Foxcroft Academy - Review Yearbook (Dover Foxcroft, ME)

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ACADEMY come . . . . It is so warm in that carriage! ..... The road to the Combe-aux-Fees stretches out long and dusty under the southern sun . . . . . The air is sultry . . . . . and on the oaks bordering the road, all covered with white dust, thou- sands of little grasshoppers are an- swering each other from tree to tree . . . . . Suddenly M. le sous-pre- fet trembles. Down there at the foot of a slope, he sees a little forest of green oaks which seems to beckon to him. The little forest of green oaks seems to' be calling him. Come here. M. le sous-prefet: to compose your speech you can do much better under my trees . . . . . M. le sous-prefet is bewitchedg he jumps down from his carriage and tells his people to wait for him, that he is going to compose his speech in the little forest of green oaks. In the forest of green oaks there are birds, violets, and little springs under the delicate grass ..... XYhen they noticed M. le sous-prefet with his beautiful attire and his embossed leather portfolio, the birds were afraid and stopped singing, the springs did not dare to make a noise, and the vio- lets hid themselves in the grass . . . No one in this little world had ever seen a sous-prefet, and they ask each other in low voices who the beautiful seigneur is. In low voices, under the green arbor, they ask each other who the beautiful seigneur is ..... Meanwhile, M. le sous-prefet. overjoyed with the silence and coolness of the forest, takes REVIEW 19 off his coat, places his hat on the grass and seats himself on the moss at the foot of a young oak: then he opens his big portfolio and takes out a large sheet of foolscap. He is an artist ! said the Warbler. No, said the bulhnch, he is not an artist, since he has on silver-trimmed trousers: he is 'rather a prince. Yes, he is rather a prince, said the bullinch. Neither an artist nor a prince. in- terrupts an old nightingale who has sung all the season in the gardens of the sous-prefet-ure . . . . . I know what that is, it is a sous-prefet! And all the little forest whispers: lt is a sous-prefetl Tt is a sous- prefetln How bald he is! remarks a-lark with a fine crest. The violets ask: ls he wicked? ls he wicked? ask the violets. The old nightingale replies: Not at all l And on this assurance the birds be- gin to sing again, the little springs flow as before. the violets give out perfume, as if the gentleman were not there . . . . . Unmoved in the midst of all this pretty confusion, M. le sous-prefet calls upon the agricultural Muse, and, his pencil raised. begins to declaim in his most dignified manner: Gentlemen and dear fellow-citizens. Gentlemen and dear fellow-citi- zens, says the sous-prefet in his cere- monious voice ...,. A peal of laughter interrupts him: he turns and sees nothing, but a big

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18 ACADEMY REVIEW 1 know what it is to feel humble. Apostrophe Qsadlyj: I can sympa- thize with you, Caret. Everyone seems to think all I am good for is to show that a letter or letters have been omitted. Now I live to be used to de- note possession. It's such a friendly thing to denote. But, oh dear! How I hate to be used to 'show that some poor letter was not wanted. That is so heartless. Dash fexcitedlyj : Let me talk. Let me talk. VVhy don't you folks allow yourselves more freedom. Create sus- pension. There's nothing like it. It gives a zest to living. Oh, how I love it! Interrogation: I don't care anything to know what the Quotation brothers are argu- about suspension. I want ing over. Semi-colon Qin an off-hand mannerl 1 are more and the Oh, the Doubles claim they important than the Singles, Singles claim they are more impor- Dash: XVhat an argument between the Quotation brothers-what's the re- sult? Semi-colon fcoollyj: I donlt know. I wish you would study etiquette, Dash. You need to more than any person I ever saw. You're always breaking in on someone. Exclamation frushing upj : Hurrah! The Doubles have won. I knew they would. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Period fcalmlyj: Of course they won. Fveryone knows that the Doubles are used more than the Singles and therefore are more impor- tant. I knew how it would come out in the beginning. Come. We must go inside now and rest up for the labors of another day. Interrogation: just one more ques- tion, please. Will the F. A. students ever learn our true value, and treat us with the respect we deserve? ' Comma Qwearilyj: Ah, perhaps so. VVhen I am no more, no more. VERNA GREEN, '26. LE SOUS-PREFET AUX CHAMPS. A translation of one of Alphonse Daudet's Ballades En Prose, by members of the French Club. Monsieur the sous-prefet is on his circuit. Coachman in front, footman behind, the carriage of the sous-prefec- ture is carrying him majestically to the district meeting of the Combe-aux- Fees. For this memorable day M. le sous-prefet has put on his beautiful embroidered coat, his little cocked hat, his close-fitting trousers with silver braid, and his gala sword with its hilt in mother of pearl . . . On his knees rests a large leather portfolio, which he observes with sadness. Yes, M. le sous-prefet looks at his portfolio, he is reflecting on the fa- mous speech which he is going to make in a little while before the inhabitants of the Fairy Glen. Gentlemen and fellow citizens . . . But in vain he twists the blonde hair of his mustache and repeats twenty times in succession: Gentlemen and fellow citizens . . . . . the rest of his speech does not

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20 ACADEMY REVIEW woodpecker who, perched on his cocked hat, is looking at him and laughing. The sous-prefet shrugs his shoulders and wishes to continue his discourse, but the woodpecker inter- rupts him again and cries to him from afar: What is the use P V Why! VVhat is the use ? says the sous-prefet, who becomes very redg and, driving away with a gesture, that audacious little bird, he starts again, louder than ever: Gentlemen and dear fellow citizens Gentlemen and dear fellow citizens continues the sous-prefet more impres- sively than before. But then the little violets lean towards him on the ends of their long stems and say to him gently: UM. le sous-prefet. do you see how sweet we smell ? And the springs under the moss make divine music for himg and in the branches, over his head, a multitude of little warblers begin to sing for him their prettiest tunes: and all the little people of the forest conspire to hinder him from going on with his discourse. M. le sous-prefet, overcome by the perfume of the flowers, intoxicated by the music, tries in vain to resist the new charm which surrounds him. He leans his elbows on the grass, un- fastens his fine: coat, stammers again two or three times: Mesieurs et chers administres . . . . Mesieurs et chers admi . . . . Mesieurs et chers . . . . . Then he sends the fellow citizens to the old Harry and the Muse of Agri- culture has nothing to do but to hide its face. Veil your face, O Muse of Agricul- ture! ..... NVhen at the end of an hour, the peo- ple of the sous-prefecture, disturbed about their master, entered the little woods, they saw a sight which made them draw back in horror: M. le sous- prefet was lying flat on the ground, his waistcoat unbuttoned, in true bohe- mian fashion. He had taken off his coat . . . . . and, while munching vio- lets, Monsieur the sous-prefet was writing poetry.