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

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EXCUSED NORBETH DUBY--january, 1927 Sleep, my dolly, I-'Vlzilc I hold you iight Sleep in drcamland Safe til morning Iightf' I N the large music room, a small group consisting of Chub, her mother, Mrs. Irvene, Bud, her brother, and her cousin Beth, was gathered around the piano. The girls and Mrs. Irvene were rehearsing a song which was to be sung at an entertainment the next week. Bud was very much absorbed in watching the little girls put their dolls to sleep with this childish lullaby. Another occupant of the room was not taking any part in the rehearsal, nor was she watching the girls, as she was too busy with her own affairs. This was Marguerite, Bethis ba-by sister. Bye and bye she left the room to go in search of her mother, who was in another part of the big, old house. She was seen to crawl through the long hall that led into the piano room and was soon lost to sight as she turned a corner. Just after she left, the lights flickered and went out. Mamma, where are the lights ? queried Chub. Stand still, children, and Iill have the lamp lighted in a moment, so we can go on with this song. You know you must learn it perfectly before next week, answered Chub's mother. Your uncle john has been busy with that light power-tank for the past half hour. The regulator has not been used because Uncle John thought the electric lights would be installed any day. It must be watched carefully. The tank referred to was one of acety- lene used to furnish light in the house. It was a very dangerous method, as many ter- rible things might happen if the pressure became too great for the small tank. This one had become particularly troublesome and often the lights could not be used unless Mr. Nlfrifrht worked on them for a long while. Thelgemergency lamp being lighted, Mrs. Irvene played a few more chords of the song and the children began to sing again. Sleep, my dolly, lVhile I holdin Boom-m-in!! The house rocked on its foundation. A piercing scream was heard that sent a chill down the spines of all in the room. Everything was again thrown into darkness. lvindows were shattered and bricks from the outer wall fell around the room. No one there was hit by the danger- ous missiles, but their nostrils were filled with dust and powdered mortar. Mother, mother, screamed Chub. Are you here? VVhat happened? VVher's Bud and Beth? Fm so f-f-frightened. I-Iere's me, mamma and I'm 'fraid, too. This was from Bud, who had been quiet up to this time. I-lush! ls 'any one of you hurt? No? Thank goodness! Someone will come in a few minutes to help us get outside. VVe must stand still and not take any steps at all, advised Mrs. Irvene. In a far corner of the room she noticed a dull, red glow. The children, too, saw it and began to talk excitedly among them- selves. Mrs. Irvene was busy thinking of the others. XY here were the rest? VVas any of them injured? VVhere had Marguerite crawled to when she left the room? All these thoughts were circulating through her brain as she sat on the piano bench with the children huddled close around her. She was peering about the room to see if there was any opening through which they could es- b b Ninety-three

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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.

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