Old Name C. L. — Let Bygones Be Bygone?. V. D.— That ' s What They All Say. S. H. — Heine Waltz Around on His Hickory Limb. H. P.— It ' s Great to be an Actor. L. N.— He ' s Nothing to Me. F. H.— I Have Gol Another One. B. M.— When We Die M-A-double R-i-e-d. C. D— Wait Till Berry Time. E. L. — You Going Down My Way. ' F. M— Take Me Out for a Joy Ride. R. K. — Where Were You Last Night ? E. S.— Gee, Ain ' t 1 (Had I ' m Home. K. II.— Don ' t Cry, Katie Dear. Gessiram Gessirit Gessiramus ( ressiris. Teacher — Guess again. Mr. Kinnick says he has a lawyer ' s hair. How about it? Warren Manders, our class presi- dent, qui! school and Vern Taylor was elected president in bis place.