Yeatman High School - Yeatman Life Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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-.........,...........-.......... .,,, .........,-...-.... ... ..... . .......,..,, ....,. ..,,. ...-,. .,....... .,. . ...,. . .........,,.....-.........,....,,...4-........,.-.-.,..,....-......-f,.,......,..,..,1-....................,........-..--...... wssiifiifsi:---,a.2i2f' - ' . . .Ein rf '1' X . 6' - , 5 if? , .s.5f:::LCI.lfii:fii' ll.:1.116-1:11:L1::7:::::::::::r:L:::::::::.,.... '.... ' ' ' :.::1::::::::.::r:z::::::...------e 5 I 'H--1-- ,..:sL......iv....-' J.- -...-. .,.., ...-....-..-......,...,.......,,..,. ..... .... .... .- ,, ,W .,- V , ,--A-, ...... , ,W , , , -ss--I Wa. Well, inquired the curt, paper-headed person who opened the door, What do you want ? Please, madame, he began, could I sell you a buggy for babies? They're very nice, and only twenty-nine fifty each, on time- You insulting wretch! Who are you to come insulting a poor., lone, respectable lady who has lived forty years in single blessed- ness? How dare you stand there- But he wasn't standing there. He was three blocks away, pacing as hard as his already winded lungs would permit, drag- ging along behind those buggies at as rapid a gait as they were ever intended to make. Drops of perspiration fell from his be- wildered brow as he thanked his lucky stars for his fortunate escape from that spinster with the murderous tongue. Nevertheless, with a fool's grit he attacked another home- like institution, resolved to sell at least one part of his wares or die in the attempt! He reached the steps, halted, and rang the bell, but he couldn't stay. He fled, leaving bug- gies, dolls and all to their fate. He had just reached the corner, when an awful voice shouted from where he had just fled, Auch! mein Gott, three babies, help ! At the same instant he felt a tight grip on his arm, and as he turned to see who his tormentor was, he recognized the officer who had been such a hero in saving his babies but a few minutes before. Back to the house they marched, arm in arm, up to the excited mistress of the house who was wailing out dire curses upon the cold-hearted father. Say, began the officer, I just got through rescuing those kids from an auto- mobile and now you're trying to leave them at this poor widow's door. I've got a notion to pull you in. You'd get two years for this. Poor Jim tried to explain, but the angry policeman wouldrft give him time. Instead 'he gave him a shove and said, Go on, get away from here and don't let me see you again this blessed day. Get ! He got. It was a mighty sad and dejected lad who plodded down that street pullingstwo infant carriages. Fate, thou ever deciding god, thy burden is indeed hard upon some! Had not Bircher's son tried? Had he not been encompassed with difficulties and discour- agement? His dad, it seemed was against him, the law was against him! Maybe though, a fellow's wife-to-be might stand up for him-but horrors upon horrors, Mabel was coming down the street! He wondered what she would think of his ap- pearance, but he knew in his heart she was too hasty to wait for an explanation, and she couldnlt imagine him wheeling dolls. He had to do something before she saw him. Kind Providence came to the rescue. Be- fore him loomed one of the many bridges! He hailed it as a divine blessing sent es- pecially for him, and as a grateful receiver, rushed up to it and threw the two buggies, contents and all, down into the swiftly How- ing current. Instantly he felt heavy grip upon his arm. Y ou ! he exclaimed as he recognized the same burly officer. Yes, me, the patrolman answered after a shrill blast on his whistle to summon an- other officer, and for God's sake think of what you've done! 'We've got to save those kids! So saying, without even stripping off his coat, he leaped over the bridge down into the water, and after a short struggle, emerged upon the bank with the two buggies -but there were no babies in them. Down again he went. He dived and again he dived. He took off his coat and dived again. During all this time, -lim gazed as one entranced. hynotized. Mabel now ap- proached but she had eyes only for him and asked, What luck brought you here to meet me ? L0ve's dream did not last long, however, for a whole squad of blue-coated enforcers of the law suddenly appeared. They looked at Jim and then at Mabel, and then down into the water. The ser- geant immediately drew his own conclusion, with a loud and strong voice he shouted, N inety-one

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XE is S M 3, --.......... .... a-...-... .,..H ....---.......-a..-.--...,,.,,.t,,,,,,, .-,,,,,,, 3. . ,W i,,,w--M-,-,W .Z....,. ,,,, , f .,li. 59' A.v1 3 1 La:::'.z'::m4:::::r::'.:::r:::':.':.'....'---....-'-'-...-,-1---5-::r,g,,-gg-ref---f-if 1 l . .. My God, who would have conceived of such beasts? Here you two, you'll both get a. rope around your neck for child murder. Bill, Mike, grab these murderers! They're nothing but kids, but they've got blood on their hands. - Immediately two officers laid hold of Mabel and jim. Mabel fainted. Jim was distracted. I-Ie caught Mabel and called her name in agony, but the men of the law were not to be fooled. Come offf' said the sergeant, this faint- ing's an old 'stall.' The station's only two blocks off. If your wife there wants to be drug along, why all right. I'm not agoin' to carry her, and she's goin' with you. Jim was almost crazy. He looked about him for help,,and-to his joy, he espied his father coming towards him in a brand new 1917 model. Loudly he shouted, Oh Pop! Pop ! Pop knew his name anywhere and so came to him, W'ell, well, he began. Then, seeing the girl, he exclaimed, Why, this is Mabel- why- Mabel nothingf' interrupted one of the officers. You come along with the rest of them to the lock-up. It looks like an infant killing trust to me. The sergeant now suddenly appeared from under the bridge where he had gone to help the first officer. He was followed by the burly hero, who was soaking wet, dishev- eled, and who carried in his arms one of the bisque babies. He looked mad and he was mad. VVhere's that damned fellow, Ninety-two he yelled, I'll teach him to play jokes on the Elwood police force. What the-! ! l Shut up, ordered the sergeant. Then turning toward the recently acquired pris- oner, he said, Well, I'll be blessed if it ain't old Bill Bircher. Well, who'd ever have thought I'd see you here. Shake, old man. They shook hands and then Bill Bircher asked the sergeant what it was all about. Darned if I know, said the sergeant. W'e'd better listen to the kid. Then the kid, still supporting Mabel, who, by this time had come to, yet needed help, related his plans and adventures from be- ginning to end, to the nine officers, his father and his sweetheart. Then everybody roared! Even the wet policeman smiled. When Mr. Bircher, senior, at length man- aged to speak coherently, he slapped Jim on the back and said, Well, son, how do you like selling baby carriages? I was going to offer you the state territory this morning, but I never supposed you'd make such a local salesman. I'm sorry you can't accept it. I suppose, though, that you've become so attached to baby -buggies you wouldn't consider automobiles. Accept, roared Jim.. I'll certainly ac- cept the state territory all right. No more baby buggies for mine. Well, then you and Mabel hop in with me and see what you think of the new model you,re going to sell. In the meantime our friends can-C slipping a bill into the hands of the sergeantj you fellows, you do what- ever you like with this.