Pennell Institute - Whirlpool Yearbook (Gray, ME)

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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

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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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12 THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL TRANSLATION Carmen 9, Liber 1, Horace: “Steep Soracte glistens with snow, Her forests groan under their load; Thick ice checks the swift rivers’ flow Stars gleam from their lofty abode. Away with thy dread and thy gloom Push another huge log on the fire. Let’s make this cozy old room Resound with sweet strains of the lyre! Bring out your pure Sabine wine Four years have mellowed it well. With our songs let us praise the fair vine Thanks to Bacchus we'll joyfully tell. The same God will care for our needs, Who orders the winds to be still, Whose bidding the dark cyprus heeds, And the mountain ash bends to his will. Fear not what the future may bring Perhaps it may be for our gain. Today we can laugh, dance, and sing, The morrow’ll have sun besides rain. Brave lovers we should not despise, As long as old age keeps aloof, The dance we need not criticise In the joy and the freedom of youth. W. Libby, ’25