Bridgton High School - Corona Yearbook (Bridgton, ME)

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THE CORONA 15 which attracted my attention in the first place. I noticed that the ash door which was used for cleaning out the soot and ashes was open, but I didn't pay much attention to the fact. I decided to look around the place a bit and found a cellar entrance. There was a terribly musty odor to the place, but I went in just the same. I couldnit see very well, because there were no windows in the cellar, but I remembered what you told me about the inspector never returning. I struck a match and looked around cautiously. Even then, I nearly fell into a large ex- cavation in the middle of the floor. I can tell you, I hurried out of there before I struck any more holes in the Hoof. I went to the next town and bought a flash- light and got back about lunch time. I ate my lunch and took the flashlight and went back into the cellar. I looked down the hole and saw six skeletons. This, then, was where they had gone. I wondered why .Ied hadn't known about the hole in the floor and looked around it. I didn't find anything to tell me, so I went out- doors. I walked for some distance from the house, and suddenly I tripped over something I couldn't see. I got up and kicked at the place where I had tripped, and the ground opened up within a foot of my feet. I had sprung the trap door that had covered the entrance to an old secret passageway. I went into the pas- sageway to follow it to the end, and I came upon the bodies again. The ground had caved in over the passageway when one of the family was over it. and he had been killed in the fall. All of the rest went down to find out what was the trouble and apparently more ground had caved in, and all of them were killed. The inspector, of course, didn't know about the hole anywav, and when he en- tered the cellar, he fell into the hole and was killed also. I couldn't End any evi- dence to tell why the house burned, so I guess it was just started accidentally from a spark caught by the wind. Final- ly, that screaming and wailing was caused by the door in the chimney that I told you about. Apparently Jed kept that door open, so that the ashes would fall out and he wouldn't have to clean out the chimney. At any rate, I closed that door, and, as the wind was blowing, that howl- ing and wailing began. I came to the con- clusion that it was caused by the wind blowing across the top without any air coming up through. You know, when you blow across the top of a bottle or an empty shell, it makes a whistling or moaning sound. VVell, this was the same idea, only on a larger scale. Old Jed had probably closed the door, and then opened it again on account of the noise a short time before he died. Well, I'l1 be a monkey's uncle! said Uncle Rufe. RONALD MURCH, '47. ONE CAN MAKE TWO , It was raining outside, one of those very dreary days that remind a person of a foggy day in London, and gathered around me in the old living room of an ancient house were a few friends who were discussing different people, as people many times will do, telling a few stories. At last it came my turn and I began this one. It was a beautiful spring day in April in the year 1859, one of those years be- fore the Civil War, when slaves were trying their best to get through to Canada and freedom. Ben, a young man and Savanna, a girl, both Negroes and around eighteen years of age set out on the long journey to Canada. Of course, they did not realize what hardships they would have to put up with, although Savanna's old mammy told her that she should stop

