Wells River High School - Chatterbox Yearbook (Wells River, VT)

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it. A few months later Jacob appeared in a store window in a large city in the form of a sealskin coat with a big tag saving “$350.” So you see what became of poor, little Jacob just because he was too curious. —George Downing ’41 HOW PERCY OWL WON THE RACE The air was ringing with the songs of various birds as they woke from their long night’s sleep. The loudest of these was the policeman’s, Jack Blue Jay, who went about from nest to nest screeching as loud as he could about the races to be held at three-thirty that afternoon. All of the 'birds stopped singing at once and listened to Jack Jay because they all were very excited. Even Mrs. Charles Sparrow came close to dropping the angle worm over the edge of the nest instead of into the baby’s mouth. When Jack Jay made his rounds all of the birds went quickly to work so as to be able to go to the races in the after- noon. All entries had to be in by twelve-thirty and Percy Owl was the first to enter. Many others entered and by two-thirty there were twenty-five enlisted. Three-thirty finally came and the sound of the pistol rang through the air and the birds started out on the five hundred yard dash. As it happened all of the blue jays, owls, and other birds were raced in classified groups. When they started Percy felt very sleepy but the sound of the gun brought him to his senses. Cheers arose from the crowd but not for Percy as he was at the end. Now as it happened Jack Jay had bet Timy Chickadee his Sunday dinner that Percy Owl would win the race. Jack Jay turned around and who should he see but Clar- ence Porcupine. Clarence sat down on a rock and said, “Do you know what is making Percy so slow?” “No, what is it,” said Jack Jay. “He is very sleepy as it is in the day time but I think I can fix that. You must stand out of the way while I do some- 13

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did no good for day after day Jacob went on, being curious about things. One day Jacob began wondering where the sun went when it set. He wondered and wondered and finally when no one saw him he started out to find out about it, lie swam and he swam until he thought he must be at the place where the sun disappeared into the sea. So he stopped and waited but when the sun set it seemed just as far ahead ot him as it had at home. Now Jacob was not the kind to give up easily so he kept on. After awhile he began to think he should go home but when he turned around and tried to find his way, he found he was lost. When Jacob’s mother found that her little son was gone she called to her husband who in turn called to many other seals and a great search began. They searched and they searched and finally one day someone found poor, little Jacob on a cake of ice, very cold, hungry and afraid. hen his mother reached him she spanked him soundly anl took him home. After that narrow escape, for many days it seemed as if Jacob had been cured of his habit of being curious, lie was content to stay at home with his father and mother. Every- thing went well until one day he began to wonder again about different things. lie wondered where the wind went when it blew, where all the water in the sea came from and above all, he still wondered about where the sun went when it set. One day he started out again, resolved to find out about a lot of things and as he had grown quite big by this time, he was no longer afraid. He swam and he swam, getting farther and farther away from home. This time, just as before, he could not find where the sun went when it set, or where the sea water came from, or where the wind went when it blew. When his parents found he was gone once more they start- ed to look for him. They searched and they -searched but they could not find Jacob anywhere. And do you know why? It was because one day Jacob had seen a ship far in the distance. He began to wonder about it so he went to look around. He reached the ship but, alas, he soon wished he had never seen 12

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thing.” Jack Jay did this and the porcupine sent forth dozens of his sharp quills. This done he said to Jack Jay, Pick up one of my quills with your beak anil fly as fast as you can to Percy. Stick the quill into him and fly back to {ret another one as quick as you can.” Jack Jay did this and I erc screamed with fear which made him fly faster. Jack Jay con- tinued to prick Percy and Percy, out of breath, finally lighted upon a branch of the old elm tree which had been used to mark the end of the race. Many cheers arose from the crowd and Percy was awarded a prize. The birds were very pleased, but only Jack Jay and I lar- cnce Porcupine knew why Percy had won. —Hetty George MY WIFE Two men who did not know each other were riding to- gether in a trolly car. One man, whose name was Joe Emery, had a bad tooth ache and was going to the dentist to have it pulled. He was a short man with a protruding stomach and a round, red face. The other man was the opposite. His name was Barton Orange.juice and he was riding home from work. Mr. Orangejuice, who was a very smart man, knew Joe needed cheering up so he asked, ‘‘Does it hurt very badly? Mr. Emery nodded his head “Yes”. “Does it hurt your tooth to talk?” Mr. Orangejuice asked. Mr. Emery nodded. “See that woman over there,” Mr. Orangejuice continued, pointing to a queer looking woman. “Hasn’t she got a funny nose?” “And peculiar ears too, they protrude. She must be able to hear well so I will talk a little lower.” “Her feet are rather large. I should hate to be her poor husband.” Mr. Emery nodded. “Do you know the woman?” asked Mr. Orangejuice. Mr. Emery said, “Yes, she’s my wife.” 14 RoseLee Hooker