Pennell Institute - Whirlpool Yearbook (Gray, ME)

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% THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL It A TRIP TO HOLLISTON. Holliston is a pretty little village bordered by “Clear Lake. I have some old friends there who have an estate called “Sun- set Farm.”” They said it was a beautiful place in summer. My friends, a gentleman and his wife, for a number of sum- mers had urged me to make them a visit. Summer began early that year. It was intolerably hot in Lexington. I received a letter, as usual, from Mrs. Rogers, urging my sister and me to come this year, for there was to be a boat race on the lake the first of August. We decided to go. I have a possession which T value very much, a little mare named Nell. She can cover the ground. We started with Nell at half past two on the fifteenth of July. Five miles were covered and we were in the country. How good it seemed! M en were having along the route. We stopped at a spring beside the road and had a delicious drink. What a contrast between that and the water in Lexington! At ten minutes of five we reached Holliston. “Sunset Farm” borders “Take Clear,” as I have said. We traveled along the road on the shore of the lake to our friends. It was delight- fully cool, Nell carried us up the hill to the farm, where we received a hearty welcome. Bruce, a handsome collie, soon made our acquaintance. We had an excellent supper and then talked and talked until we couldn’t keep our eyes open. The next day new joys awaited us. We roamed all over the farm. From the highest point there was a wonderful view of the lake. When the sun had set, the sky was beautiful, and so was its reflection in the water. I made the acquaint- ance of a black boy named Sam. We became great friends. He warned me not to go near the fence of one of the neighbors in my wanderings through the pasture, as he had a big billy goat whose disposition was not of the best. I forgot his warn- ing. and, one day, as I was walking near a fence, I saw a big goat eyeing me. I don’t know what possessed me, ihe l walled to the fence and pulled his beard gently and stroked his head. He didn’t like it. The fence was weak. The goat butted it over and came after me at full speed. I started to run, but as Iam built on the plan that is not made for running, he overtook me, knocked me over, and started rolling me down the hill. He seemed to think it great sport. To my horror, as we neared the bottom, I saw a large hornet’s nest in our path, I held tight to Billy’s whiskers. This “riled” him. In one way this was lucky for me, for he butted me with greater ferocity and thus changed the path, so we avoided the nest. We came to a pile of tin cans. Now, goats like tin cans, for which Iam very thankful. Billy commenced eating the cans

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10 THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL A BIOGRAPHY. Ernest Ambrose Coffin was born in a log cabin on Dutton Hall, July 4, 1898. From the time of his birth until he reached the age of seven, he is said to have possessed a pair of cast iron lungs, much to the pleasure of the neighbors. When he was seven years old, he went to a school taught by Elizabeth Douglass and was a shining light for the other pupils. He was always their inspiration for mischief. At the age of ten he came to the grammar school of Gray under the tuition of Florence Brown. He was forever arguing with her on the theory of Evolution and always took the affirmative side. He possessed a clear, musical voice and often sang at T.adies’ Bazaars for the benefit of friendless cats. He attended Pen- nell at the age of thirteen. THis first two vears were unevent- ful, but he kept the faculty more or less worried. In his senior vear he edited his first book, “The Menace of Study Hours.” This was a remarkable success and was read by all the pupils, but the authorities did not get the hint, as intended. When he was thirty he became a tonsorial artist in Dry Mills. He did very well at first. but later his eyesight com- menced to fail, and his vietims looked as though their head had been thru a stone crusher. Later he was interested in radium, and the town bought a hen-house in which to conduct his experiments. He tried to extract radium from alligators’ ears, but was unsuccessful, so he had to give it up. In 1930 he and Arthur Sawyer became veterinarians, and, thru a chiropractor’s advice, they were quite skilful in the treat- ment of coughs, colds, sore throat and hoarseness of animals. They continued in this business till the majority of the domes- tic animals died from pneumonia. When Ernest Coffin died. he was greatly beloved by all the dumb animals. His name will long be remembered by the citizens of Gray. as his picture and autograph appear on some of the leading hair tonic bottles. Bovs are a very curious class. Under any circumstances Right is the thing they seldom do, Never caring in the least So long as they don’t come to grief. C. A. S., 723.

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12 THE PENNELL WHIRIPOOL and I escaped. Sam had seen it all. When he found I was not hurt, he guffawed loudly. He told my sister and friends, and I have never heard the last of that. Fexcept for this and the boat race, our stay was uneventful. The last of August we returned to Lexington. I felt able to settle down to work, but, if it had not been for the tin cans, I doubt if I should have had the inclination. WARREN H. LIBBY, 25. JUNIORS. Juniors! Juniors! U know us, Never worry, never fuss. In all we do, Or in all we say, Right we are, So they (don’t) say. L. T. H., 723. MAINE TO CALIFORNIA. Oct. 7, 1918, we started on an auto trip to Mecca, Cal. We went through Boston, New York and Philadelphia. If we slowed down in these places, the policemen told us to move along so as not to block the traffic. Sometimes electric cars were going overhead, beside, and under us at the same time. In the mountains of Pennsylvania and Virginia we were able to coast nearly two miles, at a time, down very steep grades, and there were many sharp turns which were very dangerous. In Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, land was very level; one could look for miles and see only small bushes, not a tree or a hill. At last we reached the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and northern part of New Mexico. The highest place in the moun- tains was at Ratoon Pass, 1078 feet high. Soon we had to go down the steepest hill we had seen. The road was only wide enough for one auto, except in a few places where two might pass. : Next came the desert, which was only sand anda few bushes. Prairie dogs could be seen or heard in very sandy places. These are very small, like a spaniel, and make a whistling noise. They live in holes in the sand and are hard to shoot or to get near.