Somerset Academy - Athenaeum Yearbook (Athens, ME)

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LITERARY Night Magic When the sun goes down behind the tall pines and the sky grows dark, we wonder what makes the light dim and fade away. It is Magicf, We can see the sun set and its bright red golden rays across the sky. Then the color fades and the sky is black. We see the lights come on in each and every house, the car lights go swishing by, and all colored lights in every store are turned on, one by one. The night is lit up by the millions of stars that come twinkling out. The old man in the moon makes his way slowly from behind a cloud. The snow shines and sparkles like crystals when the stars and moon shine down upon it. The tall pines sway in the wind and you can hear the snapping and cracking of the ice-covered limbs as the shadows creep across the snow. Now the northern lights reflect across the deep black sky or you may see a star go shooting through the sky. All the little animals ascend into the open when everything is quiet to look the night over. Then the stars and moon fade away and the sun rises from the east for another day. But to us the night is full of Magic. I Helped Build the U P Railroad VVhen there was talk of building a railroad from the East to the West, I was all ears. No one had to ask me to help because I volunteered before they had a chance. I thought they needed a few good men like me. Of course, then, I wasn't a little wizened up old man as I am now. I was a great big guy, all muscles, back in my younger days. Well, we started laying the railroad. Let me tell you that it certainly wasn't an easy job and we had just a certain length of time to finish it in. We all worked from morning to night, and we worked steady. Those Indians, they bothered us awfully, they kept tearing up the rails we had already laid and burning our supplies. It looked like they didn't like to see the road completed. Of course we had quite a few other difficulties too. Great numbers of our men quit 'cause they were afraid of the Indians and several got killed. I stuck to it though. No old Indians were going to scare me. A few days before we had the track completed, our big trouble came. I'll always remember that day 'cause it was my wife's birthday and I had forgotten to get her a present. I knew she would be hopping mad. Well, about the middle of the day we saw dust rising in the distance. At a closer glance we could see figures and we knew we were in for it. The Indians were coming again, a whole band of them. They outnumbered us ten to one. What shelter was offered, we took. They put up a great I-ight, but so did we. Our men were dropping one by one. Finally all were gone except a very few, but those Indians had a few less men than when they came also. Someone had to get us out of this dilemna and it was up to me. Inching my way along, I sneaked out through the woods, found my horse and came in behind them. I had tied a large bush to my saddle and it kicked up a lot of dust. I guess that those Indians thought that a whole army had come 'cause they sure left in a hurry. The railroad went through on time. PAULINE. TOLMAN '52, Visiting a Movie Star Have you ever gone to a movie showing your favorite actor and later wondered how you could possibly meet him? That was my experience. One day after I had finished my shopping, I casually dropped into a late matinee. The pic- ture being shown was The Call of the Wild and its hero was Iohn Derek. What a gorgeous hunk of man! Here was a person I would like to meet, but how could it be arranged? I finally decided to pay Hollywood a visit. I arrived on a noonday train exhausted and hungry. After I freshened up, I picked out a small restaurant near the studio of John Derek. During my lunch, I kept an eye on the stars who were wandering in, but John was not to be seen. I couldn't delay leaving the restaurant any long- er, I decided I would have to try some other way for an introduction. I was rising abruptly from my chair when all of a sudden there was a crash 13

