Somerset Academy - Athenaeum Yearbook (Athens, ME)

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LITERARY off the enemy until reinforcements arrived. I climbed into the cockpit fully aware of the dangers that confronted me. It would be one against about 16 or I7 of the enemy. The fact that I was the only plane on our side helped because now I could shoot at anything and feel quite sure it wasn't a friendly plane. I started the battle by shooting down six of my foes before they discovered where I was. After this the going was a little tough and the most I got at a time were three. The fight lasted about an hour. During that time I shot down or crip- pled I3 enemy planes and sent the rest home in rather swift departure. Upon landing I was rushed before the big boss who begged that I keep the battle secret as he might lose his job if it got around that all but one of his planes were laid up at one time. Being the modest fellow that I am, I consented to his plan without hesita- tion. It is for this reason that the newspapers never published my daring feat. NORISIAN FINNEMORE '53 My Neighbor's Radio My neighbor has the oddest and noisiest radio that ever was manufactured. The make, I be- lieve, is Philco, but that means nothing. I know of many Philco radios and none of these could ever equal, say nothing of surpassing, my neigh- bor's radio. It is the funniest contraption I have ever seen. It has no buttons to turn it off or on, it has no volume knob to turn it up or downg it is always going full blast, and worst of all it never breaks down like other radios do. I got up at seven on Monday morning to find that radio blaring away at top volume. I didn't like this very well as I couldnit enjoy my break- fast with that horrible noise going on across the street. About noon I was nearly fed up so I cut the antenna wire off close to the radio, thinking the thing would stop playing, but much to my sur- prise it played all the louder. So I went back home to think up a new way to stop this menace which was plaguing the neighborhood. After many false starts I finally went to the gentleman's house to ask him if he would please make less noise. When I knocked, nobody an- swered. After rapping on every window and nearly breaking down the front door, I discovered he wasn't at home, he had left on a week's vaca- tion and had forgotten to turn the radio off. ROBERT POLAND '53 My Unforgettable Moment When I was three years old, I was playing on the floor with my year and a half old brother, when there came a knock on the door. I had just recently acquired the habit of answering the door, so before my mother could get there, I ran over and opened it myself. I just stood and looked, for there in front of me stood the small- est, queerest man I had ever seen. He was only about three feet tall, all dressed in a black tuxe- do and a tall black hat. His face was very shiny and he had a big mouth. He was so terrible looking that I ran screaming to my mother for protection. When safely attached to her skirt, I peeked out to see if the man was still there. Much to my surprise, out from behind the door came father laughing. He picked up the monstrosity and by this time I could see that my little man was nothing more than a large doll dressed as Charlie McCarthy. GERALDINE Mrsnou '52 Escape from the Cannibals One day several years ago I was asked by a government agency to explore a tropical island in the South Pacific. The purpose was to locate a great quantity of minerals which were necessary in the production of the atomic bomb. The United States wanted to secure these minerals before Russia, and despite the natives who were savage cannibals and head-hunters. I packed my bag and took off for the island which cannot be named because it is a govern- ment secret. Accompanying me was a native guide, an ex-cannibal named Eatimup who was civilized. At the edge of civilization loo miles from our destination, we engaged a small single- engine plane for the rest of the trip. I landed the 9

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LITERARY Jack Frost's Magic This morning as I was eating my breakfast, I glanced up and right before my eyes was a beau- tiful picture. I saw a grand old castle resting atop a slope, around the castle was a moat filled with sparkling water, across the moat lay an old, sturdy drawbridge. A knight in shining armor stood erect, his battle-axe raised in his hand for attack. Through the castle window I could see men moving about, and once in a while the bob of a helmet disclosed the presence of guards. I saw an old king, his jeweled crown sparkling like crystals, slowly descend to the drawbridge. But as the sun rose, it threw the complete scene into confusion. The castle crumbled and fell to the ground, the drawbridge sank slowly into the moat, which, in turn, seemed to evaporate into air. The old king and his knights just wilted and died before my eyes. Soon nothing was left but a crumpled heap, even this slowly dissolved and finally an occasional drop of water slowly finding its way to the window sill was all that remained of what was probably the world's greatest mas- terpiece, sketched on my window by that master magician, jack Frost. GERALDINE Mrsr-rou '52 Excuse Me The winter that I was ro or 1 1 years old, Uncle Harry and my father were going to cut zo cords of firewood for my grandfather and some for their own use. The place they had picked to cut the Wood was half a mile straight back into the woods. As it is hard for Dad to walk, they decided to build a shelter, make a stove out of an old oil drum and eat their lunches in the woods to save walking to the house and back. The men built the frame- work and Norman, Gib, and I filled it in with boughs. It was our job every noon to take the lunches into the woods and prepare them on the oil drum stove. One noon as we all sat around on the boughs after finishing dinner, a rabbit came across the road and whizzed through the door. Five bodies 8 simultaneously made a lunge for it but came up with only a handful of dirt. We tried to figure out why the rabbit ran through the camp and finally decided we must have built the camp over a rabbit run and it was just a routine trip for Mr. Rabbit. Rossini POLAND '53 Education for Success Education for life does not consist wholly of book learning. Many of our country's greatest men never had any more schooling than a stu- dent in grammar school has today. The person who really wants to learn will become educated regardless of how little he goes to school. Listen- ing to well informed people, asking questions, and remembering information are ways of learn- ing, but experience, of course, is the best teacher. Great men like Franklin, Lincoln, and others of humble or average parents, who rose to great heights, had to work hard for that education which didn't come from books. WELDON FRENCH '53 Modest I During World War Two there were many in- cidents that failed to come to the attention of the public. In one of these Cprobably a major turning point in the WarD a very important per- son played a prominent part-I. The story I am about to relate took place April 13, 1945, the day before my birthday, the location I will not dis- close, for it might tend to embarrass some very prominent people. At this time of year this place is generally foggy and the day I speak of was no exceptiong in fact the fog was so thick, it was impossible for one to tell where he was going. The time was two o'clock in the morning and I had just come in from a walk when suddenly the air was split by the wail of the air raid siren. I was out of the house Cbeing a privileged charac- ter I was granted a house instead of regular bar- racksD and into headquarters in a matter of min- utes. For some reason which I can't seem to recall all planes but mine were grounded. It was decided that I would go up alone and try to hold

