CONCLUSION
That night a crowd gathered in the big assembly room of the Columbia
High School to see Roderic Seymour and his gallant boys receive the
splendid flag which the girls of Columbia High had purchased to fly
upon the staff at the athletic grounds whenever a game of any sort was
in progress.
Helen Allen had been chosen to make the presentation address, because
she was known to be the best speaker among Columbia’s fair ones. And
both Paul Bird and Ralph West thought her the prettiest girl in the
wide world as, with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes, she told what pride
the sisters of the Columbia boys took in their sterling fight for the
baseball pennant.
If there was one disgruntled fellow in that big hall it must have been
Lef Seller, who had seen so many of his schemes for getting even with
his rival, Frank Allen, go astray of late. He had come because somehow
he could not keep away; but during the exercises, while everybody
else seemed to be filled with delight, Lef could only grit his teeth,
and mutter low threats to himself, still cherishing the hope that the
day would come when fortune might once more shine upon him, to the
confusion of his enemies.
Although the school term was nearly ended that seemed to be no reason
for Columbia High losing all interest in outdoor sports. There were
other days to come, and that not far distant, when these sturdy lads
of the banner high school would meet again in friendly struggles with
their student rivals of Bellport and Clifford. Something of the nature
of these contests may be gleaned from the title of the next volume in
this series, to be called, “The Boys of Columbia High on the River; or,
The Boat Race Plot That Failed.” It will be found crammed full of the
further doings of these wideawake lads, in whose fortunes we have found
ourselves so deeply concerned.
While the yearly examinations were being conducted as usual, Ralph
found it exceedingly difficult to concentrate his mind on his work. He
knew that Judge Allen had taken passage for Europe, in order to follow
up the mysterious travelers, who had last been heard from in Italy.
So the school year closed in a blaze of glory. Principal Parke declared
they had never known a more successful season, and with the percentage
so high. The graduation exercises passed off without a hitch; nor was
the electric current cut off on this occasion, as had happened once
before, when mischief-makers severed the wires, and lamps had to be
brought in so that Lanky Wallace could complete his declamation.
Ralph was frequently in consultation with his good friend Frank, while
he waited to hear from abroad.
“What would I do without you, Frank?” he said, as they sat under the
apple tree on that July morning just a day or two before the Glorious
Fourth.
“Oh, you’d manage to get on all right,” returned the other, quickly.
“Cheer up, old fellow. It’s always darkest just before dawn. You’ll get
a letter any day now, and perhaps written by the one you are longing to
hear from most. Try and put it out of your mind for a bit, and think of
the great times we expect to have on the river.”
“That’s always the way with you, Frank. You manage to chase away the
blues better than any medicine made. I’m going to laugh, and try to
forget my troubles for a little while. Yes, the letter is on the way
now, I don’t doubt; but oh! how the days drag along, waiting for news,”
sighed Ralph.
“Here comes Helen. Now we’ll go inside and have her give us some music
that is bound to liven us up. I just feel like singing, and it will do
you good,” cried Frank.
Ralph was nothing loath. There was an attraction about Frank’s charming
sister that always appealed to the homeless lad. So they were soon
gathered about the piano, and joining voices in such old favorites as
“Tenting To-night,” “I Know a Bank,” “Upidee,” and many others.
“Now, let’s wind up with the ‘Red, White and Blue,’” said Frank, when
Ralph had declared he must be going.
So, as on many a hard fought athletic field, the familiar words of the
grand old tune rolled out--always a favorite with these students of the
famous high school bearing the same cherished name:
“O, Columbia, the gem of the ocean,
The home of the brave and the free,
The shrine of each patriot’s devotion,
A world offers homage to thee!”
THE END
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.
Perceived typographical errors have been corrected.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.
Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.