The Washington herald., 1921-10-23
GRADUATION DAY
BRINGS SOLUTION
OF STOLEN CAKE
Trio of "Hawkshaws" Ad-
NIT Responsibility and
Case Is Closed.

Boys Of st. Luke's Prep School,
Of Wayne, Pa. always have had the
reputation Of being truthful and
honorable. but joke is a joke
and the headmaster knew q joke
when he saw II. However, he near
~ lost his faith In the honesty of
his boys" as he called them, on
one occasion.
Charles Henry strout, the head
master, more familiarity and affsc-
uonatsly called Chuck" by the
boys. was about TO celebrate his
eth birthday anniversary. Every
year he had . huge cake on this
occasion. and the boys were given
. holiday.
When the day arrived the school
was given its usual holiday, and
were all looking forward TO the
big dinner and the cake that night.
however, several of the boys found
notes in their rooms when they
went there after morning chapel,
which said:
Chuck will have no birthday
cake this year. He has always Civ
en- himself the largest piece, and
10 the high powers have decreed
I ne Snail not nave any At AL,
however, there will be q cake In
the woods. just back of the gymna-
SUM, IL you come there at { o'clock
this afternoon. Say nothing to any
one, and ask no questions?"
When the selected boys received
this note they knew that some joke
was being played on the headmas-
ter but said nothing to anyone.
When they went to the appointed
place they found about 30 other
boys there, all Of whom had re-
eeiVed the same communication. No
one seemed to know where the notes
came from, however. -
The boys soon forgot about the
mystery Of the notes in the enjoy
ment of the cake.
When the meal was over the head
master arose to his feet. and said:
Boys. a joke has been played.
Someone has taken the birthday
cake, and I regret that all Of you
cannot enjoy 1t. However, I want
the boy who took It. to come to my
ONCE Immediately after dinner"
or course nobody went
The next day when all the boys
were in assembly hall, he said that
no boy had confessed that he had
taken the cake. and that he meant
10 investigate. So he called for The
Bulldog" who was president Of the
senior class, and told him that he
was going to let him appoint two
others to investigate the AFFAIR and
report to him the result.
The Bulldog appointed his two best
friends, Monkey vioner. and Pc
Wee" Pierce. and these three called
each boy in and asked him the d.
rect question. Did you take the
birthday cake?~ Each one answered
No" Then they asked. DO you
know who did take it," and again
each answered No" The three in
vestigators were excused from all
classes for the day in order to ques-
tion the boys separately. and when
each boy had been called In and
asked the two questions. the three
went to the hsadmaster.
Mr.. Strout. We have asked every
boy in the school II he took the
cake. and II he knev who did take
1t. and each has answered No."
Mr.. Strout tol4 them that the mat
ter would be dropped then and moth
ing more dsue about It. but that
he had lost all faith in the tradi-
tons OF the school, for he had never
thought that there was a boy thers
who. when asked a direct question,
would lie about II.
However, two months later, when
the Bulldog. Monkey and Pewee
graduated. his faith was restored
for they came to him and told him
that no boy in the school had lied.
I'VE said that we had asked each
boy the questions and he had an
swered No. and they were telling
the truth, for not q boy in school
knew who took the cake except the
three who did. and they were not
questioned; they did the questioning
we took it."