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LITERARY plane in a small bay on the southwest side of the island. All went well for a few days and I had found where most of the ore lay. However, on the fifth day, as we were doing some last minute recon- noitering, all at once, out of the foliage charged 18 savage, bloodthirsty natives. One after an- other I fired my last six bullets and six of the can- nibals lay dead, to no avail, faithful Eatimup and I couldn't get ahead in the battle. We were taken to the native village and put in a hut to await our fate. Then Eatimup started groaning, Me got heap big ache. Last time me feelum this way was time me eatum baloney. All cannibals get heap sick if swallow baloneyf' Next morning we were awakened and dragged to a Hre over which hung a huge pot. When I learned that they were going to stew me, I got angry. In fact, I was boiling. I told them off. I reminded them how sweet, kind, and wonderful I was. The chief then interrupted and said, Ugh, too much. We not eat you if you last man on earth, begonef' On our way home Eatimup remarked, It heap- good for us that you full of baloneyf' I never did learn what he meant. I guess he just didn't ap- preciate my great speech to the chief. VVELDON FRENCH '53 lt Should Hove Worked As I was reading the daily paper, an article caught my eye and I stared in disbelief. A movie star coming to Athens! And believe it or not, it was Clark Cable, my one and only heart throb. I quickly read the article and noticed that he would be at a party three days away, but how could I stand a chance against Marion Tuttle and Pearl Small, the town belles! In dismay I went up to the attic and sat down by the window where I often spend my time when I am troubled. I was glancing around the room when suddenly I saw an old, dusty book. Curiously I picked it up. I was startled when I read the title, Modern Witchcraft. I was about to put it back when a sudden thought came to me. The Love Potion! Could it be in there? Quickly I looked through the index, there it was. IO Turning to the indicated page, I quickly found the recipe: 1 rotten egg, well beaten 1 cup stagnant water 5 cat claws, well ground 1 spear of hair from a person's head Boil at midnight and chant these words, I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish I'd get the Wish I wish tonight. With horror I closed the book and sat down, but my mind kept wandering back to it and soon I was making plans. Luck was with mel I had found an old rotten egg behind the barn only the day before. There was an old well in a vacant lot nearby, it was said to be stagnant. A neigh- bor's cat had been run over recently and was buried across the road, and my hair is always plentiful. I took the rest of the day to get these ingredi- ents togetherg but by nightfall I was ready. I went upstairs to my room and waited until 11230. Quietly I crept downstairs and found an old kettle. When the clock struck 12, the mixture was boiling and I started chanting, I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish I'd get the wish I wish tonight. Quickly I bottled the liquid and went back to bed to dream about the party. I got ready for my venture early and slipped out before' anyone saw me. My luck was still with me when I arrived at the party. A girl who was to be a waitress was sick and I was asked to take her place. Mr. Cable sat next to my table so it was easy to slip some of my concoction into his tea. I waited around, but nothing happened and to my disappointment Mr. Cable didn't even notice me. As soon as possible I left in dismay and hurried to the attic to read the recipe over again. I was ready to give up when I saw a small note at the bottom of the page. I read, This potion will not work if mixed -with tea leaves. In disgust I went to bed and decided, that once and for all, I was through with men. BEVERLY FINNEMORE '55 Christy: Elwood is an awful flirt. I wouldn't trust him too far. Marguerite: Huh, I wouldn't trust him too near.