Fryeburg Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Fryeburg, ME)

Page 33 text:

The Academy 'Bell 31 noon was a very different boy. He slowly pulled his car to a stop and ambled up the drive. Ned was still sitting on the steps and whittling a pine stick. After Hank had sprawled on the grass near the steps, he opened a conversation. 'ABeen pretty cold latelyf, he ventured. Going to be a whole lot colder, replied Ned sullenly. It iS?,' Can always tell when therels a cold spell coming onf, How? questioned Hank. Corns! They always ache when it gets colder. --and they do now? Sure do. Can hardly walk on 'em any moref' Golly, thatis too badf, I'm not sorry for myself, son. Itis the farmers I,m sorry forf, Their corn, you mean? laughed Hank. Yes, their corn! Isnit funny either. Take Iim Hawkins, for example. Know lim? Wishing not to appear too ignorant, Hank nodded. Iim has worked hard this summer, continued Ned. Had a big field of corn. Now Iim has a lot of kids to feed, and he depended on that corn. Well, we got a cold spell too early. Corn was just beginning to come. Was it all killed? asked the boy cautiously. Most all. He got some to the corn shop, but nowhere near as much as heid planned on. But theyill manage. Might have to let the hired man go. Theyive got a good bunch of cattle. Won first prize at the fair this yearf' Thais wonderfulf, said Hank enthusiastically. Lot of competition these daysf, . I should say there is competition! Used to be only a few folks would enter a cow or two, and it would be only those that lived quite close. Now every Tom, Dick, and Harry enters a few cows even if he lives fifty or a hundred miles away. Guess the fair is a lot different, isn,t it? Differentl Why back when I was a boy, the fair was the biggest event of the year. The women would cook for weeks before. Everyone would take a picnic and stay all day. You'd see people you hadn't seen for years. The women would have pie and cake contests, and the men would see who raised the largest pumpkin. There would be oxen pulling, cow judging, and1.,' Thais lots different than it is now!'l There,s no comparison. I would have liked to have gone to one of those fairs, said Hank truthfully. That was quite a bit before you were born, sonf' said Ned. But say, didn,t cs you have something for me to fix for the game this afternoon? IOHN LACAscE, '52

Page 32 text:

30 The Academy 'Bell through in the last seventy years. My family all say that the world needs more people with a twinkling eye and a kind heart like our Grampa. VIVIAN SEELYE, '53 A YANKEE CUSTOM OLD Ned Brown, the village blacksmith, lounged idly in the warm sunshine, chewed on a cud of tobacco, and whittled. Behind him in the shop were a broken carriage shaft, a pile of junk iron, an old carriage wheel, and many miscellaneous articles to be mended. He was not a lazy man, but he liked to sit and whittle and think, just like any good New England Yankee. It was to this quiet scene that Hank brought his automobile to a screeching stop. Bounding from the car, he spotted Ned and dashed up the drive. In his hand was a broken javelin shaft. Mr, Brown? he shouted. Um?,' Here,s a broken spear that's got to be fixed right awayf' Receiving no reply, Hank shoved the broken shaft into Ned's lap and said impatiently, The coach has got to have this fixed before three o'clock. There's a meet this afternoon with South Paris, and we've got to furnish the javelin. This is the only one we've got, and we can't keep the whole team waiting. Can you do it?,' Nope!,' NOP But why? stammered Hank. Busyl,' But please, Mr. Brownf, said Hank. Misunderstanding his silence, he added, The school will pay you. I said I couldn't do it for youf, growled Ned and kept on whittling. They would have done it in the city where I came from,' said dejected Hank, as he retraced his steps to the car. South Paris had arrived, and already the people had begun to assemble to watch the meet. The coach and Mn stood at one end of the field when Hank stood up. Coach,', he said angrily, I can,t get anywhere with that old man! Honestly! When I took the spear up to him and asked him to mend it, he sat there and told me he couldn't do it. 'Too busyf he said! He was just whittling when I got there, and .... H The angry boy was interrupted by Mr.,', who threw back his head and laughed heartily. Running his hand through his graying hair and mopping his brow, 'iMr. said, Now Hank, you go back to Ned Brownis, and this is what I want you to do-.H The Hank who drove up to the blacksmithis shop the second time that after-

Page 34 text:

The cx4Cdd6'171y 'Bell A WINTER NIGHT The trees were sheathed in a silver glow, The ground was covered with ice and snow, The moon's rays from above glowed on the earth below, The stars were twinkling in the sky, The snow glittered in the moonlight, If only everyone could see such a sight, On such a lovely Winter night. ALICE PERREAULT, ,52