Farmington High School - Laurel Yearbook (Farmington, ME)

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THE LAUREL 23 At ten o'clock it was completed and re- ceived due praise from the family. Saturday was the kind of a day that always follows a heavy storm, bright and sunshiny. About nine thirty Madge was awakened by three of her friends, who were pulling her out of bed to go snow- shoeing with themg none of them were in any hurry so Madge took her time to dress, chattered and laughed while the others over school events and studies. I went to bed at eight just imagine! last night, Ruth remarked, I can't re- member when I've done such a rash thing before. This reminded Madge of her evening's work, searching through the waste basket she soon extracted a crumpled paper, which she tossed carelessly to her friends, while explaining many of the amusing words. Looks of astonishment came over all their faces when they beheld this work of art. Eagerly they plied her with such ques- tions as Where did you ever find that crazy word? and Please define Xylobal- samun, I'd like to spring it in English class. Then as they handed it back, she again put it in the waste paper basket, and pronounced herself ready for the hike. The air was very sharp and frosty, so after tramping through the woods for two hours, they all returned with good appetites. As Madge entered the house her mother called, Didn't you have a four letter word that meant beautiful, last night? Yes, I'll go and look it up, was the reply, but sorting the contents of the waste basket revealed no puzzle. This seemed strange for she knew positively that she had put it there, and no one had been into the room since she left. I can't find the puzzle but I think the word was 'fine,' Madge called down the stairs. -or :of as ak ak ak Four busy weeks followed at school, and one evening Madge had just started up- stairs with her books, preparatory to study- ing, when she heard the mail box click, so she stopped to pick up the mail. There seemed to be only her father's newspaper, until upon shaking it, a letter fell out, a long business envelope with her own name typewritten upon it. Hastily opening it, she read the following: You will find enclosed twenty-five dollars, which is the first prize given by this magazine for the best cross-word puzzle submitted. Your puzzle will appear in our next issue. She carefully examined the envelope again, yes, that was certainly her own name and address, but how did the puzzle reach them? Her parents were as much surprised as she, and they had no idea who could have sent it in. For the next few minutes the telephone received steady use, but Madge had al- ready decided that Ruth was the guilty one, and finally she confessed. This money is yours, declared Madge, I should have thrown that puzzle into the stove and never looked at it again. I should say not, was the emphatic reply, I put it in a stamped envelope and addressed it, marked effort and intelligence on my part. Well to settle it we'll divy, was the conclusion, and this was just what they did. E. Taylor, '26. -LA THE MASQUERADE AND ITS OUTCOME F all the important weeks that Fair- dale High School had ever experi- enced, this was the most memorable one in the eyes of some, that had ever existed. For not only was the big yearly Masquer- ade to be held on Friday night, but there was also to be the annual Junior-Senior debate on the following evening. Up to this time, the rivalry between the two classes had been purely friendly and very sportsmanlike, but for some reason, there was rather a secret feeling of bitter- ness this year, such as had never existed before.

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22 THE LAUREL looked at it. True enough she had no one buried there but it looked so pitiful and it would be so little work to only cut the tall- est weeds down. Tonight Barbara seemed to see this cemetery in her dreams. The old broken-down fence, the cracked monu- ments, almost hidden by weeds, looked as natural as John himself. While her mind's eyes rested on this scene a curious thing happened. A bird flew out of the weeds. It soared gracefully along to the next house, where it peeked at the window, then it turned and flew in the direction of the window in which Barbara was standing. An unexpressable horror came over her. It must not!! It can not come here! she thought and she knew not why. Evidently the bird had no intentions of conforming to her wish for it advanced swiftly and pecked at her window as at the other house and then back it flew to the cemetery. A strange, still sadness seemed to take possession of her then but this was soon forgotten for she awoke and it was morning. It was a delightfully beautiful day. All the world appeared to be happy but Junior was not. He lay in a stupor with Barbara hovering nearby. John had gone for the doctor. To crown this unhappy situation, Mrs. Colby, the next door neighbor, came in overcome with grief, her tiny daughter was dead ! She had burned to death playing with matches! Then for the first time Barbara remem- bered her dream! Now she understood Junior's sudden illness! Junior who had never been sick before! She became re- signed to her fate and even the Doctor's arrival brought little hope. Another disappointment and the bitterest of them all, she thought. She could not believe her ears when she heard the doctor saying that Junior would recover in a few days but her joy when she fully understood was very evident. She was really going to keep junior which was really the most wonderful thing anyone could ask for. lk lk Ik Ill if It Barbara was sitting on her piazza sew- ing. A call from junior drew her attention to a bird's nest he had discovered in the no longer untidy graveyard. V. Mills, '26. -LL A CHECKED TALE OST of us will agree that on Friday night, after a week of hard study, this particular pastime holds little attrac- tion. This state of affairs faced Madge Saun- ders as she lazily peeled an orange, and watched the snowflakes falling thickly by the arc light outside. Why can't I go over to Ruth's? she pouted, as her mother came into the room. It would be foolish to walk over there in this blizzardf' was the reply, Why don't you do a cross word puzzle, you've taken quite a vacation from them? Though Madge did not answer, the sug- gestion was apparently not in vain, for she immediately began to explore the papers. The first she flung down in disgust, remark- ing that a puzzle of two letter words was made for work, not for fun, and the next, pertaining entirely to history, received a similar remark. .Then suddenly inspired, she produced a sheet of square paper and decided to make a satisfactory one herself. This might as well be a good sized one, she thought, as she checked off twenty squares on each side and Filled in a small designg then, placing a dictionary in front of her she set to work. Slowly the spaces were filled and rapidly the pile of books around her grew, chem- istries, astronomies, histories and encyclo- pedias were wonderingly searched for an unheard of word with twelve letters ending in act i' and beginning with zel, or a three letter word with the suffix qb.

