Fryeburg Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Fryeburg, ME)

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30 THE ACADEMY BELL blue one is the most becoming, so I guess I will wear it. It really is pretty if it is my own dress. So she donned the blue dress which made her look sweeter than ever. Then she put just a touch of rouge on her checks, a little eye- brow pencil on her eyebrows, and a bit of lipstick on her lips. She then manicured her fingernails and after a few more littls pats on her hair she went downstairs to the living room. I knew she was going down there, and I went down a short way and beat her. I was not surprised to see a young good-looking man waiting there. He did not see me. I attended to that. I sat down in a corner and had just got nicely settled when sister entered. The young man arose and I heard him murmur, Oh, how sweet you look tonight, Muriel. Muriel smiled sweetly and they seated themselves on the davenport. Soon, I saw Harold's arm steal behind Muriel and I heard him talking to her in a very low tone. I could not understand what he said, but I think that it must have been something nice, for sister blushed shyly, and I heard her say one word, Yes, Then Harold seemed very happy and they sat there and talked in low tones for what seemed ages to me, and I guess that I must have fallen asleep, for when I next heard anything the clock was striking two, and Harold was just bidding sister goodnight, or rather, I should say, good morning. They both seemed very happy and I heard them saying something about asking father tomor- row. I don't know what they were going to ask, do you? Now, I suppose you think that I am sister's brother, and that I have been telling tales on sister, but to tell the truth I am only a wee little mouse. LILLIAN SMITH, '28. JACK MAR'l'IN'S IDEA It was back in the country among the hills and valleys that a poor boy by the name of Jack lived with his parents. The day before Christmas, Jack came into the kitchen where his mother was preparing supper. Mother, he whispered, I've a feeling that God doesn't want me here on this earth.

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THE ACADEMY BELL 29 PA'S TRI IUBLE Pa Adams was an Atwood's Bitters' fiend. Every night at seven o'clock, Pa would be seen to go to the cupboard, take down his bottle of Atwood's Bitters and drink out of the bottle. For over thirty vears Pa had done this same thing. Whether he thought the medicine did him any good or not is doubtful. Nevertheless he still stuck to his bottle of At- wood's Bitters. Once in the spring when Ma was cleaning house, she bought a bottle of furniture polish, and as Pa was out of Atwcod's Bitters she bought his medicine too. She placed these two bottles side by side in the cupboard. That night when Pa went after his Atwood's Bitters he reached into the cupboard and without looking at the bottle he took out the stopper and began to drink. He took a couple of swallows, and then began to cough and spit. What in tarnation did you do to these Atwood's Bitters, Ma ? yelled Pa. Why nothing, replied Ma. What is the matter? Matter enough, can't you see? said Pa, still coughing. These Bitters are killing me. Which bottle did you get them out of? she asked. The Atwood's Bitters bottle, what do you s'pose! Ma never said a word but she had her doubts. From that day to this Pa never took any more Atwood's Hitters. PHYLLIS MARSTON, '28, AN UNSEEN SPEC'I'A'l'0R Nearly everybody called her sister. She was really a very pretty girl, with blue eyes and golden curly hair. One night she was in her bedroom in front of her dress- ing table making herself as beautiful as possible. I was there in a corner, but she did not notice me. She combed her hair and smoothed it all down, then she went to the closet and picked out a great many pretty dresses and said to herself, I wonder which color he likes best. I think the

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THE ACADEMY BELL 31 His mother looked up astonished and said, My son, what on earth are you thinking of ? He went on half whispering, half murmuring, I don't get toys and all kinds of things at Christmas. I don't have any pleasures, just hard work all the time, while city boys have everything. His mother took him by the hand and led him to the cliff, beneath which the river silently flowed. There his mother sat down. Then she began, Jack, you said that the city boys have everything. I want to name some of the things you have which the city boy never even knows about. Then I hope you will change your ideas. There is the valley, the trees, the lake, and the moun- tains. Now you must tell me whether you had rather be a country or a city boy. When he chose the country boy, it seemed that never before had the river Iiowed so silently. Just then the sun sank and it seemed at that instant to light up the whole world. ARLENE BLAKE, '31, AN EX PERIENCE The ice was out of the pond in the town where we lived, and so my pal and I decided to go Smelting the following Saturday night. We got our equipment together and were ready to start when along came Pud Hawkins, who was the fattest man in two townships. He asked if we were going smelting and as we said Yes, he said that he would like to go along. We didn't really want him, but we were polite and invited him. It was nine o'clock when we got to the brook, after having had to cross a mile of swamp filled with alders. It was hard work to get nets through the bushes, but we let Putin go ahead to make a way for us. We arrived there and were having good luck. Pud and my pal were dipping and I was taking the fish from the nets to put in the pails. The bridge that we were standing