Norway High School - Caduceus Yearbook (Norway, ME)

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THE CADUCEUS 23 rush, is picked up and carried on by one of the men. At last we reach the spot where tl1e dogs have the boar cornered, he is concealed in a swampy spot in a clump of reeds. The thick reeds of the swamp make it im- possible to see more than a few feet ahead. The nerves of the party are on edge as they await tl1e rush of the boar. Suddenly there is a great trampling and the immense form of a muscular boar hurls itself on the hunting party. The party make a break for cover, except one man named Ancaeus, who gives battle with a battle axe, but is gored to death by the boar's cruel tusks. One by one the hunters run by and launch their spears at him. On man named Men- leus, relying on his fleet-footedness, runs near the boar and inflicts a mortal wound. But thus maddened by this wound, he turns and rushes on Aegeus and Theseus. The king easily gets out of the way, but These- us stumbles in his attempt to escape his terrible danger and falls to the ground at the mercy of the boar. Just as it seems that Theseusfs life is to be ended, a young man, totally disregarding his own danger, closes in with the boar with only a knife, while Theseus makes good his escape. After a short struggle, the boar falls to tl1e ground, dead. Now the party starts on its homeward journey. After having been given the boar's head and hide, according to the an- cient hunting custom, tl1e stranger seems to be missing. Confusion reigns in the party. It is even rumored that he might be Jupiter in disguise. They reflect on his being able to overcome the boar with a knife. Whoever he was, he had done a brave deed, the story of which has been passed down from generation to generation. -Donald Partridge, Jr., '3-1. My Demise I died on the seventeenth of March, 1930, about a year ago. My death came about in tl1e following manner: After having eate11 a hearty breakfast, I was in the best of spirits as I strolled along the muddy road. Suddenly, I heard the hum of an airplane, and looking up above me, perceived that tl1e pilot of the- plane was using very queer tactics in ma- neuvering it. The ship was coming at a fast rate of speed, so it seemed to me, a11d after watching it for some time-that is, until my curiosity was well satisfied, and, incidentally, my neck well tired out,-I proceeded on my way thoughtfully. After walking about one hundred yards, I was suddenly enveloped in a great wave of heat. I was spellbound. As I looked up, I understood the danger of the situa- tion, for that monoplane, a mass of fiames, came tearing straight at me! Imagine my terror, if you can! I stood speechless staring at that horrible spectacle, and to this day, I can still hear the blood-curdling screams of that doofned pilot. I could not move a muscle, and simply stood there, watching my fate de- scend upon me i11 the form of a blazing mass of wreckage. Although my body was horribly mutilat- ed, I passed out quickly, and without much pain. My former ideas of demise were sadly corrupted after this disastrous trage- dy. I was immediately removed to the home of tl1e undertaker, Mr. R. E. Smith. Here I remained for two days, undergoing the embalming processes, which, I assure you, dear friends of the earth, was the most gruesome experience I have ever been sab- jected to. My funeral was a very elaborate affair, and a grand success. It gave me great pleasure, as I lay there in my casket, to observe the expressions of my many ac- quaintances and friends as they viewed my