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24 THE LAUREL The debating team was announced, with two Seniors, Helen jameson and Frank Marlowe on the affirmative and Barbara Grey and Sam Prentiss on the negative, for the Juniors. Some of the members of the Senior Class were not wholly satisfied with the selection of their team, for Frank Marlowe was known among his classmates to be some- times of a questionable character, a fact which was unknown to the faculty. The corridors at school this particular week were one continuous buzz about costumes, partners, exchanging dances, and other necessary matters. On this particular Wednesday morning as Sam and Barbara swung down the street together, their conversation was divided between the two all-important topics. Honestly Babs, remarked Sam slowly, hurling a snowball at a passing chum, I don't see any reason why we should be de- feated this year. By the way I've brought my speech to school with me for a last reading over tonight. I know, Sam, answered Barbara, but do you know, I'm rather afraid of that Frank Marlowe. Why, whatever do you mean, Babs? Oh, why-- nothing, I guess. I suppose I am horrid and suspicious to say this, but mark my word, Sam Prentiss, if Frank Marlowe debates fairly and squarely Satur- day evening, it will be the first thing I ever knew him to do on the level! And she shook her black head vehemently. 'Sam looked at her in amazement, then quickly changed the subject. Speaking of masquerades, I'm going to have a spiffy costume, Babs. If you weren't going with me, I'd guarantee you wouldn't know me. I'm about the 'same size and complexion as Harry Mason, and -- Why by George, Frank Marlowe, too! Say, wouldn't it be a good joke on you if some- one should call for you whom you thought to be me, and then when you and all your H i Hnery had arrived at the gym, you would suddenly discover that you had been es- corted thither by your dearly beloved Frank Marlowe. Then, panic stricken, you would rush around the gym looking for little me, whose virtues you appreciate only when I am far away. And Sam's hearty laugh rang out, as he pictured the pre- dicament of his chum. Oh Sam, she laughed reproachfully, As if anyone could take you for Frank Marlowe. But how little was she to know that such might be the case! Sam did not have time to look his speech over that afternoon or Thursday after- noon, and it was late Friday afternoon when he went to his desk to take his speech home for a hasty perusal before the dance. He opened the cover of his desk, and looked in his Latin Grammar where his notes and his precious speech had been carefully placed. As he hurriedly turned the leaves of the book he stopped short. The speech was gone! In feverish haste he skimmed through all his books, and then through all of Barbara's, thinking she might have taken it to compare with her own. But, no it was absolutely gone! He slumped into his seat in the de- serted schoolroom totally discouraged. If only his notes had not been taken, he could talk from those easily enough. But with everything gone, and the debate less than twenty-four hours off, what could he do? It would be useless to try to look up all the statistics again, and anyway, both the school library and the public library were closed now. At first he was undecidedg but after a long consideration, he decided to go to the Masquerade as if nothing had happened, and not to tell anything to Bar- bara until it was too late for her to suggest that they stay home and work on a new speech, for he knew that Barbara had an- ticipated this dance for many weeks. Then, he concluded, I'll borrow Bab's