Standish High School - Crimson Rambler Yearbook (Standish, ME)

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We Took Boarders At the time of this story we lived'in a small eastern town. so that we My mother wanted very much to build a stable might raise horses. Dad owned a general store in the town but the income was never large enough to lay away much money. By the time he had payed for food and clothes for a family of six plus frequently visiting in-laws the money was nearly gone. Mom with her love for horses decided to make some money by herself. We had a large old-fashioned house and now that we children were not babies she thought that taking boarders would be just the thing. So with the help of Ben, my brothen she made a large sign with the words nBoardersn printed in bold letters. It was in were coming to the town there night and this The first the our was was day early part of the summer and many tourists small town for rest and relaxation. In only one other place for people to stay over a disreputable looking hotel. we put up our sign in the middle of the afternoon, a loving young couple on their honeymoon inquired about a room. Mom was delighted and immediately gave them the best room we had. She told them what the cost would be and when supper was to be served. Most of the afternoon they sat in the love seat on the lawn, until my brother, Bill, caused them to have an argument. He hid behind the lilac bushes on the lawn, and with an old stick kept tickling the girl and ruffling up her hair. She turned into a little spitfire and blamed her loving husband for ruining her new hair-do. He tried to tell her that he wasn't doing it but she would not listen. nRudolph, don't perfect wreck.N And to the room they had let poor Rudolph in, you ever speak to me again., Now I'm a with that she went into the house and up been given. She locked the door and wouldn't where upon, he had to sleep in the car. afternoon we took in several other During the course of the boarders. In fact we had our rooms all filled by eight thirty. wasnft too pleased, for he didn't When Dad arrived home he like having strange people in we would be robbed and murdered during the night. the house. He was always afraid We were just preparing for bed at ten-thirty when there was a knock on the door. Mom went to the door while Dad waited up stairs with a gun, in case it was burglars. But there was no need of the gun for it was a very timid little man stand- ing in the doorway. He wanted a room for himself and his wife. Mom said she was very sorry but there were no vacancies. The little man looked so very disappointed that he softened mom's heart. In a few minutes the man was in the house with his robust wife beside him. They were having Mom and Dad's room over the night. Meanwhile Dad was in the attic setting up an extra bed for himself and Mom.

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She had a very sweet disposition and everyone liked her. The people in the village came to visit her often. Her parents got her a seeing-eye dog. Then they hired Mrs. Charlotte Smith to teach her how to read Braille. She learned very quickly. Dorcus grew tote a very beautiful young woman. One day on her 17th birthday she was walking in the park with her seeing-eye dog, Laddie. She was sitting on a bench when she realized that someone was sitting beside her. He introduced himself as Richard Anderson. He asked if he might walk her home. He noticed the dog and realized that she was blind. When they arrived at her house she invited him in to meet her parents. When Richard had left,her parents told her that he was! well-dressed and must come from a wealthy family. He called on her many times after that and soon they fell in love. They were married on Dorcus' eighteenth birthday. Her husband wished to have her sight restored so he took her to a specialist. He told her that there was a fifty-fifty chance that she might see again. After the operation she wore the bandages for about six weeks. Then the great day came when they were to be taken off. Everyone held their breath. UDorcus, can you see?U asked her husband. nYes,H she replied happily,U for the first time in twelve years I can see, and I owe it all to you. For the rest of my life I am going to help the blind for I know how miser- able one can be who can see nothing but darkness.H Dorcus and her husband devoted their lives to helping the blind. They founded a school for the blind where Dorcus taught the Braille system. Because they had given their lives so completely to helping others they were both happy. ' E. Holmes ' S. Nelson'

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Finally, we all retired for the night. The house, was very silent except for an occasional snore here and there. Crash! Ban 1 Such a noise and such yelling and screaming'you never heargf It sounded as though the roof had fallen in. - I was sleeping downstairs and as I passed through the upstairs hallway I saw some very peculiar sights. The women all looked as though they had just seen a ghost. Finally I reached the attic, and there I burst into peals of laughter. Mom and Dad were on the floor with the head and foot boards of the bed collapsed on top of them! Mom was laughing amid the uproar, but no such sounds emerged from Dad! He was thoroughly disgusted. NI knew that old bed was ready to collapse, we should have slept on the floor to begin with.N They crawled out from the wreck to'finish sleeping the night out. I went back downstairs and told the boarders not to worry that everything was all right and for them to go back to sleep. The rest of the night was uneventful. , Mom was instructed by Dad not to let any boarders have their bedroom again no matter how disappointed they looked. Ulf they can't find any place to-stay, tell them we would be delighted to set them up a bed in the atticln Norma Brown '55