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LITERARY There is no air now so I turn on the oxygen tanks. We can see a giant planet, but I cannot name it because I can't get a good look at it. The sun looks like a giant ball that is all afire, Hoat- ing in space. Nearing the moon now, I turn on the motors and put it in reverse, to try to slow up. CWe must land with the nose of the ship pointing upward so it will be easier to take off for the return trip back to earthj After a perfect landing we open the door and look around. Delmar Barker is the first one to jump out and he goes up in the air about 30 feet and when he finally comes down, he is almost scared to death. Now the rest of us are getting out with caution, we find that gravity on the moon is much less than on the earth and with even a little jump we will go several feet into the air. We find the surface of the moon is so hot where the sun is shining on it that we can cook bacon and eggs for our lunch on a hot rock. There are many great mountains here, some of them being sev- eral miles high. We make many tests of the ground on the moon's surface and Eldon French is busy for several hours taking all the pictures he can get. From the moon the earth looks exact- ly like a globe used to look to us in school. Dr. l-Iall, with the help of Larry Butterfield, is trying to find herbs to make new medicines and finds three strange-looking plants that show promise. Uranium is so plentiful that we are going to take some back to the earth with us. We are now getting ready to start back on our homeward trip, all are in the rocket ship but Del- mar, who has found some tiny men about the size of mice. Our time is running out so we can- not stop to talk with the tiny men, so with Del- mar aboard, we start the rockets and start off. Floating through space at about the speed of light, we are not long on the way home. We now find that Delmar has hidden three of the little men from the moon in his pocket, but it is too late to turn back. To my horror I sight the Pacific Ocean and we are heading directly for it. We try everything we can think of to turn the ship but to no avail, it is too late now, we must crash land. Splash! I wake up. My mother is standing over me with a pitcher of water. I am I2 in my own bed. It was all a dream, but how life- like it seemed! Erwoon Pnourr '54 On Christmas Shopping Here I am, home at last! My, but it feels won- derful to sink into my nice, comfy, easy chair! Never again will I go through such an experi- ence. No sir, I'll not wait another year to do my Christmas shopping at the last minute, and I'll tell you why. My back and head ache, my eye is turning black, and my poor old feet have corns as large as apples, if not larger. Why, there was such a mob downstreet, that it seemed as if the whole world was congregating in the stores! Have you ever been caught in a crowd like that? It's no joke, let me tell you. Everyone was bus- tling around, hurrying to do his last-minute buying, feet were stepping on everything and everyone, elbows were jabbing, and rough hands were shoving. I tried to buy a necktie for father and I ended up with a handkerchief. One has no choice in the direction that he goes! Next year I'll start my Christmas shopping in Septem- ber, no, I'll even start earlier than that-August! Well, here comes my friend, Sue! Come right in, Sue. How are you? Me? Oh, I'm Hne and dandy, feel just wonderful! I've been doing my last-minute Christmas shopping. Yes, isn't it grand! I love the last-minute hustle and bustle, don't you? It is really heartwarming to see hun- dreds of people scurrying around to end their shopping. Doesn't one get a marvelous sensation to see everyone so happy and jolly? Each one is goodnaturedly pushing and bumping another, ev- erybody seems to be laughing and talking among himself. What a merry time of year this is! What's that you say, Sue? Do my Christmas shopping early! Me? I should say not! VVhy, I wouldn't miss doing my last-minute shopping for all the world! Do my shopping early indeed! Where is your Christmas spirit, Sue? I would no more even think of doing my shopping early than I would of doing my Monday's washing on Sunday. GERALDINE Mrsnou '52

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LITERARY and a bang, and in the instant I was covered with tomato juice and chicken fricassee. Finally amid the laughter, I got the mess out of my eyes so I could see and much to my aston- ishment and his embarrassment, there stood John Derek in a waiter's uniform. My chance was here but what a looking sight I was! He was very sorry and offered to do what he couldg therefore I soon found myself in an actress' dressing room and in movie apparel with a much improved appearance. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, the curtain was going up! I was to be ready for my cue in five minutes. There had been a mistake, they thought the real star was in her own room instead of me. Realizing the trouble, I ran out the door to find someone, but no one was in sight. There was nothing but to go back to the room and do as I had been told. Then another knock was sounded on the door and a voice called, On Stage. I started to reply, but the owner of the voice had gone. As I walked out into the lights, my knees shook, for in front of me stood John. ,I didn't know what to do or say, but all of a sudden the cameramen saw I wasn't the original star and a great commotion was spread to all parts of the country by televi- sion. I heard someone shout, Cut the program off the air, just as I fainted. VVhen I was fully revived, john asked me for an explanation, so I told him the whole story, starting with the morning shopping, but I was ready to go home now. I had had all the movie star experience I wanted and the place I cared to see john Derek was on the screen with me in the audience. MADELYN FARRIN '52 Pre-game Jitters It is the day of the big game and the 16 year old finds school work diflicult. As he tries to understand Shakespeare, his eyes keep turning toward the window where the warm, bright sun- shine brings thoughts of the event of the after- noon. The muscles grow tense and he cannot sit 14 still as he thinks of the lanky southpaw who is going to pitch against him. At last the bell rings, he welcomes the chance to get up and walk to algebra class. There the thoughts of logarithms and base-hits mingle as the teacher asks questions and receives unintelli- gent answers. When recess arrives, he hurries out on the ball field to enjoy some inheld prac- tice, then comes more studying. I-Ie tries to do some algebra problems and finds himself draw- ing diagrams of a baseball field and writing bat- ting orders. Finally comes the last period, American Gov- ernment. This seems to be the longest class of the day as Caucuses, presidential elections, etc., are discussed. While others' thoughts are on world events, he is worrying about what his bat- ting average will be if he goes o for 4. Now the great moment arrives as all studying and troubles cease and he rushes to the basement to get that uniform that isn't torn at the knee. WELDON FRENCH '53 My Dream Recently I had a dream that was very strange but beautiful. I dreamed I was walking along a country road when suddenly there was a Hash of light and strains of music. Then I seemed to be floating in air. When my eyes cleared, I saw around me angels who were playing on harps and singing softly. All was very beautiful, but suddenly the music stopped 'and there was an unbearable silence. The skies around me were filled with a bright light that blinded and a pow- erful voice came to me saying, Do unto others, as you would have others do unto you. The music started and it seemed as if I were being carried through space. When all had faded away and my eyes were once more clear, I found my- self by the roadside. Soon after I awoke and lay wondering about this strange dream. I'm sure it must have meant something. Was it an omenP Do dreams come true in real life, or are they just a delusion? BEVERLY FINNEINIORE '5 5