Central Aroostook High School - Arostookan Yearbook (Mars Hill, ME)

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THE AROOSTOOKAN MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE Yes, Neal was back,--back after traveling in Europe for three years. He had been able to go by the kind- ness ofa maiden aunt, and now he had returned, full of interesting facts, sights he had seen, and above all, stories which his aunt loved to hear. He had been entertaining his aunt all evening with stories, and now at last he said, Well, Aunt Martha, I'll tell you one more story that will climax the rest of those. His aunt, who was a typical old maid, wore a long dress with a high collar, her hair pulled tightly back be- hind her ears and possessed all the other earmarks of a spinster. She leaned forward attentively and urged him to begin. Neal, with a sort of hidden twinkle in his eye, began this story. Last fall, when I was staying at the Hotel Beauveau in Paris for a fortnight, a most astonishing thing happened to me. I dined as usual in the hotel dining room. A large number of people be- ing already there, I had to take a small table facing the entire room. I sat down, ordered my meal and then looked around me. Many well dressed and apparently wealthy people were present. Of these, one woman in particular held my attention. She was a tall, dark complexioned woman, strikingly dress- ed, sitting alone at another table quite close to mine. Just then, my first course was served, and I thought no more about her until after finishing my dinner, I was smoking a cigarette-- No, Aunt Martha, I don't smoke very many. . Well, -as I was saying, I was smok- mg a cigarette when I noticed this woman beckoning to me. I went over to her table. She introduced herself as Madame Moreau and-- No, Aunt, I wasn't doing anything improper by meeting a strange woman. Don't be so old fashioned. Now where was I, oh yes! She in- troduced herself and said that she wanted someone to talk to. She proved to bea very interesting per- son telling me about her recent trip to Spain with-- Yes, she was married, Aunt Martha, you needn't worry! Iwas just going to say her trip to Spain with her husband. While she was talking I had an op- portunity to observe her more closely. She was, I should say, about thirty- five years of age and had a peculiar, restless air while she was talking, which should have warned me. Since I had nothing to do that even- ing and since she apparently had no desire to leave, we remained and talked for quite awhile. Finally she asked me if I would do something for her. I said, 'Yes, of course'. She gave me a parcel and told me to take it to an apartment situated in Wellington Arms, and to put it on the table in the living room. Now, to be sure, that was a strange request. But anyway, Iwent to the house, found the living room and put the parcel on the table when, as if at a signal, the lights in the room went out and the door banged shut, leaving me in utter darkness. I rushed to the door, it was locked. Istumbled over a chair, barking my shin then-- No, Aunt, I didn't swear. Now please keep still, or I may-- Remembering another door I had seen on entering I groped my way to that, it was unlocked. I opened it-- and paused in utter horror. There on the floor, in a pool of blood, lay a man, his throat cut and a bloody razor lying beside him. My mind in a whirl, I

