Weymouth High School - Campus / Reflector Yearbook (Weymouth, MA)

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Believe It Or Not— But It ' s True Shortly after the World War, a distinguished Congressional party from America made a tour of China. They were entertained royally by the Chinese Government and by the American Minister at Peking. At last one of the com- pany heard of Peitaiho, a well-known summer resort in northern China, and immediately they all asked for a special trip there. Not wanting to put the Government to further expense, the American Minister asked the American residents of that resort to welcome them for a day. Being a friend of ours and knowing that we could house them all, he asked us to let our home be their headquarters for the day. We gladly consented and they arrived, one hundred fifty-six in number. They went in swimming, rode donkeys, and explored the sum- mer resort during the morning. At noon, thanks to our wonderful servants, who borrowed from far and near, tables, chairs, table-linen, dishes and silver, and with the aid of native assistants, and two cooks, a full course dinner was served to them. After dinner, some of the people, including a pompous Senator, attended a tea party at the house of the American Consul-General. As those at the tea were to go to the train directly after the party, the Senator asked the Consul ' s wife if she would send a servant to our house to get his bathing suit, which had been left there to dry. A servant was dispatched, and soon return- ing with some clothing over one arm, he entered the screened porch while the tea was still in progress. He planted himself before the self- satisfied Senator, and, displaying a checkered bathing-suit, he asked, This b ' long yours, Master? Yes, meekly responded the portly gentle- man. And this? asked the servant holding out a tiny towel. Yes, put them in my bag, roared he — ter- ribly embarrassed. The servant, however, was still puzzled and he continued, But, Master, Dr. Nye ' s coolie say these b ' long yours. He savvy you hang these up with your bathing-suit. The ladies present, could not control their mirth and laughter which burst upon the ears of the mortified man. For the servant was dis- playing, carefully, to the horror of the corpulent Senator, and before the eyes of the distinguished company, a large pair of pink corsets. The poor Senator was greatly chagrined to have the secret of the sylph-like figure which he wished to acquire so brazenly disclosed. Helen Nye, ' 33 A Call at trie Dentist ' s The dentist may be a saver of teeth, but he certainly is not a saver of feeling. As the patient climbs the stairs to the waiting- room, he sincerely hopes that the doctor has some reason for canceling his appointment. He is greeted by a white-clad nurse, who assures him that the doctor is expecting him. The nurse cor- dially invites him to make himself at home; so he wearily sits down and attempts to interest himself in a magazine. Through the open tran- som he hears familiar groans, which are most encouraging. In a few minutes a man emerges from the doctor ' s operating room, looking as though he had been drawn through a wringer. Now the patient sits in the chair and tells the dentist about his toothache. The doctor decides that the tooth must come out. The patient ' s hair is on end, and he wonders why his knees do not remain stationary. After a few shots of novo- cain, the dentist bends over him armed with a wicked looking pair of forceps. A few yanks and pulls, and the job is over. Aw! That was not so bad after all, he is later heard to say. Marshall P. Bearce ' 34 Miss Brown: You ought to get married, Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones: I have wished many times lately that I had a wife. Miss Brown: Have you, really? Mr. Jones : Yes, if I had a wife, she ' d prob- ably have a sewing machine and the sewing ma- chine would have an oil can, and I could take it to my office, and oil my office door. It squeaks horribly. Page Fifteen

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Tke Family Name of Waskmgton The Washington family was of ancient Eng- lish stock, and its genealogy has been traced back to the twelfth century. At the time of William the Conqueror ' s con- quest of England there were many wealthy es- tates and towers. One of these was the county of Durham, in northern England. This place was much noticed by William the Conqueror, because it was on the frontier between England and Scotland, and was liable to invasions from the Scotch. Among the knights who owned estates in this county of Durham was William de Hertburn, the progenitor of the Washington family. He was a friend of William the Conqueror, and was a prominent figure in the country. Later the family exchanged its estate for another one with the name of De Wessyngton. Consequently the family changed its name of de Hertburn to De Wessyngton, as was the custom of the time. Nearly seventy years afterwards the family still had possession of the same estate. The names of Boudo de Wessyngton and William, his son, appear on charters of land, granted in 1257 to religious houses. The De Wessyngtons took part in many minor battles, and a few major ones. In the reign of Edward III the name of Sir Stephen de Wes- syngton appeared on a list of knights who were to tilt at a tournament at Dunstable in 1334. For more than two hundred years the De Wessyngtons had figured in various activities and kinds of life — the hunt, tournaments, county councils; and some of the family were in the clergy. But by 1400 the estate was sold, since there were no immediate heirs to inherit it. How- ever, there were some descendants from William de Hertburn, who distinguished themselves in various professions. Their names were recorded in a few history books, and were engraved in chapels and churches. By degrees the name of De Wessyngton changed to Wessyngton, Was- sington, Wasshington, and finally Washington. One of these descendants of William de Hert- burn was Lawrence Washington, to whom George Washington ' s branch of the family im- mediately belonged. Lawrence Washington was Mayor of North- ampton for some time; and received, indirectly from Henry VIII, the manor of Sulgrave, in Northamptonshire, which remained with the family for many years. All of these Sulgrave Washingtons distinguished themselves in battles. Lawrence had two great-grandsons, John and Andrew, who were the first of the family to move from England. The two brothers came to Virginia and settled in Westmoreland County, near the Potomac. John married and moved to Bridges Creek, on the Potomac. He became an extensive planter, and in the course of time was elected a magistrate and a member of the House of Burgesses. The estate continued in the family. His grandson Augustine, the father of our Washing- ton, was born there in 1694. He was married twice. By the first marriage he had four chil- dren, two of whom, Lawrence and Augustine, survived. By the second marriage he had four sons, George, Samuel, John and Charles; and two daughters, Elizabeth and Mildred. Here we have the ancestry of George Wash- ington, and also, briefly, the characteristics of some of the ancestors. Washington ' s inheritance of their qualities — military aptness, managing ability, and perseverance — certainly showed in his life. Louise Merrill ' 32 A Coal M ine in New England 1 wonder how many people realize that within a distance of fifty miles of Boston there is a coal mine in full operation producing thousands of tons of coal a year. This mine is situated just outside Providence, Rhode Island, and on the direct road to Newport. It has been in opera- tion for a great many years. Perhaps the reason it is not better known to the people of New Eng- land is that it produces a low grade of bitumi- nous or soft coal, and with the supply of higher grade coal from the west the market for this Rhode Island coal has been limited. Owing to a new development of some Ger- man engineers, by which a number of foreign el- coal to be compressed into brickettes of such a consistency that they may be dropped on a con- crete floor without breaking, this mine is now flourishing and is destined to become one of New ements are extracted, a process which enables the England ' s large industries. N. Dresser ' 34 Page Fourteen

