Pennell Institute - Whirlpool Yearbook (Gray, ME)

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10 THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL Yhen he imported a breed of hawks, (not native to this town), which was fond of mosquitoes. These birds prov- ed to be a great success. They soon cleared the town of insects, small birds, poultry, and everything else they could carry. When the results of this brief but decisive campaign became known, Laban Thayer was hailed far and wide as Skeeter Thayer. He became a member of the Public Health Ser- ‘vice. But the world heard from our town again. The atmosphere below the Corner was so saturated with gaso- lene that a cigarette in the hands of Merrill Libby caused an explosion which shook the state. This explos- ion so changed the face of the country that Gray is now a busy seacoast town. H. Kent, ’26 Leet tee CINDERELLA UP-TO-DATE This was Carrie’s fourth year. The first year she had been carried along on the froth of things, as well went the second year. By the third year Carrie had acquired alittle set smile and the air of don’t care indifference as if she preferred to sit out dances and was bored with parties. She wasn’t unattractive, but her features were wholly ordinary. She thought that if a man was interested in her, he would come toher. She thorough- ly scorned flirting. She had a younger sister, Mae, very opposite in tastes and looks to her old- er sister. Mae was a blonde, petite, and very good looking. She, however, was but sixteen and her mother al- lowed her to go to parties and dances but very little, for she thought Mae too young for such amusements. At last the night of the ball had come. This ball was to be given in honor of the ‘Prince’s’” home-com- ing. He was the son of an ex-mayor and had gone away shortly after his father had died, ten years before. All of the girls and mothers in town had been anticipating this ball for a long time because it was rumor- ed that Bramhall had made a fortune and was returning for a wife. Carrie had a pale-green chiffon dress for this affair. As she was try- ing it on, the night of the party, she thoughtfully scrutinized herself in her mirror. She could see herself at the dance tonight sitting against the wall, her face aching from a forced smile. Would this one coming this way ask her to dance? She saw an interminably drawn-out evening. She, with her ugly looks, would never win the returning prince so what was the use? She suddenly exclaimed, “T will not, I’m done. I’ve gone to my last dance!” ‘Finally, when her mother came to her room and found Carrie in a ging- ham dress, she exclaimed, ‘‘You’ve been crying and you’ve ruined your face for the dance.” It took Carrie some time to convince her mother that she wasn’t going and that she had decided to give her new dress to Mae so that the latter might go, in- stead. She powdered, curled and dressed the astonished Mae in a short time.

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THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL 9 the quarrel. After dinner Jim told her about the bear. When he had finished, Jane cried, “O Jim!” “How brave!” “Fuh, just a lucky skid,” replied Jim. M. Hill, ’28 — o0-— — -— THE VANISHING AMERICAN J am an Indian The last of my noble race. Soon, I, too, will be summoned To the Happy Hunting Ground of my forefathers. ‘ Glad will I be when the Great Spirit Beckons for me to come; For in this world I am sad and lonely Gone now, are the tepees of my fa- thers, From the quiet woods; Gone, also, are all my brothers From native haunts ‘neath dusky shade, By lake and gliding stream. Never more will I see The fitful flicker of the Council fire, Or smell the sweet smoke From the Peace Pipe of my fathers. Gone, too, is the rythmic beat of the tom-tom So familiar to my ears, And the weird music of dark-eyed In- dian maidens, Seated among the shadows. Never again will I hunt the red deer, And hear the delightful sound Of an arrow, winging its way swiftly to the mark; Or spear the darting trout in hidden pool. For all these things belong to a nation Once powerful, but now gone forever! I, alone, await the beckoning hand Of the Great Spirit, that shall point the way To the land of Peace and Happiness. A. Cushing ’27 9) FIGHTING MOSQUITOES In the summer of 1926, the worst catastrophe since the burning of Cole and Marsden’s store visited our peace- ful community. There had been a rainy spring and the flats below the Corner had become the breeding place for hordes of mosquitoes. They spread malaria, the swarms becoming so thick that many families were driv- en out of town. The remaining inhabitants held a town-meeting to elect a mosquito ad- ministrator to have full authority and access to the funds of the town. Laban Thayer was elected unanimous- ly, as everyone’s hands were raised slapping mosquitoes when his name was called. Our illustrious fire-chief laid his plans with the skill of a Napoleon. His first step was to commandeer all available gasolene at the various gar- ages to pour on breeding places. Ken- neth Sawyer hauled it on his truck. When he reached the flats, swarms of furious insects made him lose control of his auto. The town erected a monument years later to Kenneth Sawyer, a martyr of Gray. As ordinary netting was useless, our mechanic, Wendell Tripp, invent- ‘ed a copper mesh uniform for Mr. Thayer and his volunteers. With the aid of this, they succeeded in oiling the flats.

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THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL it As they were leaving she assured them that she was going to have the time of her life. After they had gone, Carrie went down-stairs to do t’1e dishes, for she dearly loved housekeeping, but her mother had never allowed her to do much work because she wanted her to be attractive to all would-be hub- bies. She sang as she worked and her heavy auburn braids fell down her back. She put the kettle on to make herself a cup of tea. Suddenly she heard a knock at the door. Knock, kno ck, knock. After she had recovered from her surprise she opened the door. A man stood on the kitchen steps. He told her that the town had chang- ed so that he couldn’t find his way, that he had seen her light, and had come to inquire of his whereabouts. She asked him in, out of the cold. By this time she recognized who he was. He said he had never seen so many black houses. She told him that every mother, aunt, sister, daughter and cousin were at the ball to welcome the prince; continuing, she said she hated a dance and that she had rather stay at home and work in the kitchen. Carrie smiled: to herself as she of- fered the stranger a cup of tea; wouldn’t the other girls be jealous if they knew! The stranger and Carrie soon became very intimate. He told her about his cabin where he had been living, doing his own cooking, about the beautiful sunsets and the silent nights. When he had finished she told him that she loved that sort of thing, or anything that pertained to out-door life. She asked him if he intended to stay long at the village. He told her that he had intended to go back as soon as possible for the wilds were calling him already. His face was grave now. “I knew when I first saw you to- night that you were the woman I had come home to. The one I’d been dreaming of and waiting for all these years.” Carrie was too happy to speak. At length, however, she said, “I’m the first girl you’ve seen, and maybe when you see others, you'll forget all about me.”’ At this he said, “Thank God, there - is one old-fashioned girl left for me. I’m going back as soon as I settle some business here.” “Are you going to let me go back alone?” he pleaded.- When she turned her face up to his, she was truly beautiful. M. E. C., ’26