Woodland High School - Jewel Yearbook (Woodland, ME)

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12 THE JEXVEL iinancial backer of Apex Airlines, and we have to get him to Chicago regardless of the circumstances. The haze had turned to a line mist by the time the huge Douglas stood at the end of the covered walkway. Both motors ticked over assuringly. The huge silver hull glistened as the sil- ver drops spattered off its smooth skin. The floodlights cast their yellow glow over everything near the plane. VVarren was in his chair on the left hand side of' the pilots office. Glancing up from the instrument board, he noticed Taylor standing at the end of the walk- way with his flight sheet. Taylor was tall and dark headed. A neat black mus- tache adorned his upper lip. His cap was set at a jaunty' angle. How VVarren en- vied him! At exactly 7.35 p. m. a stern looking, middle-aged man dashed down to the cov- ered walk. He swung an over-night case from one hand and a brief case from the other. Wlarren caught only a glimpse of him, as he disappeared into the wet steel hull. Taylor got the last minute weath- er reports and hurried aboard. He took her down the field and swung her around into the wind. He soon had her off and shaped course for Chicago. The raindrops pelted against the windshield and the plane shuddered un- der the impact of the increasing wind. The radio began to emit queer sounds, and it soon became unbearable to keep the headphones on. At only brief inter- vals could they check their course with the radio beam. Theyl were forced to keep a close check on the compass. After about an hour out Taylor took her up to ten thousand feet. The rain drops thinned out and soon huge damp snow flakes began to pile up on the wind- shield despite the untiring efforts of the wipers. The static lessened for a brief inter- val. Yilarren got the Chicago weather re- port which stated that an electrical storm was in progress at the VVindy City. The visibility was practically nothing and the ceiling was only 700 feet. Under ordin- ary conditions a plane would not be al- lowed to land there, but because some stubborn old cuss had to get to Chicago to close a business deal, lives and equip- ment had to be risked. His luck had held out so far' and he had no kick coming. He picked up the mike and began chanting 'fFlight 60 to Chicago--go ahead Chicago--Y' 'lfhen without warning, one whole side of the windshield exploded into a mil- lion tiny pieces. In a moment NVarren re- gained his senses and saw what had hap- pened. Taylor was slumped over the control wheel and blood was pouring from a deep gash over his eye. On his lap lay a large wild duck which had probably flown toward the lighted cock- pit after having been lost for some time. VVarren set the automatic pilot and dragged Taylor' from his seat. He push- ed open the door and soon had Taylor in a seat. The man came foward, his face stricken with horror. NVarren suddenly realized that the man was Mr. Young, Jessica's father. Vifarren pointed to the first aid cabinet on the rear wall and then to the injured man. HFix him up. I've got to fly this crate to Chicagojl he said tersely. As he slid back into his seat, he not- iced the large duck to the floor. He hop- ed it was his good luck omen. He was forced to put on a large pair of gloves for the cockpit had become almost intoler- ably cold in his absence. The wind and snow poured through the gap in the wind- shield on the opposite side from XVE1I'I'Pll. but it cooled the air on the inside almost down to freezing temperature. The air began to grow rougher as the snow changed back to rain, and the spray penetrated to all parts of the cockpit. He fought with the controls of the huge ship and realized the need of another man on the other control wheel. Between the crashes of static he listened for the beam and found that he was still holding his course. Oh, if that beam should falter for even a minute--- First faint and then bright yellow and blue streaks of lightning began to streak the skies. The ship was tossed about like a shingle in a whirlpool. The