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)ome Anecdotes About Lincoln A friend of Lincoln ' s was boasting about his own race-horse. Abe, said he, I ' ve got the best horse in the world ; he won the race, and never drew a long breath. Mr. Lincoln calmly paid no attention to this bragging statement. The neighbor repeated his words. Abe, I ' ve got the best horse in the world ; after he had won the race, he never even drew a long breath. Lincoln said quietly, Well, Larkins, why don ' t you tell us how many short breaths he drew? While Lincoln was showing goods to some ladies in a store, a bully came in and began to talk in a profane manner, wishing to provoke a quarrel. Lincoln leaned over the counter and begged the fellow not to indulge in such speech, as ladies were present. The bully retorted that he ' d like to see the man who could keep him from saying what he pleased. He was coolly told that Lincoln would hear what he had to say, after the ladies had retired. As soon as the ladies had gone, Lincoln found to his disgust that the man was not to be put off without a fight; so he said, Well, if you must be whipped, I may as well do it as anyone else. That was just the result that the bully had been seeking, and out of doors they went. Lin- coln made short work of the other, throwing him upon the ground and rubbing smart-weed into his face and eyes, until the fellow screamed with pain. Lincoln did this without a particle of an- ger; and when the job was finished, went im- mediately for water, and did all he could to stop the victim ' s distress. The result was that the man became Lincoln ' s lifelong friend. Lincoln was riding in the train one day, when a stranger said, Excuse me, sir, nut I have an article in my possession which belongs to you. How is that? inquired Lincoln. The stranger took a jack-knife from his pocket. This knife, said he, was placed in my hands years ago, with the injunction that I was to keep it until I found a man uglier than myself. Allow me to say, sir, that I think you are fairly entitled to the property. Two men were quarreling over the question as to how long a man ' s legs should be in pro- portion to the rest of his body. At last they took the question to Lincoln, who listened to the ar- guments presented by each side. Then, with the gravity of a judge, he delivered his opinion. This question has been a source of contro- versy, for untold ages, and it should be decided immediately. It has led to bloodshed in the past, and there is no reason to suppose it will not in the future. After much due consideration, not to mention mental worry and anxiety, it is my opinion, all side issues swept away, that a man ' s legs, in order to preserve harmony of proportion, should be at least long enough to reach from his body to the ground. Lincoln was, naturally enough, very much surprised when, one day, a man of rather for- bidding aspect drew a revolver and thrust the weapon almost into his face. What seems to be the matter? inquired Lincoln with all the self-possession he could muster. Well, replied the stranger, who did not ap- pear to be at all excited, some years ago I swore an oath that if I ever came across a man uglier than myself, I ' d shoot him on the spot. Upon hearing this, Lincoln ' s expression lost all suggestion of anxiety. Shoot me, then, he said, for if I am an uglier man than you, I don ' t want to live! Sylvia Merrill Wkat Would H appen If: Pat were Tigers instead of Lyons? Stewart were Soft instead of Loud? Marion were Lake instead of a Poole? Stan were Apollo instead of Neptune? Virginia were a Cinder instead of a Cole? Nunu were a Cobbler instead of a Taylor? Edith were a Butcher instead of a Baker? Carl were Preachers instead of Parsons? Adelaide were a Date instead of an Olive? Garland were a Gong instead of a Bell? Margaret were Rods instead of Miles? Lorin were a Lobby instead of a Hall? Bettie were False instead of True? Otto were a Painter instead of a Mason? We Seniors. Page Sixteen