Biddeford High School - Olympian Yearbook (Biddeford, ME)

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THE OLYMPIAN and the wonderful time she would have with Anne on the farm. She was to leave on the fourteenth, after the close of school. Laura, said her mother one evening, why don't you take your suitcase out and clean it? It's only three days until you leave. Laura left the room to do as her mother suggested. a bit sulky, the thrill gone out of the trip because of the lost manuscript. She retrieved the key from her dresser and began unlocking her suit- case. The lid snapped open and Lo! and behold! the familiar white sheets of l1er essay appeared before her startled eyes! She knelt over the pages and began read- ing' the lines. Laura's spirits soared and she ran downstairs to tell her family of The principal of the school was just rising. It was the last day of school. Today is the day we've all been wait- ing for. The best essay has been selected. You all remember our English teacher told us the best essay would be chosen for naturalness. That is why this one was chosen. Many others were also ex- cellent but not as hne as Miss Laura Mitchellisf' Everyone was surprised and glad for Laura, and as the familiar essay was read aloud. she 'felt it was the happi- est moment of her life. And, continued the principal. nl wish to announce that Miss Helen Taylor received honorable mention from the judges. At the close of school, Helen came up to Laura and shook her hand. You de- served the prize, Laura, but didn't you the glad news. The next morning Laura sci Z! 'UUUCY P1526 Ol' ?1UY!!!i1l2fH Mitchell walked to school on air with her head high and the precious manu- script tucked securely beneath her arm. She passed it in to Miss Thomas on the very day it was due. No, said Laura proudly, only a mil- lion dollars worth of glory. THERESA SULLIVAN, 43 MIGHT IS. RIGHT The snow fell down in a veil of white, The branches bent 'neath their heavy load, Softly, gently, a blanket at night Covered the iields, the roofs, and the road. The sun shone down on the world next day, On a world with its sins all covered. The people rejoiced and knelt to pray, Vlfhile about them the enemy hovered. Then down the hills shot their men on skis And ruined a Russian divisiong The orders were. Fight men! Fight if you please, Or our maps will need a revision! The world was stripped of its white disguise, And its sins lay exposed to the heaven. There was no remedy in Godys eyes. He'd said, Forgive, thou shalt be 'torgiv'n.,' Son Christ, thought God, didn't die in vain, Although there are those who believe it. And Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again, just open your hearts and receive it. NIARGARAT VBEECROFT, '40 l54l

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THE OLYMPIAN THE PRECIOUS MANUSCRIPTM It was just before the end of see- ond period and Miss Thomas was speak- ing to her English class. I know it is early, but I want to prepare you ahead of time. On june twelfth there will be an essay due, not less than seven hundred words and not exceeding one thousand. The topic of the essay will be, VVhat I Plan to Do During My Summer Vaca- tiou.' I will select the best according to ueatness. originality. and naturalnessg and the winning essay will be read in the assembly hall on the last day of school. This announcement was greeted with many ohs and ahs, and eveiryone seemed to talk at once. The hell rang for the end of the period and the class left the room. Two girls lingered behind, intent in their conversation. I-Iow I would like to have my essay read before the entire school. But I have no plans for this sunnner. I suppose I shall stay in the hot city all season, said Laura with in- dignation. But, said the other girl, named I-lelen Taylor, I am going to New York City this summer to visit my uncle, and what an exciting time I shall have! There will be the Empire State Building, Radio Ljity. and so many fascinating places to visit to tell of in my essay. A cold stare for talking so loudly from Miss Thomas end- ed the conversation' for the time being. But as Laura Mitchell hurried home from school that noon her thoughts were only on the essay, and as she rushed into the kitchen of her home a stream of chat- ter burst forth from her young lips. Take your time, dear, and tell me what you're trying to say, said her mother, and Laura was 06 again, with every last detail. Suddenly a frown ap- peared upon her pretty face. But what am I going to do this sum- mer ? VVe'll think about that later, you have plenty of time, said Mrs. Mitchell. By the way. a letter came for you this morn- ing, it's on the dining-room table. I think I recognized your cousin Anne's hand- writing. Laura went into the dining- room, and after being gone about two minutes, returned. as elated as before. 'iJlXl'I1lC has invited me to the farm for a month of this summer's vacation l said Laura. Ancl now, said her mother, as en- thusiastic as Laura, you know what to write about for your English essay. That evening found Laura Mitchell and Helen Taylor intent upon writing about summer vacations. For the next two weeks it was the topic of conversa- tion in school. By this time both girls had finished their essays and felt confi- dent that each had written the better work. Laura. after finishing hers, won- dered where she could keep the precious manuscript until it was due. After care- ful consideration she tncked it away neat- ly in the side pocket of her new suitcase. 'lThere, she said. as she locked her case, I won't have to worry about that for a long time. Little did she realize what this incident would mean to her later. School work continued as usual and the days passed quickly for the girls and 'Tune twelfth was drawing near. Five days before the compositions were due, most of them had been passed in. One afternoon Laura said to her mother, I think I'll get my composition and take it to school. Now where did I put it? Oh. of course, in the desk. She searched the desk in vain. VVhere could she have put it? She searched every corner of the house with her family's help, but to no avail. Laura cried herself to sleep many nights after and in school she had to listen to Helen Taylor tell of her vaca- tion and how hopeful she was of win- ning the contest. School would soon be over and Laura began to think of her summer vacation l53l

