"THE GREAT OUTDOORS." BY JOHN BRANSBY, AGE 16. (GOLD BADGE. SILVER BADGE WON JANUARY, 1917.) How completely the spirit of patriotism fills our minds just now is shown by the verse contributed to the LEAGUE this month. For while there were scores of tributes to "The Eagle," as the majestic flier whom we are wont to call "the king of birds," most of the little poems received paid homage to him as the noble symbol of liberty and of our free and mighty nation. Several young rhymers, moreover, gave an original and effective turn to the subject by saluting as "Eagles" those dauntless young aviators at the front whose dazzling feats have proved that man himself is now lord of the air. And new and marvelous eagles they are, indeed! Nor could the patriotic fervor of ST. NICHOLAS young folk be kept from flowing out upon the pages of the contributors in prose. Here, again, "A Close Call" meant, so far as the majority of the LEAGUE'S boy and girl essayists were concerned, some fine offering of praise and honor to Belgium's sacrifice and France's heroism, or some incident of indomitable courage in the great conflict where every man-at-arms or sailor-boy may, at any moment, by sudden, personal exploit rise to the supreme heights of prowess and of chivalry. Such deeds of valor, involving absolute contempt of danger, are common enough in the annals of almost every battle-front and submarine-zone. Naturally, they are dear to the heart of Young America; and we wish there were space to print many of those recounted by LEAGUE members. That life is not all struggle and conflict, however, is a fact for which we should be grateful at our annual Thanksgiving season. In the LEAGUE'S photographs and drawings we have glimpses of nature and familiar scenes, dear to us all by their beauty and their every-day-ness. And several of the prose contributors bring us cheery anecdotes or a delightful bit of fun. PRIZE-WINNERS, COMPETITION NO. 225. PROSE, Gold badges, Frances Miller (age 13), California; Dorothy Van Arsdale Fuller (age 14), Arizona; Henry Rische, Jr. (age 16), Wisconsin. Silver badges, Elizabeth M. Abbott (age 14), New Jersey; Edith Anderson (age 17), Washington; Hollis Hedberg (age 15), Kansas; Marion Cleveland (age 15), New York; Glenn Hamilton (age 16), Indiana. VERSE. Gold badges, Bessie H. Simpson (age 16), Ohio; Emily Lucile Weed (age 14), Minnesota. Silver badges, Polly Palfrey (age 11), Massachusetts: Edith Nichols (age 15), Maine; Grace E. Lustig (age 17), Rhode Island. DRAWINGS. Gold badge, Mary La Vancha Russell (age 14), California. Silver badges, Virginia Hall (age 13), California; Ruth Dewberry (age 13), Alabama; Aimee Ellis (age 14). Connecticut; Frances A. Cammack (age 14), Illinois. PHOTOGRAPHS. Gold badges, John Bransby (age 16), California; Florence W. Daniels (age 14), New York. Silver badges, Faith H. Poor (age 11), New York; Eleanor F. Gourley (age 15), New York; Grace R. Farrington (age 15), Maine. PUZZLE-MAKING. Silver badges, Dorothy Weeks (age 12), New York; Charlotte Reynolds (age 11), Montana; Rhoda Hellman (age 9), Connecticut. THE EAGLE BY CATHERINE PARMENTER (AGE 13) (Honor Member) TORMENTING man! why dost thou keep me here The laughing rivers, forests, hills, and stars; A CLOSE CALL BY EDITH ANDERSON (AGE 17) "THE Germans! The Germans! They are marching to Paris!" The cry resounded throughout all France, and in an instant her brave sons were hurrying to defend their country. But, even then, it might have been too late had not little Belgium opposed the foe. Little Belgium! Yes, little-but oh, what a wonderful country! Her people have suffered more than the world can ever realize. Their homes were burned, the inhabitants killed and maimed, but still they defied the savage brutes that caused their misery. Little Belgium saved the world, stopped the onrush of the Germans to Paris, which might have meant the rule of Germany over all, and thus saved the lives and the suffering of thousands of women and children. It was indeed a close call for all of us; and we pray that God may bestow His blessings upon heroic Belgium. THE AMERICAN EAGLE (To Germany) BY ELIZABETH M. DUKES (AGE 16) (Honor Member) OUT of the clouds he comes like the lightning Straight as an arrow shot from the sunShot by a young god radiant with morning, Stringing his bow where the winds are one. Out of the clouds on wings that are tireless; Leaving the cold, silent hush of the blue, Terrible with vengeance and armored with justice, Out of the clouds he is coming to you! A CLOSE CALL BY FRANCES MILLER (AGE 13) (Gold Badge. Silver Badge won April, 1918) "WHAT shall I do to-day? I surely will be killed and sold," sadly gobbled a turkey that was inside of a crate in a meat market. "Why was I ever born only to be eaten up by greedy people? Well -such is my fate!" and he lay disconsolately on the bottom of the box watching the door with his beady eyes. Just at that moment it swung open and in walked a tall man with a little boy. "Have you any good turkeys for sale?" inquired the man. "THE GREAT OUTDOORS." BY C. ROSALIND HOLMES, AGE 17 (HONOR MEMBER.) "Certainly," replied the