Harmony High School - The Ferguson Yearbook (Harmony, ME)

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den on ah-ead, promising to wait for him when they found a good place to stop. Look there, Martha! exclaimed John. Martha looked but 'she could see nothing but a house. What is it, John ? asked Martha. It is a schoolhouse, replied John. We can go in and visit school while we wait for father to come. The schoolteacher might like to have visitors. They hitched their horses to a tree. The schoolteacher came to the door and let them in. There were only five children in the small room. There was a fireplace in one end of the room. The children sat on some logs. The schoolteacher gave John and Martha some logs to sit on. Now you shall hear the children say their lessons, said the schoolteacher. He began calling' upon the children to recite. Martha and John listened, for this was not like their school in New York. John kept looking at a small boy who was very smart. This boy knew all his lessons and did them very well. Wish I had some paper so that I could draw that boy's picture, said John, as he always Wanted to draw. But neither John nor his sister had anv paper. John saw an old cardboard on the fireplace. He asked the schoolteacher if he could have the cardboard for he would like to draw a picture. Yes, you may have it, replied the school- master. Bv the time school was dismissed John had finished drawinsr the picture. The children gathered around him to see the picture. That is very good, said the schoolteach- er. Let me write his name on it. John paid little attention to what the schoolteacher wrote in the picture. He folded it nn and put it in his pocket. Mr. Robinson was waiting for John and Martha. Thev said good-bve to the children and went to join their father. When they reached the wagon, Martha said, Look at those children, barefoot in this cold weather. Do you suppose they have far to Walk? It was the brave bov. the one John drew a picture of, and his sister. They were walk- ing alone' a path that led into the woods be- yond the schoolhouse. Do you live near here? John asked. Yes, we walk through the woods. It's only eight miles, replied the small girl. Many years later John and Martha were wait'ng for the train in Illinois. The presi- dent was on the train. As the train drew near them, Martha quick- ly looked at John. She knew the president. He was the one that went to school in In- diana, the one that was so brave, Well, Martha, remarked John, I think the country will be saved. -Helen Ricker, Sophomore THE PINE TREE In sprinrf the little pine tree Saw the apple tree in bloom: The nine tree sighed quite sadly And wore a look of gloom. One niafht in fall the pine tree Just cried himself to sleep: And while he slept the snowfiakes Fell soft and thick and deep. Some children came with laughter And dug him from the ground. Thev took him to a cottage: The gayest place in town. Outside 'the annie tree stood bare, A lonely, chilly sight. Inside the pine tree, gay and bright, Brought joy on winter nights. -Helen Ricker, '39 BORROWERS I like to give freely, But don't like to lend: To get my things back I often must send. As for my umbrellas, They go rain or shineg Conveniently borrowed, They're no longer mine, Books, pencils, and pens, Thev disappear toiog Of original possessions I now have but few. In matters of money, Some men, sad to say, Fleet-fonted to borrow, Are slow to repay. I like to give freely. But don't like to lendg I pray that my 'friends Their habits will mend. -Pearle Carle, '39 13

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everywhere about the burning buildings. The fire could not be put out and everything wars McCormick went down burned. Wilkins and to the inn and spent the night. :lf Pk Pl: ek Pk N,ne years passed and nothing unusual happened. Wilkins and McCormick had start- ed liv.ng in an old hut back in the woods be- hind where the Brooks mansion had burned, but nobody knew what they were do-ing. Old Sheriff Donaldson was getting pretty old and when election time came, young Hen- ry W.nters was elected in his place. One day Winters decided to go fishing and he started for the stream on the Ol-d Brookis place as it had grown to be called. He was down near that stream digging bait when he dug up something that caused him to freeze in his tracks. There, where he had turned up the earth, lay the skeleton of a woman's hand and arm! Winters couldn't believe his eyes. For a moment he just stood and stared. Great beads of sweat stood on his forehead. Then, because he was curious, he dug on. covered the skeletons of one, two, three, four, five bodies! What could this Surely th's couldn't be bodies of the family. But there were five of them. Winters dropped his spade, turned and started along the stream back toward town. He must tell somebody about this-but who? Oh, anybody, just to let somebody know. But as he rounded a bend in the stream he had another surprise in store for him. In a great hole in the side of a hill near the side of the stream, two men were busy with shoveling up the soil. In a minute one of these men took up a pan of this soil and started toward the stream. That meant gold! Why, it was Har- old Wilkins. A closer inspection showed that the other man was Victor McCormick. What did it all mean? He headed for the village on the run. As he saw a group of men before the post- oiiice he ran up to them. Men, men! Did you know that Victor Mc- Cormick and Harold Wilkins are mining gold up on the Old Brooks place? Andi I think I've found out where the whole Brooks family disappeared to, he added, all out of breath. Then he related what he had discovered and all the men stood about in suspense as he finished with, Could those two things have any connection? He un- mean 'I Brooks Say, Sumner Williams, the land-buyer interrupted, Did you folks know they fought about Brooks selling' the place? Wilkins found that there was gold on it, and when Brooks found it out he refused to sell. Now, we're getting somewhere. Look. Here comes McCormick now. Shouldn't I ar- rest him'? asked Winters. Sure! echoed everyone present. As McCormick drew up before the post of- fice and climbed out of his car, Winters ap- proached' him. You're under arrest, he said. They took McCormick down to the prison and locked him up. Then they went after Wilkins. When they got to his cabin, they found him preparing dinner. Well, you might as well come across and own up to your share of this, Winters warn- ed. McCormick has already confessed. Winters wasn't sure it would work but us- ually it d'oesn't take much to get a coward started, especially after ten years of worry about being 'found out. I didn't kill 'em. I swear I didn't, Wil- kins whined, McCormick knifed everyone of them. But, he said you helped, lied Winters. Yes, I lined them up against the wall with a revolver. Then he knifed them and we bur- ied them up by the stream. I did it so I could have the gold, he knew it was all up. They went into the other room they found bags and bags of the low substance. For ten long ye-ars been hoarding it up there. and there rich, yel- they had sealer Last week, one morning when the jailer took their breakfast to them he found Wil- kins and McCormick both dead in their cells. They had each made a noose of the coats they were wearing and hanged themselves with them, to escape 'what they knew would come after their trial. -Freida M. Fowlie, '38 THE SCHOOL BOY John and Martha Robinson had come with their father from New York to explore the Indiana wilderness, which in the year 1810 was mostly forest. Mr. Robinson had bought some timberland in Indiana and was on his way to look at it. John and Martha had rid-

