Vanceboro High School - Tattler Yearbook (Vanceboro, ME)

Page 10 text:

8 THE VANCEBORO TATTLER August 1- Run away and went swimming in the mill pond with Three Other Girls. Went walking after supper with Sister and her bow. I dident want to go but she made me. They went to the movies and woodnot have took me if i hadent have wanted to go. August 2- This is Sunday. i dident go to church because. We went on a piknik. i sat on a pump kin pie and Tiped over the Lemon aid and got a licking but had a pretty good time. Cot 'sisters bow kissing her goodnite. August 3- Ran away and stayed all day. Had a picnick with Jonny Kr May Jones and Jack and June Davis in the hay in Mis Summers -field. August 4- Got a licking and had two Wash dishes twice cause i stole a pie for the piknick yesterday. Swiped some let- ters sister had tied in blue ribbons and rose Buds. August 5- Had to stay in the closet all the Time sisters bow was hear cause the other time i went into the parler just as he was going to perpose. August 6- Read the letters i stole and burnt them. Hope sis doesent find it out. August 7- She found it out and i have been bizzy dodjing blowsso i havent much time to rite in my diry. August 8- Sisters bow perposed and she is going to marry him in three weeks. I am to be iiour girl. August 15- She is going to have 8 new dresses, too knew coats, and 3 hats and lots of Other things. I am about wore out running errands. August 16- Went to church. got a licking when i got hoam because a mouse ran up the ministers leg. August 17- A big box of dishes come for sister today. i got licked agen. broke too cups. August 23- Sister is going to be married to- morrow. I have a knew dress and hat to ware when im flour girl. glad im flour girl. Never get no new close any other Way. August 25- She is married. Such a releef and a lode off my mind now i can settel down to rite in my diry. There was only 24 People at the wedding but a lot of presence i broke a sand Wich tray but nobody nose it yet. Sisters gone and cant bother me know more. -KATHRYN DAVIS, '31. THUNDER Colonel John Hawthorne looked up from his stop-watch with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. His three- year-old colt, Thunder, had just come off the track after having run the mile-and-a-quarter in 1.24, clipping one second off the record. Jolly Jimmy Murphy, his horse trainer, came around the corner of his stable whistling, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets, his cap pulled slouchily over his eyes. For Jimmy was happy. Hadn't Thunder just

Page 9 text:

THE VANCEBORO TATTLER 7 I began with the kitchen and made a thorough search of the house. But I could find no clue to help me. Finally the detective arrived. As I was a newspaper man I was allowed to accompany him in his search of the house. As we were going through one of the front rooms, my foot struck an object on the floor. There was a click. In the floor I could see the faint out- line of a small trap-door. When we opened this, we found that it led into a dark passageway. We dropped down into this mysterious dungeon, and hurried along, guided by a small flashlight which I always carried. In a few moments we found ourselves near an opening through which we climbed. We found that we were near an old mill which the late Mr. Newman had owned. The detective started toward the old mill and beckoned to me to follow. Enter that horrible, dark place? I certainly did not go very willingly, especially with my mind filled with the weird stories that I had so often heard of this long- abandoned building. However, I followed the detective. As we went along, I recalled the story of the watchman's murder. This man was looking after the mill one night, as usual, when a man pounced on him and beat him to death with a hammer. The murderer was never found. I told myself that the two crimes were too much alike not to have been committed by the same person. The detective entered the mill first, but had only gone a few steps when he became suspicious of a noise above him. Just as he stepped back, some- one plunged down from a beam just over his head. We saw that the man was armed with something, and it was only after a struggle that the two of us overpowered him and tied him up. Then we saw that the weapon was a hammer, very much battered and bloodstained. Eventually, we got all of the story. This man had been at one time an employee of Mr. Newman, but after a quarrel he had been dismissed. He went away for a time, but after sev- eral years he came back to keep his often expressed threat to kill the watchman, whom he blamed for all his trouble. Mr. Newman had died soon after this and the mill had been left idle. This man had been living there secretly ever since. He knew that Mrs. Newman kept large sums of money in the house, there was only 'one way in which he could get this money. So he had brutally murdered the wife of his former employer against whom he had not even the excuse of a grudge. The cold-blooded criminal was tried and sentenced to be hanged. I had found my front-page story at Mrs. Newman's. --ETHEL RUSSELL, '28.e A NAUGHTY GIRL'S DIARY July 31- Today was my birth day. I was nine years old. I got sicks presence. Everybody spanked Me. Went to the movies in the afternoon with Sister Sz and her bow.

Page 11 text:

THE VANCEBORO TATTLER 9 done the impossible in clipping that second off the record? Thunder, his only worldly pride besides the Colonel's son, had at last realized J im's greatest ambition. Jimmy now hoped that the horse could keep going at top speed all season in order to save the Colonel from utter ruin. Every cent the Colonel could raise he had bet on the outcome of the big race next week. Already he was heavily in debt, as he had placed a large mortgage on his home and his stables. He owed his jockeys many months' back payg but they worked because he boarded them, and because they were loyal to him. Now they were planning a big surprise. Every cent they owned they pooled togetherg every discarded article was con- tributed to be sold to help out the fund. When everything was turned in, Jolly Jimmy counted it and found: 5369.56 in cash, a pair of riding boots, two quirts, a pair of spurs, thirteen razors, seven sets of dice, two old watches, and one old suit that had become too small for its owner. After selling evewtbinfr, they had exactly S401.89. All of this was placed on Thunder to win at odds of 16 to 1, which would give them just about S6,430. Finally, after several days of strenuous workouts for Thunder, the day of the race rolled around. It was a perfect day for racing: the sun was high and there was a cool breeze blow- ing. The track was thoroughly dry and well packed. l The Colonel sat calmly in his box smoking a cigar. That is, he was outwardly calm, but his mind was excitedly running over the events of the past few years. Since the death of his wife, the Colonel had gradually slipped until now everything de- pended on this one race. If Thunder won, he intended to pay off the mort- gage and start over again. If he lost, he must sell out. His son, James, was away at col- lege, but his father expected him home today to see the race. James was engaged to Marguerite O'Donnel, daughter of the mayor of Knoxville, where the Hawthornes lived. The Colonel had met her at the station, waiting for Jim. They had conversed on several different subjects, but they always seemed to drift back to talk- ing about the race. When the train came in, a tall, well- built, athletic looking young man, dressed in the latest approved college style, stepped off. When he saw his father, he rushed over and the two shook hands affectionately. Then, see- ing Marguerite, he caught her up, whirled her around, and kissed her. Gee, Dad, it's great to be home again, was the way in which Jim erpressed his delight. Then, How's Thunder? I've been thinking about the race all the way down. I hope we win because I graduate in June, Dad, and Marguerite and I were planning to be married as soon as I land that enfrineerinfr job. So you've got a job in view? smiled the Colonel. Yes, his son went on. You know that tunnel thev're drilling at May- iiower Ridge. The prof. in Engineer- ing gave me a fine recommendation when I applied for the job. Of course, we'll need a little boost financially to get started.