West Paris High School - Nautilus Yearbook (West Paris, ME)

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pecting to see a smile on Jerry's face. No more piercing words could ever have struck Jerry tlon did those words Wyour new fathert' A lump grew in his throat. Without a word he left the room and ran to sowmlt the comfort of dad's big chair where he had so nany hours wept away the ever- lasting longing for his dad. Every day Mrs. Taylor, or Mrs. Rice as she now was, beg ged her son to act more kindly toward his stepfather. Jerry had not spoken a kind word to him and always ran when he came into sight to avoid a meeting. Each succeeding day made him hate the 'nel fathern more. Late that summer Jerry was out walking with his mother by the mill where Mr. Rice was working. Jerry had been acting differently that day. He had done everything his mother had asked him to, and he even had agreed to go to see Mr. Rice in the mill. Inside the mill roaring machinery made Jerry tremble and the spinning wheels made him dizzy. Mr. Rice greeted the two with a broad smile. Jerry stepped aside and keenly eyed the wheels and belts. What if one of those belts should break? Surely they would kill a man instantly. Some- thing seemed to be wrong with the belt on the right side of him and he was just about to speak of it to his stepfather when he shrieked. Mr. Rice with Jerry's mother jumped just in time to save their lives then the broken belt swung by hissing like a snake. But Jerry was caught! The belt struck at him wit? violent force and sent the staggering body crashing against the bricks on the side of the wall. Jerry opened his eyes in the hospital. Once more he gave his mother a big smile although his entire body was wrought wlth pain. nMother,---I'll---forgive you for marrying that ---- man. Maybe I'1l see Dad soon ---- -. Slowly the wet lashes shut out the light forever and death conquered the short life. H. P. '40 .QF35f55.Q5'?5??3 - G9QdiYRJQgnH'2uqRy' Lx kofwyw' -4' vs'

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THE. FAJTHFUL Ll'.f'l'l.E HEART Jerry Taylor would never forget the day his father had been knocked down by a hurrying automobile and fatally in- jured. A kindly old doctor rushed Jerry and his mother to the city hospital where he left them in charge of a nurse. Silently the nurse led then into a small white room at the end of the building. Suddenly the silence was broken by sobs that shook the entire body of Mrs. Taylor. Jerry stepped forward and almost froze in his footsteps. Why did his father look like that? Bandages covered his arms, and his face was smeared with cuts and bruises. Only a weak groan was uttered through the quivering lips and a few gasps of breath stirred the body. When Jerry reached the bedside with his mother the tears were running down in a little stream. The figure now lay still, A new world had entered and had taken him with it. As the nurse led the sorrow-stricken pair out, the world seemed to have come to an end for them. It had been only a few minutes ago that they had been preparing supper and waiting for father to come home. The happy smiles had disappeared from the once merry faces. For weeks and weeks Jerry took no active part in any- thing. He attended school regularly but before and after school he would linger among his father's things--sit in his chair, look over his books and read the daily newspaper as father used to. Even his wether could not cheer him. She bought him new toys and took him to all amusement places but nothing changed the little boy's feeling. When Jerry could not be found at home he vas always discovered in the city cemetery sitting over his father's grave and crying bit- terly. Day by day he grew paler and the clothes hung loosely on his fleshless bones. A A month after his father's death, as he came home one evening when he came home from school he heard some conver- sation in the sitting room. Curiousity seized him and he peered through the key hole. Again tears blurred the staring eyes. How could mother sit so close to that man? She had never done it before when dad had been there. Trem- bling with anger he ran up into his room to seek comfort. About five o'clock Mrs. Taylor called Jerry for supper. He hoped that the mean man would be gone by this time so that he could be along with his mother. At the dining room door he stopped short for there in his dad's place sat that strange man. nCome Jerry, dear, I have a surprise for you. I want you to meet your new father,n Hrs. Taylor said joyfully ex-

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h. ?..1,...-,. ...,, THE LEGEND OF SHOWS FALLS It was a bitter cold winter night in the early part of the nineteenth century, a night such as are known only to those people who live among the hills of Kaine. but by no means bent, form trudged along the tr the figure of an old Indian woman, straight but weary from the long cold day's travel. She from Andover where she had Heat her wigwamu for An old all. It was as an arrow, had started many years. This old Indian woman was one of the last of her race in this part of the country, the rest having moved further north beyond the domain of the white man. She was none other than Kelly Ockett for whom Xollyeckett mountain in the town of Woodstock is named. She had many friends among the white race, especially in the towns of Andover and Paris Hill. M This dreary winter evening she trudged along to visit with her friends on Paris Hill. However, the traveling had been unusually hard and the deep snows had so hampered her progress that gt was already well into the evening hours and her destination still lay several miles away. NI'll stop and spend the night at one of the houses,n thought Kelly Oekett as she neared the place new Land per- haps thenb known as Snows Falls. So thinking she called at every one of the few houses in this little settlement, but all in vain. Every door was slammed in her face, shutting the warm firesides from Molly Oekett's view, shutting Holly Ockett out into that blustering winter blizzard, perhaps to freeze--anything but to enjoy the cheery glow of their home fires. what did they care about one more-or-less old In- dian squaw? - ,C When Kelly Ockett had been turned away from the last glowing fire, she turned and faced the blustering wind to survey the little huddle of Hhospitable homes.n It was an attractive little settlement as it lay that night,blanketed with snow. A snow and ice-crowned river wound through the bare trees and finally tumbled over the falls,forming beau- tiful curling strands ef ice, like gorgeous tresses of sil- ver hair. Helly Oekett stood so gazing for a long time. Then she said, speaking to the landscape, UYour solitude shall never be broken by selfish men. You shall always be lone- ly, desolate, and silent. No man who lives here shall ever prosper or live here long.n Thus delivering her curse upon 5