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THE CLYMPIAN TH E 'IlIIIRTE.EN CHIIVI ES 'KOh, dear, I wonder what time it is ! The time happened to be half past eleven at night. The place was a church in Boston, Massachusetts. At midnight the janitor always rang the tower bell. This night was the dark- dullest night that had ever passed during his forty years of service. Noth- ing had happened. No one had asked the way home. This was boring to a man who was used to having things happen. At last! Midnight! Then bed. VVhen I think of all those stairs to climb, my bones start to creak. Oh, well. I might as well fret it over with. I3 One, two, three. four. Oh. I shouldn't count. it may mean that it is my death walk. This building seems to creep with mystery tonight. The bell rang clear and far that night. Twelve times it rangg and then--silence. Suddenly the janitor jumped! 'Whihat was that I heard? Another dong? It couldnlt be possible, I didn't ring the bell again. But, there it was g a thirteenth chime where there should have been only twelvef, The old man shivered in his boots. I-Ie thought to himself. Could it be my sins paying me back, or could it be the devil trying to steal my soul? Before he knew what was happening, his house loomed into sight. I-Ie acted so strangely that his wife asked him what was the matter? I-Ie answered, Either my sins are catching up with me, or the devil is mighty near my heelsf, His wife laughed and said, Stop fool- ing yourself. Hurry up and come to bed, I'm tired. For the rest of the night the old man remained awake, thinking about his sins, such as not going to church two weeks ago. The next night his wife had all she could do to persuade him to go to work. In the end she finally had to go with him. All that evening Tom, the janitor, kept looking in back of him. peeking a1'ound the corners. anad listening for strange noises. Finally midnight came! Tom wondered, XVill the same thing happen tonight? It did! just like the night before except that two people ran home instead of one. Tom's wife was so frightened that she stayed in bed for a week afterwards. Tom tinally decided to tell a detective this story. Isle told four detectives and all but one laughed at him. The one who didn't laugh was Mr. Gault. Mr. Ganlt asked Tom to tell every- thing that had happened those two nights. Tom did and added that he thought it really was the devil trying to steal his soul. Mr. Gault laughed at that and said that he would solve the mystery in forty- eight hours. He also told Tom that he would go to the tower at midnight and see if it had really happened. Night came. Dark! Still! Silent! Tom was peeping all around him as he had the night before, expecting some- thing to jump out at him from some dark place. Then Tom rang the bell. One, two, three. four. hve, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. eleven, twelve. Silence! Bong ! There it was. The thirteenth chime had rung again. Mr. Gault was so surprised that he jumped out of the chair that he was sit- ting in and let his favorite pipe fall to the floor. He looked at Tom and this is what met his gaze: iss