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14 THE CORONA into it. The' was three kids, not any of em over twelve, an' Jed an' his wife. He was a happy man, had his own garden, a cow, an' two pigs. One night, the neigh- bors heard this turrable screechin' an' Wailin' noise. The next day, they eyed the house, wonderin' what in tarnation it could'a be'n. They thought it was kinda funny, but Jed nor nobuddy in his fambly showed up that day. That night, the house caught atire. They got the volun- teer fire department out, but they couldn't save nuthin'. The thing that kinda skeered the people was the fact that they didn't find no bodies. The remains of the furniture was all there, and the bodies of the cow and pigs. But nary a human body did they find. They sent to the gover'ment for someone to come out and investigate. This was done, and the man they sent Went into the ruins about seven o'clock one night, and nobuddy ever saw him ag'in. Well, jist about this time, the people was gittin' pretty skeered about it. They wouldn't nobuddy go near the house for years, an' it's all growed up with weeds an bresh. I never did put no stock in stories that's be'n spread around about its bein, ghosts that did it, but l ain't goin' monkeyin' around them dig- gin's, either. Sitting there, in the oppressive still- ness, neither man spoke for some time. Then the younger man broke the quiet with the words, 'Tm going up there to- morrow. The startled old man almost lost his pipe. I don't put any stock in the ghost stories, either, and Tm going up there and try to find out just what did happen. But look, son. interposed the old man, better men than you has gone up there and paid for their curiosity with their lives. If you're smart, you'll stay away from there. The younger man made no answer, but sat in silence until dark. Upon rising the next day, the young man began to make preparations to go to the opposite side of the valley. After he had eaten his breakfast, he packed a lunch and staitezl. The day seemed terribly long and dragged out to the sorrowful old man, who was sure that his young friend would never return. At six o'clock, he had not arrived. Seven o'clockg still no sign of him. Seven o'clock-just getting dark-the stillness was ominous. Suddenly, the air was 'rent by a screaming and wailing, as if the dead had come out of their graves to decry their fate. The old man was al- most prostrate with fear and apprehen- sion. The long, dreary, ominous hours passed, or rather dragged, by. Eight o'clock, no sign of the young mang nine o'clock, ten o'clock, Uncle Rufe began to prepare for bed, although he knew he couldn't sleep. Eleven o'clock, twelve o'elock, the old man lay sleepless in the oppressive still- ness. Shortly after one o'clock, the door opened and the weary young man strag- gled into the house. He was not injured, but his appearance showed that he had been through a harrowing experience. lle went up to the old man's bedroom. I've found out what happened to those people, and what caused the wailing noise Y was his startling announcement. VVhen the old man recovered from his astonishment, he said, Tell me about it. lVhat was that wailing at about seven o'clock? VVhat happened to the people? VVhy clidn't the gover'ment man come back? Wfhy- One question at a time, please. said the voung man.. I went up to the place in the morning, and went straight to that old Stone chimney, because it WaS that

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16 THE CORONA and think before leaving, for if they were to be caught they would be beaten and sold off at a very low price. But Ben and Savanna, completely absorbed in each other, started off. They left Col. South- land's at midnight as previously planned and said goodbye to Georgia with re- joicing hearts, a few tears in their eyes, and a smile on their faces. 'fThey travelled for weeks by night ex- posed to the cold and with barely enough to eat. They had faith and plenty of it, both in God and in themselves. They knew that they should have faith, faith in the one person that could see them through, God. After weeks of travelling they found themselves in the State of Maine, in a small village a few miles from Portland. The next day they came upon a small, white, Yankee farmhouse settled in a huge field surrounded with trees. 'KW ell, this farmhouse looked friendly enough and since they were in 'northern territory' they decided to call in and see if they could do a little work for some food. But they did not quite make it, for from the long trip, Savanna fell at Ben's feet in a faint. Ben picked her up and carried her into the barn. Then he went for some water. Poor Savanna never did come to, for she died in the night. The next morning the farmer hearing the sound of a person sobbing went into the barn and found Ben with little Savan- na in his arms, crying his poor heart out as if his world had come to an end, say- ing that Canada was no place for him if he did not have Savanna. Ben told the farmer his story and then died joining Savanna, and his out into together under a huge boulder on a day in june, while the birds were singing, and the sky was blue with the lilacs blooming in fra- grant profusion. The other day while strolling across the helds to the place where Ben and Savanna were buried, I came to the big boulder and behold, but what should I find! That big boulder had been split in half, perfectly, by the years of weather, rain, wind and storms. It seemed as though it had been done purposely as if to signify two grave stones. Around these two stones are flowers and directly over the graves bending down as if to touch the boulders are two lilac bushes, one for Ben and the other for Savanna. You see, friends, Mr. Johnson was my great grandfather and I have been told the story many times by my grandmother who was five years old at the time and just barely old enough to remember the episode. g The farmer, a Mr. Johnson, family, took Ben and Savanna the back field and buried them 'ffivery year on June 9th, it always passes through my mind that this is the anniversary of the day Ben and Savanna were buried in our back field. You can see the graves from the window in my bedroom if you Wish to look. Later it was found that there was a reward of 31,500 for both of them of- fered by Col. Southland of Boneventura, Georgia. I have often wondered if Ben and Savanna weren't happier in heaven then if they had got to Canada and their freedom. BEVERLY RAND, 47.