Bridgton High School - Corona Yearbook (Bridgton, ME)

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THE CORONA 11 SCRAPPILY MARRIED So nice of you, Abner, to decide to shave off that hateful little mustache you've been cultivating and trimming for months, said plump, rosy-cheeked Mrs. Rankin to her lanky, stoop-shouldered, red-nose husband. Now just as soon as I get these dishes washed and you get through shaving, we'll walk out to the avenue and see the picture at the Strand. It'll seem good to appear in public with you again without everyone staring at you and wondering what you're trying to do to your upper lip. Oh, well, the best of experiments fail, sighed Abner Rankin. slinging a towel over his shoulder and shuffling towards the bathroom. I suppose you'll feel a lot better when my face is as smooth as a pool ball. A lot of these movie actors have mustaches, and you think they look just swell. llut me. hum! l'm only old Abner, your dumb and faithful spouse. Some day everyone we meet on the street will smile and think how young I look for a man who's been married so long. You get in that bathroom and dispose of that horrid brush under your nose be- fore I throw a plate at you, Abner Ran- kin, fumed his better half. If anyone we don't know smiles at you, it'll be be- cause they're naturally kind to old people and dumb animals. Now get i11 there and start at shaving. And don't forget to clean off the upper lip. You're getting awfully absent-minded lately. Abner went into the bathroom and lathered his face, mumbling under his breath something about petticoat govern- ment. Amy Rankin finished washing dishes and went upstairs to change her clothes. She was down and ready to leave before Abner had gone up to change into his blue serge suit, but Abner made good time and soon they were out on the ave- nue and-walking along together toward the theater. So nice of you, Abner, to have shaved off that obnoxious little brush, said Amy for the third time since leaving the house, staring up at the left side of Abner's long face. You look so much smoother and younger. Thanks, mumbled Abner, wondering if they would meet any ,pretty young women on the street. See that you treat me better'u a hound dog. Abner's eyes brightened quickly. A very chic young lady came around a cor- at the Portland Shipyard. ner and approached them. lle kept his eyes on her and, as they met, he was pleased to see her pretty face break out in a big smile. Soon another young lady they met smiled at him openly and his conceit soared. Why shouldn't they smile at him? He looked young and dapper, even without the late lamented mustache. Say, Abner, I wish you'd stop making faces at people we meet, Amy snapped suddenly. Everyone we meet grins like a monkey at you. I ain't making faces, frowned Abner. They smile at me just because they can't help it. I'm so strong and romantic look- ing this afternoon. l iddlesticks. snorted Amy. rubbing her nose with the pick of the umbrella she always carried when going out. You must have your coat or shirt on backwards or something like that, to make people notice you. Now don't get sarcastic, Amy. just because you don't attract as much atten- tion as me, you needn't get buffy. Per- haps you will appreciate me more than you have, after this. As they neared the theater, a group of young boys approached. Suddenly one of the little ruflians burst into loud laughter and pointed a dirty linger. Say fellars, lookit that guy's face. will yah. jest lookit! he screamed in laugh- ICT. All the boys looked at Abner. and all the little faces contorted with spontane- ous glee. Amy stared at them in wonder, as did Abner. VK'hat could they see about him that was so comical? Abner! snapped Amy. VVhat on earth are they laughing at P Lordy, Amy, I don't know! ex- claimed Abner, very IllllCl1 upset. I haven't the slightest idea what makes them act like that. Something's wrong with you. Turn around. Let me look you all over, com- manded Amy.

