8 THE ACORN. view. But oh! one shot would kill him. One shot would deprive me of my faithful Prince. What should I do, go with him and both suffer death or both remain together at the risk of my life as well as his. At first, it was hard to decide, but when I thought how much good I could do in showing the 'cutoffs' and hiding places along the way, I sacrificed my nearest friend for the good of my fellow men, As daylight deepened, the sheriff and I crouched behind the rock and watched the robber as he traveled on. Soon he stopped, jumped off his horse, ran up the mountain a little ways, and looked around the bend. He must have seen some one coming. He ran to his horse, jumped in the saddle and came toward us. He saw old Prince standing by the rock, then he spied me, a bullet whizzed through the air, but instead of killing me it killed old Prince. The desperado knew he was cornered so he jumped off his own horse, shot it too, to prevent some one from taking it, and scrambled up the steep side of the mountain. The sheriff pursued him as he ran from drift to drift. I could not help the sheriff there was something else for me to do. Oh, what's the matter with my eyes? They must be growing weak. There's one of my companions Is the room filled with mist? lying dead. His red blood staining the white snow. Goodness, is the fire out? Are my hands numb? ,Why can't I move? Oh, some one come to help me! While Jeff is scratching on the cabin door to get out, horses hoofs are heard in the distance. The cowboy's long lost brother comes to eat Christmas dinner with Bob. But Mary, in heaven, has received the Christmas present for which she has waited for the last twenty years. Marion A. Belnap, '05. AN ALLEGORY APPLIED, Sin, as represented by the monster in Spencer's Fairy Queen, may be applied to life without exaggerating any of its characteristics. We can take for example the monster Drink, and tell how it siezes some men. In many cases the drunkard is a young man of rare ability, and begins life with great success. But he THE ACORN. 9 falls into bad company, and regardless of virtue or prudence, he sinks deep into the vices of his new companions; so deep, in fact, that he loses all confidence in himself, and seems to be on the verge of destruction. But now another actor comes in the play and tells him to add Faith to his strength and to resist the evil with all his might. He seems to be encouraged, and with one powerful wrench he is free from the sin; but he is now so weak from the struggle that he can hardly retain his freedom; and at the sight of his late friends in their revelries he is again ready to fall into the dark abyss. But the resolution he has made and the sight of a dim light ahead encourage him onward, and finally, weak, but determined, he comes from the dark, just as the knight emerged victorious from Error's den. Edwin Peterson . A "HIGHLAND" WELCOME, to miss jeanette m'kay. Dear sister and school-friend, we welcome you back To these grand inland valleys of God, Where worldly temptations can never detract; Where virtue reigns deep, high and broad. Where loved ones and friends shall continue to dwell Surrounded by Nature's sweet charms. A host of companions have all wished you well, And are waiting with wide, outstretched arms. May the smiles ever last that true Friendship has cast; May good fortune be ever your aid; May the sunshine of joy always beam from the past While despondence lies back in the shade. May the treasures of earth all donate to your mirth, In this beautiful God-favored dell; May you meet with all goodness and value its worth While discomfort sleeps closed in his shell. Love is a monster of such gracious mien As to be courted, needs but to be seen; When seen too oft, on its sweet purpose bent, We first adore, then marry, then repent. Ex.