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THE E VV E4 L I1 Thanks for the ride Jessica. I didn't think you'd even speak to me after last night. I'm sorry for what happened, but I can't stand this much longer. The co-pilot jinx has got me. Why don't you see the superinten- dent again? 'tThat's just it. 'live seen him two or three times now. He told me pointblank that I haven't the ability to be a chief pilot. As a co-pilot Im O. K., but when I'm picked to make a trip it's just be- cause Ifm supposed to bring good weath- er and good luck. You don't get very far on your luck around here. The only way I'll ever be promoted is to take over in an emergency. I'll prove to them some day that I have the ability if I only get the chance. t'XVell, XVarren, I hope you get your chance. You certainly deserve it, but until you do, there's no hope for us. You know how father is. He believes that I'll never be happy without the things I've always had, and he knows they'll never come out of a co-pilots salary. t'But, Jessica. I don't see what dif- ference that makes. A eo-pilots salary is far above the pay on the majority of jobs held by young men my age, and I'm sure of a job. Your father is just an old grouch. 77 t'lVarren Jackson. donlt you talk about my father that way. Do we have to have this all over again after last night? Dad is only thinking of my hap- piness. He knows that you have little chance for promotion now. Don't you see? No, I don't. You're old enough to think for yourself now, but you still al- low your father to dictate to youfl HXVarren, you get out of my car this instant. You're just a pig-headed fool. t'Alright, child of luxury, have it your own way, as usualf' The doorf of the car finally opened. A tall young man stepped out. He was dressed in a neat blue co-pilot's uniform. VVithout turning he strode across the field to a door marked Pilots Only. He tossed a cynical glance at the sign as he entered. The car swung about, slowly drove down the field and was soon swal- lowed up by the engulfing darkness be- youd. Inside the pilots room a few men were sitting about discussing the weath- er, recent flights, and the latest stewar- dess the company had hired. They hard- ly noticed Vlfarren who went straight to his locker and busied himself by need- lessly rearranging its contents. A voice blared forth from the loud speaker over the door. Flight 60 is changed to a special charter run. Leaving for Chicago in 25 minutes. Stuart Taylor, pilot, XVHFF611 Jackson, co-pilot. Jackson wanted in the operation room immediately. The loud voice subsided and the men resumed their talking. Vlfarren knew Tayloris reason for se- lecting him as a co-pilot again. He was just a good luck charm. He hurried thru the building and soon arrived at the glass door marked t'Operations Dept. As he entered, Taylor was checking the flight sheet. The flight manager placed a fresh batch of teletype weather reports on the table in front of VVarren. The first thing to catch his eye was the following report: Low pressure area ac- companied by electrical disturbances moving SE over Great Lakes. YVind di- rection SE. VVind velocity 45 m, p. h, at Cleveland. Taylor glanced up from his work long enough to say VVell, how's you're luck tonight? old dear. a charm around here as he had some time. He'd show them if he only got the chance. He H VVe'll soon find out, Jackson, Just been for someday, groaned inwardly on that diff' He moved over to the flight manager and asked him who chartered the plane. Oh, some old bird called the reser- vations dept. and asked for one for Chi- cago. The clerk told him all planes were temporarily grounded. He blew up and growled something about his influence. The clerk hung up. About five minutes later the superintendent ordered Flight 60 chartered for Chicago. I explained about the weather, but the old duffer is a

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THE JEXVE-L 13 controls became even harder to handle. At times the storm would start to abate, only to return its attack on the plane with renewed fury. If his luck and the radio beam held out, he had a small chance of reaching -Chicago. Once there his job would be only half done. He would have to land and---his eyes suddenly flashed to the for- gotten gas indicator. Ile switched to the reserve tank in just a nick of time. There were twenty minutes flying time left with the gas in the reserve tank. His gas dwindled from twenty to fif- teen--twelve--eleven--ten and then like a lighthouse to a storm tossed mariner there came a short silence in his headphones. Ile had passed through the cone of silence directly over the beam station at Chicago. The silence spoke as loudly as the deep- est roaring fog horn ever did. By the time he had circled, fiown back, and circled once again, his gas had dwindled to five minutes flying time. Somewhere below lay the Chicago Air- port--but where? IIe knew the beam sta- tion was at the near end of tl1e runway. but it was up to him to judge exactly right or--. Already he was racking his brain for an appropriate prayer. The huge ship began to settle slowly. Sud- denly, at 600 feet he sighted the airport through a rift in the fog. He had swung to the right too far. Quickly he side- slipped to correct his error. The big ship shot over a line of telephone wires and between two hangers. Ile brought her to a perfect landing and rolled up to the Administration Building. 'With a sigh of relief he opened the window on his side and shouted to the attendants for a doc- tor and an ambulance. He forced his tired body out of the chair and back into the cabin. YVith Mr. Young-'s help they carried Taylor into the building. After Taylor' had been taken care of, Mr. Young turned to XVarren, placed his hand on NVarren's shoulder, and began to speak. My boy, any man who can handle a plane like that is worthy of my daughter regardless of his pay. Since it was my influence that got us into this trouble, it should be my influence that brings about a happy ending. I don't imagine that it will take much to persuade Jessica, but I will have a talk with the Superinten- dent. and don't be surprised if the name of a certain Yvarren Jackson appears on the promotion list soon. Francis Brown, '38 ae :lk 9? :lk ROMANCE IN AN ELEVATOR f'Going up! Going up! shouted Jack Evans, the handsome elevator boy in the Chandler Department Store. Several peo- ple answered his call by stepping into was a short opened up a business-like the elevator. Among them stout man., who immediately newspaper to readg a tall fellow wl1o might have been an insurance agentg and a woman with a little girl, who kept making fun of the other pas- sengers. At the last minute a girl came running just as Jack was about to close the door of the elevator. She was a girl of medium height with taffy-colored hair and blue-grey eyes. She was smiling and looked very pretty as she stepped in. Jack Evans did not fail to notice how pretty his last passenger was. The two men got out at the first floorg the lady and little girl got out at the childi-en's department on the third floor. The pretty girl was the only pas- senger leftl Top floor, please, she said presently. Top door, thought Jack. She must be after a job or something because thatls where the offices are. Then he began to whistle softly, looking at the girl all the while. The girl, conscious of his intent gaze, fiushed and looked down. Suddenly the elevator came to an abrupt stop. The girl slid into one cor- ner, and Jack came down with a thud in the opposite corner. They looked so fo0l- ishly helpless that neither one could re- frain from laughing. Finally Jack com- posed himself once more, 'Tm terrible sorry, he apologized, but I didn't real- ize we were so near the end of our jour-