Ashland High School - Echoes Yearbook (Ashland, ME)

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THE MYSTERY IN THE ATTIC One bright sunny afternoon Jean Thompson, a pretty blue-eyed, golden- haired girl of fourteen, was on her way home from school withher friend, Barbara Allen. Jean was a new stu- dent at Riverside High School. She and her family, who had formerly lived in Greenville, had moved to Riverside a few weeks before. Barb- ara was Jean's best friend, and they often had great fun together. This afternoon the two girls were on their way to Jean's house, which was situated upon a hill overlooking a beautiful lake. It was a two-story, old stone house, and it was believed by everyone in Riverside that this house was haunted! Barbara was spending the night with Jean and later when everyone in the house was asleep except the girls who had been telling ghost stories in bed, a sudden noise in the attic above startled them to listening attention. Did you hear it, Barb? whispered Jean. They sat very still, listening, tense, afraid to move. All was quiet for a few minutes, then--there it was again, a scuffing noise up over their heads! Do you suppose there really is some- one up in the attic? asked Jean. Barb, let's go search. Walking on tiptoe, and holding hands, they crept to the attic door at the far end of the hall. Covering the light with her hand, Jean opened the door half way, and paused,listening, expecting a hand to reach out and grab them any minute. O.K. Iguess it's safe to go on, whispered Jean. Hold my hand, and watch that creaking step. Taking off their shoes, the girls crept slowly up the attic stairs, keeping close to the wall. What if there are two people in the house, thought Jean, Will Mother, Dad, and Bobby be safe in their room, or shall Itell them? No, l'll not worry them, maybe it's nothing at all ---- . Jean's thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash from the attic. Oh, what was that? whispered Barb, It sounded like someone breaking a window. Listen. Holding their breath, the girls heard a thumping sound, like someone dragging a chain across the floor. The girls were now at the top of the stairs, and they could see into the attic. Putting out the flashlight, they sat down on the step out of sight, and waited, tensely, to see what would happen next. By the light of the moon shining in the window, they saw an overturned chair, and glass scat- tered over the floor where someone had broken in. A figure, clad in a black robe, was standing in the middle of the room. As the girls watched, they saw him go over to a trunk in a corner, kneel down, take out a key, and open the trunk. What do you suppose he wants in that old empty trunk? whispered Jean, or is it empty? Iwonder! Let's get closer so we can see him. I don't want to miss this. Creeping on their hands and knees, they hid behind a big box, a few feet from the figure, not daring to move. Taking out garment after garment from the trunk, the man muttered to himself, Now where can that be? l know it's here somewhere. Just then Jean moved, anda box fell down with a crash to the floor. What was that? shouted the prowler, grabbing his gun and jumping to his feet, he came to- ward the girls. Oh, thought Jean, We're in for it now. Just my nerves, I guess, said the prowler, and went back to the trunk. As he dug deeper into the trunk, he muttered Oh,

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55 fC'7f3w ,ni Fi LJ 'C' Wx is A 'ti Z' P 6 , , ,K 4 as-qg 6 -- 4 U A 'Y 'r ' 4 lk gi THE FATAL TEST FLIGHT My name? Dana Michael. My age? Forty-three. My profession? A Navy test Pilot My story all begins back in September 1950. Some of the men and I were test-flying a new jet propelled navy plane. We were flying along at 2500 feet, going about 600 miles per hour, when suddenly there was a long noise and one of the men shouted, Michael, the plane is on fire! I said, Get into your parachutes and jump! After the men had alljumped,l went into the cockpit and managed to get the plane down safely. But as I started to get out of the plane I saw my co-pilot, Jim Andrew, with his shirt sleeve in the door. He said, I was helping the men into their parachutes, after they had jumped, the door blew closed and my shirt got caught in it. We had just got out of the plane and were looking around to find out the cause of the fire when he shouted Look! I looked, and found that a bare wire had touched a piece of steel in the plane and had caused a fire to run along to one of the auxiliary tanks on the end of the right wing and this had caused an explosion. We were still looking around the plane when suddenly I noticed a flame on the left wing and I shouted, Run! We started running fast as we could, but got only about 20 feet from the plane when it exploded. We landed in the hospital. I was out in three weeks,but Jim Andrews' in- juries were more severe. Two weeks later I got a call from the hospital. Jim had died of a heart attack which was caused by the shock of the explosion. When I returned to the barracks, I told the boys. We had a very good funeral for him, in fact, one of the best I have ever seen. Ihave been working successfully for the United States Navy for twenty years now and have earned my promotion. Tomorrow, I can retire for the rest of my life and the Captain says that I will start getting my pension in about one month. Nowl hear the Captain wants to see me about a new plane that he wants me to try, that is, if I want to. Well, I most certainly do. So I guess I will have to wait for that promotion, but I don't mind waiting, as I will be doing what I most enjoy, test flying new planes. Philip Lafland '56 26

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at last l've found it! Look, I'm a rich man! So occupied in his findings, he didn't hear the girls as they sneak- ed up behind him. Again he said, I'm a rich man! Both girls shouted, as they conked him over the head with a wooden bar, knocking him uncon- scious, That's what you think! Just then the light came on, and Jean's family appeared in the attic. What's going on here? shouted Mr. Thompson. How did that ---- that crook get in here? Later when the prisoner had been turned over to the proper authorities and the excitement had subsided, Jean's father explained, Some years ago a big robbery occurred here in Riverside, and it has always been a mystery what became of the jewels. This man must be one of the gang, and came to get them, thinking the house deserted. The girls turned the jewels over to the authorities, and each received a big reward. Louise Tilley '54 A DREAM A dream I cannot forget is the one I had in English class. I dreamed I was walking along a brook, away off in the woods, fishing. There was a small group of us at camp. We would sleep till ten in the morning, go for a swim and catch some fish for breakfast. The worst part of it was just as I was begin- ning to catch a few fish, something tapped on the shoulder. I looked up, there was the English teacher looking at me, he said, If you want to dream, you can stay after school and dream. So now I can see, it doesn't pay to sleep in school, but it still was a good dream. Neal Mac Lean '54 28