butcher, "come to the back of the room." At this the turkey huddled up in the corner hoping they would not see him. "Oh daddy! look at this one, he only costs five dollars. Can't we have him?" as he ran to this turkey's crate. "Why yes I believe he is a good fat-" Rum, tum, tum! Rum, tum, tum! "A parade! It's the War Savings Stamps parade! Come, let's run out, and watch it go by," shouted the little boy as he ran to the door quickly followed by his father. The turkey in the meantime sat down again and preened his feathers for the last time, knowing he was to be killed before night. "Why was Thanksgiving ever invented? I suppose for the single purpose of destroying our race. Dear me!" After a few moments the customers re-entered. Quietly and thoughtfully they walked to the butcher and the father said in a subdued voice, "I guess we won't take the turkey because we have found a better use for our money. Goodday," and he tipped his hat and both he and his little boy walked out. "WHAT WE ALL LIKE." BY VIRGINIA HALL, AGE 13. (SILVER BADGE.) "Gee!" muttered the turkey, "that certainly was a close call!" A CLOSE CALL BY HOLLIS HEDBERG (AGE 15) THE sun was low in the western sky and the calm of evening was beginning to descend upon the forest. A young deer stepped lightly to the edge of a small glade where it stopped, its ears alert for the slightest sound of danger, its nostrils quivering, its whole bearing depicting a wild grace and beauty. Then, seemingly reassured, it ventured forward and began to feed daintily upon the short grass which covered the ground. Meanwhile another form approached the little clearing, a panther, gaunt and hungry. Swiftly yet noiselessly it crept out on the overhanging branch of a tree close to the unsuspecting deer. Again and again it impatiently dug its claws into the bark as it waited for the time when the deer would come within reach of a spring. But there was yet another eye which watched the glade with interest. A hunter homeward bound had noted the approach of both deer and panther from a place of concealment. His heart went out in sympathy toward the helpless deer. Suddenly he saw the panther's body grow tense, the deer was only a few paces from the tree. The hunter made a quick decision and raising his gun to his shoulder took aim and fired. With a screech the panther sprang from the tree only to fall dead several feet from the deer. At the sudden commotion the deer whirled, snorted with fear and bounded away into the forest. "You need n't have been in such a hurry, now that the danger is over," chuckled the hunter; "but I guess you did have a pretty close call that time!" "A HEADING FOR NOVEMBER." BY MARY LA VANCHA RUSSELL, AGE 14. (GOLD BADGE, SILVER BADGE WON OCTOBER, 1917.) THE EAGLE BY BESSIE H. SIMPSON (ACE 16) Swift as the rivers rushing below, Soaring upward, without a care, Symbol of Truth and Right. O bird that defies both space and time, Up from the depths below: Victor o'er all that is false and mean. With naught above but the turquoise sky- A CLOSE CALL BY MARION CLEVELAND (AGE 15) (Silver Badge) (A true story) ONE day last winter when Grandmother and I sat by the fire, she told me this story, "Once upon a time," she began, "just after the Revolution when the Indians were still troublesome, my great-grandmother lived in a very wild part of the country, far from any store. Now it happened that one day her husband had to go for supplies, and she was left alone with her baby. All went well until about four o'clock, when, glancing out of the window, she saw two Indians on the brow of the hill. They were making signs and pointing toward the house. What should she do? She knew it was useless to try to resist the savages, useless even to lock the doors, for they would break right in. For one second she stood so still that she could hear the clock tick. Suddenly a daring thought entered her head. The clock was what is called a grandfather clock,-a big one-and the base was of solid wood. She could hide in there! She snatched her sleeping child from the cradle leaped into the clock and closed the door. Nor was she a minute too soon, for just then the savages burst into the cabin. There stood the cradle, rocking gently to and fro. The savages were sorely puzzled at this strange phenomenon, and though they searched long and thoroughly, they could not find the brave woman. For what seemed an hour they stayed and my great-grandmother was petrified for fear the babe would awake and cry. Soon, tired of their vain search, the savages left, but it was long after that before the wary woman dared venture from her hiding place. At last she did, however, and it was a proud and grateful man who heard later what a close call his little family had had." A CLOSE CALL BY ELIZABETH M. ABBOTT (AGE 14) ON August 1, 1914, the people of our land read the first news of the Great War, which now fills our thoughts. It was not long before the call of distressed nations rang across the sea and the papers told dire tales of the horrors of war, but, although the people read and shuddered at these dreadful stories, very few of them actually real |