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ONCE IN A LIFETIME QSee Editor's Note belowj John Tolliver rang the doorbell. He shiver- ed as he stood there. I don't know why he should for it was a warm day in August. Still, his knees wefre like macaroni. A butler opened the door and bowed. Dudley Brooks? he asked. Yes, sir, John answered and smiled, showing his white teeth. You shall go to your room now and get ready for dinner. You are not going to me-et your aunt until dinner time, explained the butler, picking up John's bags. So the butler led John into his room and set- ting his bags down left him saying, IE you want anything, you may ring for me. Then closing the door, John heard the butler de- scend the stairs. Whew, John exclaimed. It had all hap- quickly. Dudley Brooks, John's pened so roommate had received a letter the night be- fore from his aunt, inviting him to spend the week-end with her at her home. Although the woman was Dud's rich aunt, he did not wish to go. Dud had finally managed, after six months of hard trying to get a date with Bet- ty Brown, the prettiest girl in college. Now, he coudn't have it spoiled by this noozy old woman, just because she was his aunt. So by means of impressing upon the mind of his best pal, John Tolliver, the impossibil- ity of his going, Dud had finally acquired John's promise to impersonate him and go to his aunt in Dudls place. So here he was, and feeling plenty worried. Dud hadn't even told him the name of that aunt. Just given him the address and sent him off on Friday afternoon. John washed and changed into some fresh clothes. He combed his handsome yellow hair that curled so like a little bovis. How he wished he had Dud's straight black hair that laid just where it was combed! Then putting on his new necktie, he flashed a smile of ap- proval at the mirror, but with fear in his heart, started down to dinner. What would Dud's aunt look like? Was she one of those big, fat ladies? Was she tiny and skinny with white hair and specks pulled down on her nose? Well, he'd know before long, he decided. When John got-to the foot of the stairs, the Vbutler was there. Dinner's waiting, sir, he -said, and they started toward the dining room. The butler left him at the door and John looked around seeing nobody. Just then he heard light foot- steps behind him on the heavily carpeted floor. A lump rose in his throat. Now he'd know what she looked like. But when he turned he beheld nerither a big woman nor an old cne. This must be somebody else. But who? This person was only a girl. Probably not more than twenty-one. Her eyes were as blue as the sky had been that day, and her hair was as black as a raven, hanging about her slender shoulders in long beautiful curls. John thought she must be something out of the movies. When she smfled she showed even pearly teeth that gleamed like the snow does when the sun shines on it. She was dressed in a long, pink dress that swayed about her ankles when she walked. Gosh! She was prettier than that Betty Brown. So, you're Dudley Brooks, she smiled, Well, just call me Daisy, she added, holding out a small, white hand. Oh, and John extended his hand. My, but she must think he was dumb, for he never spoke a word. Well, sit right down. Dinner's all ready. They sat down and she began to eat. John couldn't eat, looking at those slim, graceful hands, which moved so easily. He dabbed away at whatever was in his plate. He didn't know what it was. All he knew was that someth'ng serious was happening to him. Before he knew it, dinner was over. Like music? she asked, as they rose and she led the way to the parlor. Love it, he murmured, not knowing what else to say. By now, John was wholly intoxi- cated by the beauty of this lovely girl whom he had met so unexpectedly. As she sat dovim to the piano and ran her fingers nimbly over the' keys, he swallowed a lump in his throat. He wished Dud's aunt would never come. He liked Daisy too well, though. After she had played a couple of tunes, John noticed the music, Pennies From Heaven. Oh! Play this, please, he gasped. What was happening to him? He could hardly talk. She -smiled again. Gee! He wished she'd be careful how she smiled at him. She made him want awfully to sit there on the piano bench with her. He loved that song, too. He'd spent hours learning it over the radio. Why don't you sing? she asked, looking