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

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30 M. F. H. how much horses and engines were 1nixed up, their companionship Hourished. Mr. Gordon, had, because of his inter- est in horses, moved with his family to the small town of Belgrove, West Vir- ginia, and bought his southern estate, called Gordon Stables. During his live- year stay there he had made a lot of money dealing in horses and was now worth about a million dollars. He was a good man and well liked among his neigh- bors g he spent his money wisely, invested a goodly sum, and gave to charities. It was on a Wednesday evening that a tragedy came to disturb the peace of the Gordon household. Lorry had just returned home, in his car, from a neigh- boring town, where one of his school friends lived, and was driving into the garage near the stables, when two rough looking men jumped on the running board and ordered him to shut off the motor and get out, threatening his life if he dare shout for help. While binding him hand and foot one man said, in a loud whisper, We've got you at lastg it's about time. Oh, you'll be back here tomorrow and we will have a nice wad of greenbacks instead, in other words, my dear Mr. Lorry, we are kidnapping you, eh, Buddy? and the masked figure nudged his companion who had just tin- ished tying the gag in Lorry's mouth, then he continued, and if you try to get away, well, we will just toss you into the mill-pond, see ? When he Hnished speaking, the car, with Lorry and the two men, lurched forward and disappeared down the road. It is an established custom among horse fanciers to train their jockeys three years in the stables before allowing them on the track, and according to this custom Slim Owen had been trained, this being his third and last year. S. PILOT The words green-back, kidnap- ping, and mill-pond swept through Slim's mind as he stood in the darkness at the rear of the stables. He had awak- ened when he heard Lorry drive in and had started out to the garage when the sound of strange voices made him stop. Suddenly he realized what was happen- ing, someone was kidnapping Lorry! But his sense of helplessness made him hesitate to go to the rescue and before he could fully make up his mind what to do the men in the car had gone. After standing in deep thought for several min- utes, Slim took the ransom note he had found on the garage door and walked slowly back to the stables in order to make preparations for the next day's ad- ventures. As both Mr. and Mrs. Gordon were attending the horseshow they heard noth- ing of their son's abduction and the ser- vants went about their work as usual, thinking that Master Lorry had spent the night with his friend. Because Slim had laid all this plans around the few words he had overheard, it was not until afternoon that he made any move to rescue Lorry, feeling sure, as the men had mentioned mill-pond that they were making the old mill, at the fartherest end of the wood, their headquarters. His first move was to put an empty box under the rock, the place specified by the abductors for the ransom money. Then on horseback, with another horse in lead, Slim started out for the mill, using a route only he knew about. Slim stayed in his hiding place in the woods, until he saw the men leave, then riding up quietly, he dismounted and tied the horses to a nearby tree. It did not take him long to overcome the guard stationed there, or to untie Lorry's feet and remove the gag from his mouth.

