Pennell Institute - Whirlpool Yearbook (Gray, ME)

Page 14 text:

14 THÉ PENNELL IPHIRLPOOL bewildered look. She was gone. He must go back to the little old farm alone. However, he did not go directly hack but lingered about the garage, and dropped in at the little hotel, so that it was half-past ten when he finally started for home. He drove off strangely troubled by the persistent fecling of being alone in spite of his saying over and over to himself that he was free. lle drove off at full speed telling himself that no one was going to be nagging him for a while. Of course, Edward mused, he thought a lot of Jeanne, and it would be dreadful if she didn't come back, but just at this moment he almost convinced himself that he was very happy. When he reached home the place seemed peaceful and quiet. The house was in good order. Jeanne was а good housekeeper. edward won- dered why women who were good housekeepers were so often sharp of speech. There was John Humphrey's wife. There was not a better house- keeper in town, but sometimes it was impossible for John to stay in the house with her. As Edward sat in the quiet kitchen he wondered if John missed his wife, who had died a week ago. Edward rocked and smoked and thought. He didn't seem to have any pep to go out and do up the morning work. He thought of how sweet and pretty Jeanne had been twenty years ago when he brought her to the little farm—the tiny baby, Edward, who had made them so happy in that one short year of his little life. Jeanne had never spoken crossly to her husband until one night after the baby was born she had said, Why don't you ever put anything where it belongs 7 just because he had left his hat and gloves on the table. Having spoken so once, she did it again and again. After this his life had seemed to change. Пе was unhappy and discontented so he had stayed by himself as much as possible. Edward Hackett was thinking of his bride of years ago. Those first days.—and then the days when little Edward was in her arms, when she was still gentle more often than she was harsh. When the child died grief did not soften her; it gave her a kind of hardness that bewildered her husband. Edward was aroused from his thoughts by a knock at the kitchen door. When he opened it, a woman stood there with a child in her arms. “Is this John Humphrey's house? she asked. No, the next place. It's about a half mile from here, he replied. “Oh!” she said. Edward asked her to come in and rest before starting, as the day was cold and raw. She had come from town that morning behind edward. She told him that she was John Humphrey's niece. Edward brought wood for the fire, then helped the visitor to remove her boots to dry them. Ile remembered that John had spoken well of his niece but had said nothing

Page 13 text:

THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL 13 if they didn't smoke?” asked Uncle Jack sarcastically. “Tobacco is a drug and the continued use of any drug is a sign of mental weakness. If you've got to be an imitator why not imitate the strong rather than the weak points of others? You will never gain the respect of any man by imitating his weak points. X man—a real man—whether he smokes or not—is always disgusted with the cheap little shrimp of a boy who tries to imitate his own had habits.” “But you haven't told us why you don't smoke, Uncle Jack, insisted Bud. Uncle Jack laughed. “That’s so, sure enough. Well, ГИ tell you. When I was a boy 1 didn't smoke for fear somebody might think I was trying to imitate my elders, and when I grew to be a man I didn't for fear somebody would think I was trying to imitate such a silly youngster as the president of your club. JAMES | Rost, 33. THE STRANGER Edward Hackett came into the dim kitchen, gray in the light of the winter dawn. Пе built the fire and began to prepare breakfast, thinking to help his wife, for she was going for a ‘Visit of two or three weeks with her aunt who was ailing and alone. Пе was just pouring the coffee when he heard Jeanne coming down- stairs. She hurried into the small kitchen with an air of authority. “Fow long has that coffee boiled? she asked. Long enough, Edward replied. During the breakfast hour Jeanne gave directions about the manage- ณา of the little farm in her absence. After breakfast she hastened to get ady, for she was going on an сапу train, In the meantime Edward а her bags into the car and they were soon ready to start. As they rode along Jeanne sighed and said, “Oh! Edward, | meant to have you drive me over to John Humphrey's s to see if I could help them before I left. “His niece must be there by now, Edward suggested. “Poor John must miss Sarah terribly.” went o n Jeanne thought fully. When they reached the railway station there came upon her a momen- tary gentleness. “I hope everything'll be all right with you, Edward, she said, to her own surprise as much as her husband's. As she got into the train she thought of possible disaster to Edward hefore not return, perhaps even death, and she frowned at her own foolish- ness. But the train was whistling—there was no time for sentiment. “Good-bye, Edward,” was all she said when she boarded the train. Good-bye, Jeanne, he murmured, as he stared aíter her with a rather

Page 15 text:

THE PENNELL WHIRLPOOL 15 about the baby. Certainly Jeanne had not known. He got some lunch and afterward the young woman helped him tidy up the small kitchen. Edward thought how strange it was that she should have come here today when Jeanne was gone, and that her presence and the looks of the baby should remind him so much of the old days. Edward could not help remarking about her mild, calm way. She smiled sweetly in reply, and as she did she scemed just like Jeanne—that Jeanne of those first days. Edward told the stranger how lovely his wife had been and how the years had changed her. The young woman only smiled wisely, and said she thought he'd have his real Jeanne baek before long. When she was ready to leave Edward offered to drive his strange guest on to John lumphrey’s. She refused at first but finally yielded. When they reached the Humphrey place she insisted on getting out at the drive- wav. She made no move to go toward the house, but stood there smiling. holding the baby close. As Edward drove off he looked back several times, wondering why she stood there, so still and smiling, so like his Jeanne of years ago, The whole afternoon he sat thinking of Jeanne, wondering if he and his wife could be happy again when she came back. Пе was pr eparing his supper when he heard a car in the driveway. Then he heard voices. He opened the door and there stood his wife and John Humphrey. Jeanne said that she didn't have to stay because her aunt was much better. John went back to his car and they were alone. “Edward,” said Jeanne, I couldn't stay. 1 wanted to come back. Life isn't any too long, anyway.” “Jeanne,” he cried, “something happened today which showed me that we can have life just as happy as it was twenty years ago. It’s all because John Humphrey's niece stopped here. Oh! wait a minute—I must ask John if she got over there all right with the baby.” He opened the kitchen door and called, “Humphrey, did your niece get there all right with the baby? 1 took her over as far as the driveway but she— What? shouted John, I guess not, I was home all afternoon and I didn't see anything of her. Jeanne opened the door and said, Edward, don't say any more. That wasn't his niece but an old friend of mine. She did it to open our eyes— don't you understand ?” HortENSE CASWELL, '33. THE VICTORY Yes, I am. My mind is made up and you can't budge it an inch,” said Aunt Sally. Justine Grover gazed at her aunt perplexedly in this large kitchen of the old New England farm.