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1, THE AR005TO0KAN But, continued Red, we haven't had any coaching or anyone to show us how to play. With Mr. Wilson coaching, we'll soon have a champion- ship team and Robert must play be- cause we must have those new suits. It looked as though Ridgeway High would have a championship team, for under the new coach each boy showed surprising skill and talent, except Robert, who was very slow and inac- curate with his throws from third, which was his position, to first. After their first game of the season in which they were defeated, 12-2, the boys were downcast and gloomy, for each boy knew it was Robert's curves that lost the game. This plan of yours is silly, Red, exclaimed Ted, the first baseman. It's no use to try to back him to keep him in the game for he is simply no good and I won't stand for the team to lose out this year, suits or no suits. But this is only our first game, Red protested, maybe in time-- Time, interrupted Ted, if he played a hundred years he would never learn. Ted's prediction proved to be true, for two games were lost in the follow- ing week. Vacation came and Robert went with his parents to the city to visit some friends. The same day a chal- lenge came from Norton High to play a game the following day. , Coach is going to play Bob Hardy in Robert's position, whispered Ted to Red, and we'll win today. Win they did, with an overwhelm- ing score of 15-2. Coach Wilson called ameeting of the team the following week at the gym. Although Robert had returned, he had not been informed of the meeting. That evening Robert started for Red's home, but seeing a light in the gym he thought he would go in. As he reached the door he heard his name spoken and paused upon the threshold. Coach Wilson continued, Some- thing must be done in regard to Robert. He has returned and will ex- pect to play in the game Friday against Daton High. I have seen them play and they have the best team in the league. You boys have kept Robert in the game by backing him. But all the backing you can give him will not win this game. Everybody must be perfect. One error will lose the game for us. Tell me why you have been backing him. There was silence for a few moments then Red got slowly to his feet and said, l'll take the blame. As the boys know, I heard Robert's father tell Dad that if Robert made the first team he would buy suits for the team. I put the boys wise and we planned to back him. Then, Red, said the coach, to make it right with him you must tell him why he cannot play. I'll do it, sir, said Red, I'll tell Robert tonight. Robert is not here. He started for your home early this evening, Robert's father told Red. But early the following morning Robert came to Red's home. Red, he said, I heard your confession at the gym. I'm sorry that I've been so dumb as not to realize that I've been losing those games. I realize now that the honor of the school is far more import- ant than my playing and I'm turning in my suit this morning and the reason will be known only to you and me. I'll see to it, Red, that the boys get their suits. You're regular! said Red admir- ingly. Hotham '37

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THE AROOSTOOKAN sat down and tried to think. I under- stood now, why I had been lured here --to make me appear as the murderer. Knowing that I would immediately be suspected of the murder I tried to es- cape. I ran to the window, but a crowd was gathering in the street be- low. As I watched two gendarmes detach themselves from the crowd and enter the building. My escape by either the door or window being barred and gendarmes on the way up, what could I do? Nothing, but wait for them to take me to prison which they promptly did despite all my protesta- tions of innocence. Once there, I tried to collect my scattered thoughts, but to no avail. I had no one to look to for aid, no one believed what I said. At the trial, Madame Moreau, prov- ed to be Madame DeCourcy, the wife of the murdered man who had been a wealthy manufacturer in Paris. She told she following story on the witness stan . 'I dined that evening at the Hotel Beauveau while waiting for my hus- band, who was to come for me there and we were going to the theatre. Growing tired of waiting for him I re- turned home and found him, Cpointing to mel in the act of killing my husband. I rushed down stairs, after locking the doors and extinguishing the lights, and went for the gendarmes! Slowly they wound aweb of evidence around me from which it seemed im- possible to free myself. I had nothing in defence but my own word. I was found guilty of murder in the first de- gree and was sentenced to be beheaded the next day at high noon, by the guillotine! I, an innocent man, was condemned to death to pay for that woman's murderous deed! Do you know what I did then, Aunt Martha? I awoke. I had dreamed all of that story. The old maid aunt fainted. Linus Stitham '35 A B C'S OF THE JUNIOR CLASS A is the rank the Juniors all get, B is for the Bennies who haven't flunked yet, C is for Criticism which never fails, D is for Donald who watches the mails, E is for Ellen so studious and bright, F is for Fay who stays out late at night, G is for Gordon whose hair is so red, H is for Hallett, a star athlete 'tis said, I is for Ideas to carry us through, J is for Josie who likes oyster stew, K is for Knowledge which teachers impart, L is for Linus who has a big heart, M is for Mildred studious and wise, N is for Nita with lovely blue eyes. O is for Opal we all know her size, P is for Pearl who is always a style, Q is for Quizzes to which we often succumb, R is for Ransford who plays the big drum, S is for Sammy who is not very shy, T is for Thomas, who's little--but My! U is for Underclassmen who think we're so fine, V is the Virtues we'll leave behind, W is for Warren who's musical bound, X marks the spot where the Juniors are found, ' Y is for York so studious and bright, Z is for Zenith we'll get there all right. And so on and so forth, as onward we drive, Next year we'll graduate as Class '35. Sara Gray '35 EIU CALAMITY Miss Prye, a spinster of Oakville, certainly lived up to her name. She knew more about other peoples' af- fairs than they did themselves, and could give the pedigree of every man, woman and child of the town, from