South Paris High School - Chronicle Yearbook (South Paris, ME)

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30 THE CHRONICLE into a knot. I tried to get up, but my legs wouldn't move! I smelled the same strange odor that I had noticed on the book, but it was coming from the hall. I looked around for the book and it was gone! Then I saw it in the fireplace on the fire. It was not burn- ing! Everything went black, and the next thing I knew mother was laughing be- side me. She said I had fallen asleep. I realized that it was only a dream. The book I had been reading was beside me. I opened it. The edges of the book were burned, and the pages were blank! I still wonder . . . B. Crooker, '54 l l..- . America. Progressive mills and crystal lakes, Huge cities and nestled villages, Wide prairies and snow-capped U l'YlOl1Ilt8lI'lS, Happy people and crowded forests. Progressive mills with machinery and gear, I l k Crysta a es, blue and clear, Huge cities, noisy and tall, Nestled villages, quiet and small, Wide prairies, flat nd old H 3 . Snow-capped mountains, worn out and old, Happy people, some lanky and lean, Crowded forests, sweet smelling and green: America. N. Block, '54 NEW GIRL IN TOWN Why oh why, did we have to move to this horrid town. Janet threw her- self on her pretty pink spread and wept. She was so lonely here, and it was only the beginning of the summer. Perhaps if school had started, she would have met some young people of her own age who would have made friends with her. She thought back to her happy, carefree life in Middleton. There had been par- ties, dances, clambakesg and she had had so much fun. Most of all, there were her friends, but they were two hundred miles away, and for Janet the world had never been bluer. The family had moved there three weeks before, and she still didn't know anyone in town. After a while the tears subsided, and a cheery voice from downstairs inter- rupted her thoughts, Janet dear, will you please go down to the drugstore and get some ice cream for supper? Well, at least it is something to do! Janet sighed. I might as well take a stroll downtown. Maybe I'll trip over someone and we'll get acquainted and- Oh, what's the use! She went to the mirror. Her eyes' were a bit red, but a little cold water would remedy that. She ran a comb through her hair and dabbed some powder on her now shiny nose. Oh, what does it matter how I look, she thought furiously. No one will notice me anyway. On the way downtown Janet looked about the quiet streets. It was really a pleasant looking towng neat houses lined the streets and spreading shade trees bordered well-cared-for lawns. Sometimes it almost seemed like Middle-V ton to her. Two houses down the street from hers, she noticed a slim, blonde girl just entering the house. She reminded her of her best pal, Bunny. and Janet felt another twinge of loneliness. She entered the drug store and ord-

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THE CHRONICLE 29 tured without difficulty, as he was com- pletely surprised. That night we read in the paper how nine year old Bobby Drew and his dog, Shiner, had captured an escapee. Be- low it told all about the incident. One week later Shiner and I received awards and medals for bravery. Shiner also got some dog food. Poor Shiner has been dead for eighty years or more. If you come over again sometime, Donnie, I'll tell you another story. I'll bet Donnie went back again, don't you? N. Bradbury, '55 RAIN AND TEARDROPS I walk quietly, solemnly through the light spring rain. A deep cloud of thought shadows me. I feel alone yet surrounded by friends. The rain re- minds me of the thousands of people, the sad people of the world, crying be- cause of the loss of a son or husband, be- cause of the loss of their homes or coun- try, because of the starvation, the cold and the strife. All of these tears fall to- gether in the silent, constant drip, drip of the rain. But when the sun shines and the rain can only be seen in small pools, everything changes. A beautiful rainbow hovers over the world. Wor- ries and heartaches are forgotten, and all the tears are dried. M. Verrill, '54 TRUMAN IS DEAD Truman is dead! It happened yester- day at ten o'clock in the morning. Of course many people who loved him are mourning, but many others are glad that he is gone. Other people don't know, and some just don't care. Poor Truman didn't live a very hap- py life. So many people made fun of the things he did. My aunt even said she couldn't stand to be near the slimy creature. Most of the time he simply lay and sunned himself. People said he was very lazy. I guess he didn't do much for the country. Oh, by the way, if you're interested, poor Truman was my pet turtle. F. Shaw, '54 I WONDER The rain drummed monotonously on the window as I sat in front of the crackling fireplace. I was glad to be inside. Having nothing to do, I went into my fathers' library to get a book. Not knowing which book to choose, I closed my eyes and picked one. The black cover had no name on it. Strange as it seemed, I had never seen this book in all the times I had been in Dad's library. The book was dusty and had a strange odor. Curious, I took the book back to the fireplace and began to glance over the first page. The first sentence drew my attention, for the girl in the story had the same name as I, and she, too, was reading a book in front of the fireplace. I glanced up at the weird, dancing shadows cast by the flames on the walls. I looked back at the book. The girl in the story heard a strange noise, like the clanging of chains, coming down the hall. Suddenly I froze-what was that strange noise I heard? It sounded like chains clanging from the hall! Beads of perspiration stood on my fore- head, and my stomach muscles froze

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THE CHRONICLE 31 ered a coke to drink while she was wait- ing for the clerk to put up the ice cream. As she sat there, sipping her coke, her thoughts just drifted. Something made her want to glance up. In the shiny, clean mirror over the fountain she no- ticed a dark, good-looking boy staring at her. She had noticed him when she had entered the store. His dark, wavy hair was mussed, and his open shirt collar added to his dashing appearance. Janet smiled back at him in the mir- ror, and he turned and said, Hi! You're new in town aren't you? She replied that she was, and the con- versation went on from there. She learned that his name was Dick Flyn and that he too was a senior in high school. As she got up to leave, he stopped her and to her amazement asked, How's about going to a party with me tonight? The gang is having a party out to the lake. I haven't a date, and it would be a swell chance for you to meet the gang. Will you go ? Janet was so surprised at the sudden invitation that she hardly had time to think before she replied, Yes, I'd like to go with you. She explained where she lived: the time was set and she started home with a much lighter step than had carried her down town. Janet took extra pains in dressing that evening. Her new green beach suit and skirt heightened the green tints of her eyes, and her creamy white com- plexion was surrounded by a mass of curls, part of which was confined by a white scarf. She was ready when Dick called for her. She introduced him to her parents who agreed that he seemed like a nice boy. It's about five miles out to the lake, Dick explained as they drove along. You'll have a swell time. It's mostly high school kids in our crowd and we have some wonderful parties! Janet grew more excited by the mo- ment. She could hardly wait to reach the lake, for it would be the beginning of a new world for her. A big bonfire was burning on the beach and there were already about eight couples grouped around it. Some were singing while one of the fellows strummed on an old uke. Others were talking and fooling. Janet was intro- duced to the crowd, and they seemed to accept and welcome her. Soon some- one suggested that they go swimming. The girls all dashed up to the camp to change into their bathing suits and for about an hour they splashed about in the warm lake. A cool breeze came up, and the girls went to change back into their clothes. When Janet returned to the beach, she noticed Dick was much absorbed in one of the other girls. Janet remembered her name was Ellen and spoke to her. She dropped down beside him, but he didn't even notice her. She started talking about what a good time she was having and how glad she was that she had come but he didn't pay any atten- tion to her. Janet tried to gain his at- tention again and then gave up. In a few minutes by mutual consent Dick and Ellen got up and walked away. Janet noticed that everyone's eyes were on her, and she had never felt so hurt and humiliated before. Tears sprang to her eyes and she got up and started stumb- ling toward the camp. One of the girls named Dotty caught up with her and took her by the arm. I'm sorry this had to happen tonight,