Jersey Shore High School - Orange and Black Yearbook (Jersey Shore, PA)

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14 THE ORANGE AND BLACK I had to retreat, no matter what you say-A McGowan had to retreat. Bong! Round one for Mr. Polecat. Bong! Round two coming up. I walked very slowly this time up that perilous bank. He kept moving back to his corner. Suddenly I made a grab for his neck, but doggone it, nobody told me a skunk would bite. Before I could grab his tail he gave me a cuff right across the thumb, leaving a nice blood blister on it. Again I had to retreat and while retreating he gave me a broad side right across the back. Bong! Round two for Mr. Polecat. Bong! Round three coming up. Determined to get him this time, I disregarded all the advice which I had received and took a pole about ten feet long and turned Mr. Pole- cat over on his back with his guns pointing away. I then grabbed him behind the neck and dragged him to the run to drown him. Laying this skunk along the trail I proceeded to the next trap. which was by a lumber pile near an old abandoned house, and lo and behold another skunk! By now I was rip roaring mad, because I feared I would be late for school. I walked very slowly toward this polecat, when he gave me a fwcll, a bit of perfumej. I had to retreat again, but by no means was I discouraged. I picked up a pole about ten or twelve feet long and applied the same measures to this one as to the last. Thanks to old man experience, I got him in one round. The other traps spelt E-M-P-T-Y. Picking up the last skunk by his hind legs I proceeded to carry him down to the other skunk which I had left by the trail. No sooner had I got about one-fourth of the way there when Ibe- lieve it or notj he came to. Then as you may imagine, I had a swell time. When I arrived home there was no need to tell mother I caught the skunks, one of her senses told her. I-Iurrying as much as possible I took a bath and poured on plenty of perfume. I then went to school thinking no one could smell me. Entering the room, I no sooner sat down in my seat when: Mc- Gowan, did you catch a skunk this morning? No, sez I, I got two of them. That's what it smells like, sez they. After spending the day in a smelly school Cnot quite all my faultl and everybody kidding me, I was glad when it was over, and thoroughly disgusted with the life of a Low Down Skunk Trapper.

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JERSEY SHORE HIGH SCHOOL 13 After a few days of eating more tomatoes we were getting to look so much like a tomato that Berky picked me out of the garden and almost bit my head off. The model kits finally arrived and saved us from turning completely into tomatoes. We immediately set to work on these models and in a few days had them finished. Berky, the dumb Swede , practically amputated four of his fingers when he tried to use a razor blade to carve out his propeller. Boyl Look at this 'beaut,' exclaimed Berky holding up his model for inspection. I think I'll try a non-stop flight across the ocean in this. I think 'brute' would be a better word to describe that bunch of junk, I said. As a model builder you would make a good garbage collector. Okay, but I'll bet mine will fly farther than yours! retorted Berky. I'll take you up on that, I exclaimed. We'll go up in our attic and sail them out the window. We then went up to the attic where we flipped a coin to see who would try to fly his model first. Berky lost, and his model imme- diately flew a direct course - to the ground. I stood back and laughed so hard I thought I would break a rib. Finally, however, I subsided and prepared to launch my model on its initial flight. I leaned out the window and let it go. It flew with the exactness of a stone dropped from the Eiffel Tower, and Berky started to roar with laughter. This only goes to show you that He who laughs last laughs the longest. . MY EXPERIENCES AS A LOW DOWN SKUNK TRAPPER - remember that day? WILLIAM MCGOWAN OW to relate to you my experiences as a trapper. I had about a dozen and a half traps set in the hollow and looked at them every morning before going to school. The results were as follows: first morning, nothingg second morn- ing, nothing: third morning, rabbit hair: fourth morning, a rabbit Cbut I let him goj, Hfth morning Cbelieve it or notj two skunks with just a little white behind their heads. Very purty to look at from a distance. I caught the first one on a trail leading to a hole by a dam. Determined to follow the instructions that I had received to a I took off my gloves Cmuch to my regret laterj and laid down my gun. Ready? Sez I to myself. Ready , I sez. So I walk very slowly toward Mr. Polecat, never making a sudden motion. Up went his tail. But a McGowan retreat? No, sir. Everything went O. K. When I kept moving up he kept moving back until he reached the end of his chain. The unexpected then happened! I got it right across the chin and chest.

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JERSEY SHORE HIGH SCHOOL 15 SPEAKING OF DEATH REBECCA SELTS ESTERDAY, I was a wealthy middle-aged widow, residing in a very small town: but I died. Wouldn't it be interesting to know how the town's people are reacting to my death? There are Martha and Jim. I know they were glad to be rid of me. I'm going to do a bit of eavesdropping. Shh, Martha is speaking. ----- and I nearly died the other night when she said she thought she had quite a few more years to live. I got the grey matter working and decided a heart attack would look more natural than poisoning. Yesterday morning I told her that her long lost son had been found mur- dered in New York. Well! she stood there for a few seconds just look- ing at me and then went out like a light. Gosh! it gives me a creepy feeling thinking of that look on her face. Good work, old girl, said Jim enthusiastically. You'll be get- ting all the new clothes you want from now on because of that smart--- That is no shock to me. I knew they were just being agreeable with me because I had something they wanted. They didn't fool me at all There goes Sally Casmo down the street for her daily marketing. And here comes Nell Parks. Hello Sal. I-low's your rheumatism lately? Hain't been seein' you to store reg'lar. I ain't had no spare time 'count a those rulaitives comin' fer the buryin'. By the way have you hur'd that she left all her belongin's to the man that lives in a little shack down ----- It was always a puzzle to me how Nell received news. She always had something to tell you. There is Peggy in the kitchen washing breakfast dishes. Why the poor dear is crying. Here comes Lee. Now, honey, don't cry, said her husband. You wouldn't want her to be here and suffer, would you? Oh no! but I'll miss her. She was always so kind and nice to all of ----- I always liked Peggy and Lee. They were pleasant people - Ho hum! I beg your pardon. I am getting sleepy. I shall set my alarm clock for the funeral. Two days have passed. My goodness? Look at all the flowers. Here are some from Julia and Fred. Now isn't that queer! People who never thought of me when I was ill send me flowers now when I cannot enjoy or appreciate them. It is just about time for my funeral. I shall have to hurry to get there before the others. The undertaker surely knows his business, but I'd like to know who was responsible for my wearing this black dress. Everybody knows