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10 THE CORONA ll Qfnr Q ll THE SMUGGLER To most of us the word smuggler has a dark look and a repulsive sound. I am going to tell you about a smuggler who brought light and hope to hundreds. ,lean D'argent was a young Frenchman who had escaped to England just ahead of the German occupation of his beloved country. Although safe himself , Jean was very sad over the plight of his country. .lean had finally worked out a plan of helping his countrymen which had left the Germans gnashing their teeth in rage and chagrin. He had devised a way of getting the little children out of the country into safety. In preparation for the particular ven- ture I am going to tell ,you about, .lean had slept during the day. Wlieii the eve- ning shadows began to fall he was awakened bv his landlady. As he always did before his excursions, he visited pere Lalonde, the good priest who blest him and blest his undertaking. .lean had .been very lucky, for there were many perils to beset his path. There were challenges from British ships and guards. There were enemy boats, fogs, and German guards on the French coast. But 'lean was clever. This night as he moored his small craft, the mist was nearly rain. It was bard to see but -lean's eyes had become accus- tomed to the dark. This was his old home town and well he knew the rocks on the beach. A little path led up to the village but Jean preferred not to take it, as a sentry was apt to be met there. He made his way over fences and through fields till he came to the town. So far all had gone well but the Germans would be patrolling the streets at intervals, and .lean did not wish to be caught. The blacksmith lived near the center of the town. Now he was almost running and straining his ears for the smallest sound. All of a sudden he heard sharp words and the sound of blows. He stopped and listened. The words came in drunken gutteral German. .Xt any minute the Germans might come out of the house and discover him. He glanced up and down the street. He was fairly caught. On one side was a solid wall of houses and shops built French fashion right to the sidewalk. On the other side was a picket fence too high to scale. Poor -lean! the perspiration poured down over his temoles. What was he to do? He must succeed for the sake of the little children. He must be bold. He stepped right up to the house and listened again. ,lean saw two doors and he listened at each. Ily the sounds he could tell from which part of the building the noises came. He grasped the handle of the door from which no noises came and pulled hard. He found an old coal bin inside and got into it just as the angry Germans stumbled out of the house. They were yelling and cursing, and what do you think about? Two nights be- fore a dozen children had been taken from a nearby town. On entering the house lean saw a dark form lying on the floor. The man moved and -lean seized his gun, gagged him with his scarf, and dragged the man into the coal bin. lle put on extra speed to make up for the lost time. In hve minutes he was at Monsieur Chappellis. the blacksmith. There he found a dozen children, ranging in age from five to thirteen. They were a sad group. but very brave. Tears of an- guish shone in their eyes but they never fell. You older children guide the younger ones. lean directed. They were fortu- nate enough to encounter no Germans. On arriving in England they received food and clothes for the journey to America. These children of France are learning to know and love America, and to speak our language. Someday, when the war is over, they will return to La Belle France that they love so well. WINNIFRED TIILTON, '47.

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12 THE CORONA Now, for the first time since leaving the bathroom. Abner faced his wondering wife squarely and what the good lady saw made her eyebrows pop way up under her hat. Ohhhhh, Abner, she squealed. That horrid mustache. You cut off only the left half . Huh! What the- he stammered dumbly, feeling of his lip in frank disbe- lief. Stiff bristles, however, met his fin- gers. Well, can yuh beat- he trailed off in amazement. Oh, you absent-minded wretchf' shrilled Amy. brandishing the umbrella. I'll brain you, you conceited, dispis- able- she swung hard at his head with her rain insurance. but missed for the first time in her married life. Abner Ran- kin was already ducking low and sprint- ing madly for sanctuary in the nearest ,barber shop, holding one hand cupped tightly over the half-vanished mustache. THE NIGHT BEFORE THE EXAMS Study, study. study! Nothing but end- less study for one whole afternoon and evening. VVhy on earth did I leave all this work until tonight ? If you had visited the Cascy's home on this special night, these would be the lam- entations you would have heard. They came from fmvurteen-year-old Jimmy Casey. He was studying for the twelve- week exams which were scheduled for the next day, and, as you gather. .lim was trying to cram twelve weeks' work into one evening. The clock ticked on--11.30, 12.00, 12.30 - Suddenly - Ujimmy! James Henry Casey. You get to bed this instant! Look at the time. That was mother. jimmy continued studying. Oh! VVhat is the difference be- tween a complex and compound sentence, and which is correct - who or whom? And who was supposed to figure out the hypotense of a right triangle. Oh. heavens! I've forgotten what a vertebrate is- jimmy! If you don't go to bed imme- diately you won't go to school tomorrow ! That was Father. Jimmy worked on- Now let me see, you take the square of the right side and- jeepers! what is that horrible looking thing? It looks like the picture of a caribou in the Biology book but it has donkey's ears and bear's feet and-wait! Here is a whole row of triangles marching toward me. They have arrows in their hands. On the other side is an army of who's. whom's, and verbs. How horrible! VVhat if they should start fighting. Did I say start! They are at it in full force now. There were three monsters roaring and stamping around now. The fight continued. -lim started running. The monstrosities followed. ,Iimmy screamed. They grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. The largest one let out an awful roar- ,Iimmy! jimmy! VVill you wake up and get upstairs to bed. I've been shaking you and hollerin' for the last minute and you never stirred. Now go to bed. The very idea fallin' asleep on top of your school books. Pnvl.l.ls liUSWlEl.L, '-17. MAROONED They were a gay party. the five of them, as they set out that bright morning in early lfebruary. There had been a snowstorm the night before and now the whole world seemed to have the atmos- phere of a beautiful fairy kingdom. The members of the party were: 'Tack Mason, fresh out of college. with high hopes of becoming a Navy pilot: ,lean fkdams, a .lunior at college: young Dr. Harry Henson: his bride, Nancy: and jeffrey Prale. a guide, who was a very good friend of -lack. They had left the car at the little settle- ment, about a mile back, and were pro- ceeding on snowshoes. Mount VVashington. here we come, shouted black. See that little hut off to 'the right, about a mile and a half up? Let's go ex- plore it, he said to his wife. Yes, I'm green as a cucumber, she answered gaily. but I can see now that it's grand fun.