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22 THE CADUCEUS touch my keys. The stool was silent for a moment, and then said, Well, I don't know that I should feel so sad, because they can 't touch me as they touch your keys. Did you ever notice how careful they are, not to place their feet on my legs, and scratch me? The piano and stool stood in the parlor of the little bungalow many years, and on the stool at that piano Jeanette and Royce learned to become real musicians. They both play in orchestras, but even to this day, they are thrilled when they can come home, sit on the old stool, and play their old piano. . -Marjorie Judkins, '32. Who Was He? It was noon, and the day was hot, when a. loud knock came at Aunt Nancy 's back kitchen-door. A rather tall man, dressed in a coarse brown hemlock suit, looked up inquiringly at our old aunt. He carried his body erect and held his head straight up. There was an axe in his left hand. On his feet were tough cow-hide boots, which encased the bottom of his heavy trousers. He wore a faded blue shirt, open at the neck. His face was one of noble character, with high cheek-bones and a sloping forehead. His head was topped with tousled black hair. which left his temples bare, but grew in shocks at his neck and ears. He had a stiff, square mouth and jaw with well-set, firm teeth. His eyes were of a blue tinge, deep-set in his kindly face. His hearing was erect, but rather awk- ward, he was about six feet tall. His hands, though well-formed, were large, and calloused with toil. Aunt Nancy gave us a perfect descrip- tion of the man. Who was he? . -J. F. Wiles, '32 The Boar Hunt King Aegeus had not made a sacrifice to Artemis, the huntress, at her feast. fShe was a goddess especially worshipped in the locality of Calydon in Greecej VVithin a week after the feast, a terrible wild boar was reported ravaging the country side, destroying the corn stacked there, and at- tacking thie people. The creature appeared now here and now there with a suddenness that seemed supernatural. The people be- lieve this to be caused by the slighting of Artemis. King Aegeus organized a party to hunt the boar. This morning the hunting party of about thirty men are assembled in a designated place. King Aegeus's young son, Theseus, after much. begging, is allowed to accom- pany them. The clear blue sky with the green fields, in contrast with the darker for- ests, form a sublimely beautiful picture. Now let us turn to the hunting party. They are dressed in a chiton-a sort of robe reaching a little below the knee, fastening in the front like a shirt, also, they wear boots and wide brimmed hats. They are girdled tightly, and there are knives in their belts. They also carry spears and bows and arrows. The party proceeds with the yelping dogs running ahead. They march on and on through green fields, now climbing summits of high hills, sometimes crossing the cold, rushing mountain streams and stumbling through rocky gulleys and passes. Also the party passes into valleys where sheer rock rises majestically to tow- ering heights. One might easily imagine himself in the stronghold of the gods. In contrast to this picture, we see sheep and cattle grazing on peaceful hillsides. At last we are coming to the country of the dreaded boar. The dogs pick up the scent. Now all is confusion as the men madly try to keep pace with the dogs. The- seus. quickly being left behind in the mad

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24 THE CADUCEUS lifeless corpse for the last time. Their ex- pressions were as far removed from each other as I was from the earth. Affection, joy, hate, sorrow, and many such expres- sions were registered on their faces. Es- pecially will I remember the last grateful look proffered by my young nephew as he passed slowly by-a glance which said, Thank you, Uncle, for the millions which your death has put into my hands. Now I shall prosper. I might have thought myself good look- ing at this funeral, had it not been for the loss of one eye and one ear. These two were never recovered after the crash of the plane. The funeral anthem was certainly beautiful, but I much preferred to hear the latest number of the season, Happy Days Are Here Again? Another impressive feature of that me- morable day which will never pass from my memory, was the many beautiful floral tributes, which, by the way, is the only tribute of that sort I have ever received. The most impressionable of these offerings consisted of beautiful wreaths of wild ros- es, sweet peas, peonies, hildagos, and many other kinds of flowers. One more memorable incident of this ritual, which was more or less humorous, I shall attempt to describe to you. This was the interment at the Norway Pine Grove Cemetery. During this procedure, as I was being lowered into my last resting place, the casket, which was quite slippery because of the dreary falling of mist, caused the hands of one of the bearers to slip, and consequently I crashed to the bottom of the grave, landing with a resounding thud. I assure you that the wet sod piled on top of me was not ptleasing. But, being of a rather strong will, it did not bafiie me, as it did some poor victims, who to this day still rest in their graves, simply because they have not the initiative or willpower to ex- tricate themselves into the joys of other worlds. I lay resting, thinking things over, and wondering why I had been placed on earth, why I had died, what was to come next, and how I should act when something did hap- I always came to the same conclu- pen. sion, that I did not know. As a matter of fact, I didn't think very much about my and virtues, as dead people are said sins to do, although I had plenty or the former, and also a few of the latter, sprinkled i11 here and there. Continuing with my thoughts, they turned to the oft-discussed Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. I had never put much stock in any of these mythical places, and consequently did not belong to any church, but went as my conscience and pleasure dictated me. After my death I did not regret my faithlessness to any of the churches either. As a matter of fact, I really pay very little attention to religion -maybe that 's why I didn it go to any of these places,-because I didn't believe in them-who knows? It was a comparatively easy matter to get out of my casket, as I was a rather strong person. VVhen I at last stood among the other graves, the town clock was just striking midnight. As I bade the cem- etery a last goodbye, the town constable was just finishing his last beat to the edge of the graveyard. For some reason or oth- er, when he saw me, he ran as if a bee had stung him, and screeching as I had never heard a human screech before. His blood- curdling yells must have awakened people, living and dead, within the neighborhood of a mile. I couldnlt imagine what had happened to him. As it was rather dark, because of the dismal rain which continued, I stumbled over one o the grave stones, and when I hit the ground- I woke up! -Daniel F. Dullea, '32,