Mechanic Falls High School - Pilot Yearbook (Mechanic Falls, ME)

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22 M. F. H. thing about the house was beautiful and well kept. David Johnston had seen to it that everything any girl could ask for or want was supplied. He knew that Silvia would be homesick but thought that she would soon forget her old home. In his way of thinking girls of fifteen forgot easily, but he thought wrongly. Every evening Silvia would think of the Whip-poor-will who always sang and of Wild Acre Farm lying calmly under the sky. Two months of Silvia's life went by so quickly that she nearly gasped at thinking of them for her uncle had dropped her into a gay social life. At first it seemed wonderful but gradually she was becoming tired although she herself did not know it. Two weeks later a telegram came to her saying that Dick, her beloved Dick, was gone. Lost! Nobody knew where. He had started off to hunt on the mountain behind the farm. The woods were thick upon the mountain and they supposed he was there. This news coming to Silvia with her nerves at such high tension completely un- nerved her. For a month she was very ill but a' last she gained her strength. One day she told her uncle that she was going to return to Wild Acre Farm and help in the search for her brother who had not yet been found. Her uncle was very angry and told her that if she re- turned her father must pay him every cent he had loaned him. After his tirade, Silvia regardless of consequences and aided by her cousin, Franklin, managed to reach home. Her father and mother were glad to see S. PILOT her for they were sorry that they had let her go. Nearly as quickly as she reached home Silvia set about making arrange- ments for a thorough search after Dick. She would dearly have loved to listen to the song of the Whip-poor-will but she was far too busy. The mountain was searched through and through, but still no Dick. They had nearly given up in despair when one day just four months from the time she had gone to her uncle's there was a knock upon the door. Mrs. Morgan answered and then as she opened the door she screamed! Silvia rushed to her mother as she thought possibly it was a tramp. When she reached the door she gasped, for there with an old suit on, looking just as she had last seen him was-Dick. After he had been welcomed in every way possible he told them what had happened. He had gone over the mountain and down to a station on the other side. He had taken a train to Portland where he had gone with the idea of earning enough money to buy Silvia from the uncle. He had worked in a machine shop and had been so handy that they had given him re- markable high wages. He had just about enough to pay half the money his father had borrowed of his uncle but in another four months believed he could clear the debt. Four months later Silvia Morgan was sitting again at the wondow in the darkness listening to the sweet, soft wail of the Whip-poor-will. Today the last of the debt was paid and the family was once more united. As Silvia went to sleep that night she thought of her

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M. F. H. S. PILOT 21 the farm and was making a comfortable living for his family at the time of my story. Richard, her brother, was twenty and worked in the mills also. Silvia was especially fond of her brother. Silvia loved VVild Acre Farm with all her heart, much more indeed than the rest of the family did. Now as the Whip-poor-will began to sing his beau- tiful song which he sang every evening, Silvia burst into tears. She murmured softly, half to herself, half to the little bird: Why did it happen? Chl Why did Dad do it? That day at about ten o'clock a shin- ing new automobile had turned in at the driveway and swung up between the curves of the wonderful Wild Acre lawns. A gentleman had descended from the car and inquired for Mr. Daniel Morgan. He had said, remov- ing his hat, Please tell him that Franklin Johnston would like to see him a few moments. Silvia, for it was she who opened the door, had gone for her dad after invit- ing the young man to be seated. Her father had given a violent start at the name and-that had been the cause of all Silvia's tears this evening. - After Mr. Morgan and his guest had been in the library a few moments the farmer had come to the door and asked Silvia to come in. . Silvia could recall clearly as she listened to the sweet voice of the Whip- poor-will how slowly and sadly he had said, Silvia, this is your cousin, Frank- lin Johnston. I have never told before but when you were born your Uncle David Johnston gave me enough money to live on for two years. I was very poor then and I thought that one child was enough for his conditions were that he must have the first baby girl as his own child after she was fifteen. W I promised, Sylvia, and you-must-go . So tonight was the last time she would ever sit and listen to the little brown bird trilling his sweet song. Tonight was the last time she would sleep in Wild Acre Farm. Her clothes were all packed and early in the morn- ing she must leave for the city of Cambridge, -Massachusetts with the young cousin whom she now detested. The next morning Silvia said good- bye to everything she loved and rode off in the shining automobile to an uncle she never had seen. In Cambridge an old man of sixty- five, a very grouchy fif we may say such a thingj old fellow, sat eating his breakfast and muttering, Confound the boy! Why doesn't he hurry? I'll bet he'll loiter along and take all the time he can to get here from Sangeville with the girl . He passed a very un- easy day and night. He was on the verge of hiring a car and going to meet them when an automobile drove up and he saw a lithe, slender girl of fifteen, a very pretty girl with her brown wavy hair, pink cheeks and bright eyes, step from the car and come toward the door. He rushed to the door and picked her up in his arms before she hardly could get her foot inside the hallway. So , said he looking at her intently, So, you're Silvia Morgan, you deserve the name, girl, you're that pretty . He rang for a servant who escorted her to the rooms assigned her. Every-

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dad and of how glad he was to have her back. Then she thought of Dick, how could she repay him? Then a breeze brought the trilling song closer and she fell asleep. Hertha Ridley, '32 THE QUALITIES OF A LEADER By H. H. Kroll Unsellishness, fearlessness, farsight- edness, courage, and confidence, sus- stained energy in the face of opposition, distrust, and even abuseg tolerance, belief in human nature, consideration for others, even when they are wrong- all these qualities, and many more, con- stitute the leader. A big order? Assuredly. That's the point-it takes a big-souled per- son really to lead. It is a big order. But-and mark it well-the results are big. You are playing for big game. If you aren't made of big stuff yourself, you won't do much at the job. In that event, try to face your deficiencies and become a good follower. Don't be a grouchy one. Don't use what talents you have to be a monkey- wrench in the machinery. If you can't be boss, you'll not pitch the game! Earnest, faithful followers are as essen- tial as leaders. And if you can set the pace for sensible subordination of yourself to intelligent leadership, and so keep others from beeting and growl- ing and throwing wrenches into the works-well, I'1n not at all sure you won't be pretty good leaders in that respect. A clipping from Young People's Paper . Beulah Ridley, '31 S. PILOT 23 THE LION TAMER Are you a sailor ? No, I'm a lion tamer for the circus . Did you ever get bitten ? Bitten l-I guess I have. I've been chewed up and spit out a good many times, by the wildest of African lions . f'Do you like your job ? Oh yes, pretty well. I'll admit I sometimes get a little scared . How long have you been a lion tamer ? About twenty years. I started when I was two years old. My mother used to do it when she was a girl . I should think it would be very exciting work . Yes, and dangerous too. Why, I remember, before I was born, I saw a man chewed up and swallowed by one of the very lions I am taming now . That lion must be pretty old . Yeah, old fellow, but sly and foxy . How long does it take you to tame a lion ? About three months. They all seem to like me pretty well, but I used to get chewed up pretty often. I remem- ber once I was taming old Nig and somehow I brought my lash around and cut her tail just right and she sprang at me. There I was, helpless, in the corner of her cage. She was- Land sake, how did you get out ? I didn't. She ate me and I vowed I'd never tame another lion . sr at rr Grace Burns, '32 THE GOSSIPS A conversation between two Juniors: Have you heard the latest news from the Junior Room ?