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M. F. I-I. S. PILOT 29 Her mother and father both perished in a fire. How terrible! She doesn't want to go. You better ask the usher about the glove, john. The poor child, her aunt is just too mean for anything. She's so unhappy, john, isn't it a shame? 1 hope she does run away. You'll have to call at the oiiice, jolm, for my glove. Yes, sir, I knew it. That boy is going to help her get away. Oh! john they have found her out. Her uncle is forc- ing her into that car. VVhat, the old vil- lian is taking her away? Isn't that a shame? See, she doesn't want to go. Csniff, sniifj. Well, of all things, why doesn't someone rescue her? The horrid old thing. There, john, what did I tell you, yes sir, that boy is in the rear of the car. Isn't that wonderful? Some- thing is going to happen. There they go over the bank. Oh! ta loud groanj is she hurt? john, john, look she is smiling at the boy. lsn't that just too sweet. The old uncle is injured. See, how tenderly she treats him. The sweet thing. After he has been too mean for words. just what 1 thought, the boy is asking her to marry him. 'After my uncle gets well, I must help Aunt jane take care of him.' Isn't that goodness itself. A wonderful picture. john, please hurry to the office. It's a tan glove with heavy brown stitches. Don't forget I'll wait outside. Now, hurry. MATTIE VVALDRON, '35 JOCKEY SENSE He is recovering fast, explained the doctor to the white-faced Mrs. Gordon, and although he had quite a fall he is only slightly bruised and has nearly re- gained consciousness. Go in and see him if you like, but don't worry about him, I have left my nurse in charge. Good- bye, Mrs. Gordon, 1 will stop in tomor- row to see how he is. Mrs. Gordon said a low, tense Good- bye, and turned to her son's room. Lorry was her only child and she loved him dearly. Because Mr. Gordon had great hopes for his son as a horse fancier, he had started early to teach him the funda- mentals of riding. Lorry was then only eight, and it was on this afternoon that the horse he was riding had thrown him, rendering him unconscious. Since that fatal day, Lorry, who was now twenty-two, had never ridden horse- back, nor taken any interest whatever in horses. His father scolded and threatened him, but it was of no useg he won over, partly through stubbornness, but mostly through his mother's help, for she too, since his fall, had lost what interest she had had in horses. For four years, Lorry had been away at school in Mason, being home for short vacations only, during which he tried to please his father by interesting himself in the work of the stables and paddockg he tried it and failed, for engineering was his calling and he and his father knew it. Now that Lorry had finished college and was home for a summer's vacation, before entering the engineering school, he found himself spending a great deal of time in the stables, talking with and watching his father's jockey, Slim Owen. During his vacations at home, Lorry had become acquainted with this young man, who was very likeable and A queer sort of friendship had smart. grown up between these two men because of their different interests, but no matter

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M. F. H. S. But when Lorry heard Slim's plan for him to ride on horseback home, he re- fused to go. Now Slim had red hair and a fiery temper that went with it, and when he saw that Lorry was going to balk he lost that temper of his and prac- tically dragged him from that mill and standing him beside one of the horses he drew a rope through the rope that still held Lorry's hands, being an extra strong man for his size, he managed to hoist Lorry upon the horse and bind him securely there. Knowing that the animal could find its way home, he sent it off, with its protesting burden, feeling sure that some servant would attend to their wants when they arrived. Then with a gun in each hand, Slim mounted guard to wait for the return of the kidnappers. The news of the kidnapping and the capture of the men was being spread rapidly and brought the Gordons home immediatelyg where they heard a story of both heroism and humor. Two changes took place at Gordon Stables following the kidnapping, for Lorry, to his father's delight and joy, lost his childish fear of horses and began to ride daily. The other change was in Slim's name for, when Lorry heard about his carrying two guns on the day of the rescue, he immediately dubbed him Two-gun Slim. IVIILDRED E. PERRY, '35 THE STORY OF POPULAR SONGS The Old Spinning Wheel had been upstairs in the attic for a long time. Ramona , a small girl of Sweet Six- teen decided to go up stairs. As she was climbing the stairs, she said, I wonder what I can find 'Among My Souvenirs'? After finding The Talk PILOT 31 of the Town , a song she had always known, she went down again. Then she went down the Long, Long Trail a- VVinding from her home, and crossed the Old Covered Bridge . She was walking down the lane when she heard VVagon Wheels . Around the Corner came the wagon. There was her chum, Charlie , Getting into the wagon, Charlie and Ramona started for Red River Valley , a valley which had been noted for its beauty In the Hills of Old Kentucky . Ramona said, just Tell Me that You Saw Me , Underneath the Arches , last night. There's a Light In Your Eyes, Sweet- heart Darling , I'll Always be in Love With You . Everyday is 'Paradise' with you he said. After going through the Valley of the Moon , a long sweet, trailing sound of music came through the valley. It's just An Echo in the Valley , said Charlie . just then the Moon Came Over the Mountain , and Ramona burst forth singing a Rocky Mountain Lullaby . It was a song often sung by l.izy , her old colored mammy. Soon the Wagon Wheels were turned toward The Shanty in Old Shanty Town , but only to bring them Home . G. RIDLEY, '37 - NATURE - 'Tis wonderful to run and play, Through the beautiful fields and woods To hear the boughs as they gently sway As if striving to do some good. 'Tis good to see the tossing waves, Breaking upon the rocky shoreg