Fort Fairfield High School - Northern Light Yearbook (Fort Fairfield, ME)

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N NORTHERN LIGHT DAME VAN WINKLE Katinka Van Hopper was the plump apple-cheeked daugh- ter of old Hedrick Van Hopper. He was the descendant of a i:ne Dutch family, as was his Wife. Hedrick was very thrifty and industrious. He had a nice farm, plenty of live stock, and above all a well-laden table. His wife could not bear the sight of any dirt or disorder around the farm. It was in this atmosphere that Katinka and her three brothers grew up, and when she reached her eighteenth year she was as smart and industrious as her mother. gHedrick Van Hopper and his wife had picked Katinka's future husband from a group of promising young suitors. The parents' choice was lVilliam Tassel, who, on his fatherls death, had fallen heir to a large, well-managed farm and a beautiful iarmhouse. Williaxii and Katinka had been brought up together, played the same games, shared the same joys, and it was truly more a sisteris love that Katinka felt for Williani. Neverthe- less, she consented to be his bride in the following June. On her nineteenth birthday a party was given in her honor by her parents. Neighbors for miles around came, as no invi- tations were needed and a hearty welcome was insured to all. The iiddlers were juststriking up a tune when the door opened to admit John Van Winkle, his wife, and a tall, dark, lank young H1311 who hung behind the others. John Van NVin- kle was a young farmer of that vicinity. It was rumored that a family quarrel had deprived John of his father 's farm at the foot of the Catskill mountains and it had been given to Rip, his brother, who was very shiftless and lazy. Katinka went over and welcomed them. John introduced her to the stranger, saying simply, This is llly brother Rip, Katinka, who is visiting me. Katinka made a. little cour- Icsy. Thereupon Rip asked her for the first dance. Katinka complied, wondering all the time what VVilliam would say. Thus began a series of meetings with Rip, and as time went on Katinka found herself deeply in love with this quiet fellow. About a month before she was to be wed, she went walk- ing along the brook O11 her father's farm. lt was a beautiful spring evening and the air was laden with the scent of wild flowers. About a mile from home she saw Rip Van Winkle sitting dejectedly on the bank. 13

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NORTHERN LIGHT THE FATE OF THE AMBITIOUS GUEST .Attempting to escape from the approaching avalanche, the family rushed from their house. Before they were able to reach shelter, the avalanche overtook them and buried them alive. The guest, who was the last one, escaped by running back into the cottage. He tried to warn the others but they could not hear him. The slide passed by without touching a corner of the cottage. The guest spent all the next day hunt- ing for his friends but he never found them. After spending a few days at the cottage, the tall, yellow- headed, ambitious, wandering young man departed for Burling- ton. When he reached Burlington, he learned how the fam- ily who had disappeared, had taken pride in taking care of their cottage and their garden. He also learned that this fam- ily wanted their house always to be occupied by someone. Thinking how kind they had been to him, the guest decided to give up his desire for wandering and look after the cottage until someone came along to buy it or to claim it. The happiest days of his life were spent in that little cot- tage in the notch of the White Hills. Many a day he spent writing about the surroundings. f One cold, windy evening, sitting in front of the fire, the guest thought how jolly the family had been before their destruction. As quick as lightning, a thought passed through his mind. Why not write a story about this family? Eagerly he began to work on it. He spent many nights writ- ing. Finally it was finished. The next time he went to Bur- lington for supplies, the young man had his book published. He returned to his cottage well satisfied with his book. Each day'he grew fonder of his new home. He dreaded the thought of giving it up when someone should come to cl-aim it! As the days Went by and no one came, the guest decided that he could spend the remainder of his life there. He died suddenly with heart-trouble. While the stranger was spending a quiet life looking after the cottage, his book was being read everywhere, and meeting with great success. B After his death, people came from far and near to visit his grave and to see the little cottage, which had been de- scribed so well in the book. W M. Hacker, '29. 12

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NORTHERN LIGHT Why, Rip,'l she exclaimed with a heavy heart, Hwhat brings you here?7' Nothing, dear, he said, Honly the fact that I love you so much and hate to see you married to another man. Katinka confessed her love for him, to his utter amazement and delight. '4We will be married tonight, dear, and go to my farm at the foot of the Catskill mountains, said Rip. Katinka agreed and about nine o'clock when everyone was asleep she stole quietly out of her father's house and went forth to meet her future husband, leaving only a note behind for the jilted lover, NVilliam. Vtfith the horse and buggy which Rip had secured, they drove about ten miles to the preaeher's house, where they aroused the minister, who married them. They spent the night there and the next day traveled some thirty-five miles to the farm, which proved to be overgrown with weeds and grass, but, said Katinka, 'fWe will soon remedy that. The first year of their married life Hip Worked fairly well. He planted corn and buckwheat, and had a flourishing cab- bage garden. He kept the gates well mended a11d the barnyard clean. But after the birth of little Rip all his ambitions failed, and he sank i11to a lazy state from which no amount of scold- ings could arouse him. He was a very good neighbor, a great favorite among the women of the town as he would run their errands, although he would not assist his wife in any Work or errands. This greatly angered Katinka, who, like her mother, hated to see a lazy person ora farm in a dilapidated state. She began to regret her mistake, knowing now that it was Williain she loved and wishing she had married him. Therefore she fell into a state of continual scolding at Rip, which did not im- prove matters any. l He and his dog Wolf would tramp for hours through the woods, to shoot some pigeons. Katinka would scold him so that he took to fleeing from home at the slightest angry tone, thus he consoled himself, until his adventure, which Katinka considered a blessed relief. i 'J. Holmes. '29. 14