West Paris High School - Nautilus Yearbook (West Paris, ME)

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Several hours later, or maybe days later, I opened my eyes and found myself underneath the wreckage, badly bruised, with a huge bump on my head. I realized that it would be futile to remain in this position, so I began to try to get out. After an hour or so, I had moved enough of the wreckage to permit me to crawl through. Having noticed that it was difficult to breathe, and that it was bitterly cold, I decided that I must be many feet above sea level, possibly on Mount Mc- Kinley. Outside, it had stopped snowing and the wind was blowing the snow into huge drifts. I managed to examine the ruins thoroughly enough to find the cock- pit almost intact. The radio set was not completely demolished, so I attempted to send an S.O.S. Some days passed. I was nearly dead from cold and hunger and had given up hope of being rescued. But, unknown to me, a party of mountain climbers had heard the crash, and were coming after me as rapidly as possible. In the mean- time, I had been doing a little exploring, and found several yellowish pieces of rock which looked very strange. I decided to keep them, although I had little hope of getting out alive. The next day was quite warm and I ventured out onto a cliff that was near the wreck. From this point I could get a pretty good view of the surrounding country. I noticed something moving up the mountainside. In a short while, it became apparent that someone was coming to rescue anyone that might have sur- vived the crash. They told me that they were minerologists in search of uranium. When I showed them the pieces of yellow orel had found, they put them under- neath a geiger counter. They proved to be radioactive! My rescuers radioed for a helicopter to pick me up. In the meanwhile, l gave them all rights to the uranium find, to thank them for saving my life. Mark Sundelin '58 A PIONEER MOTHER MotherP From firelight shadows a pioneer mother turns to her children. For Nancy Mason this tenderly spoken word holds a question, a very serious question. As they sit before the fire Melanie and Josiah lean anxiously forward to search the strong lines of their mother's face. The faith and hope there is mirrored in the laces of her children. Come now, to bed with you my children. Rest well. As the children climb obediently to the loft, Nancy walks slowly toward the blazing hearth. Suddenly she stops short and stands gazing pensively at the flickering shadows. Then from a crack in the wall she draws a book. As she turns the yellow pages, a picture of the wilderness and all its hardships flashes through her mind. Knowing that she must not dwell on such matters, she quickly begins to write. April 1-1, l77Al john is to be home tonight. Both the children and myself anxiously await his arrival. Dick Harris came today with reports of Indians. This worries me but the children must never realize my fear of the wilderness. I wish that they could go back east for some learning but book learning won't help them in the tasks before us here. I pray that lllosiah and Melanie will learn to love this land as their father does. 'This will be t eir home and I want them to be happy. Now Nancy Mason has fallen asleep over her writing. As the fire burns low, she is awakened by the pounding of a horse's hoofs. johnP Indians? Her mind is filled with a multitude of questions. At the knock on the door, she hurries to open it. She hears the children behind her as she slips the latch. With a sigh of relief and disappointment she sees that the visitor is Dick Harris. Mrs, Mason --if the look on his face tells the news adequately enough. After a moment's silence Nancy asks, Won't you come in, Dick? She knows that his duty is hard this night and that he wishes to be gone from the place as 29

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tournament. There was an embarrassed silence as the boys impatiently awaited the names of the two. At last, the dreaded news came - joe Green, left guard, and Bob Richard- son, center. If you boys wish to continue playing with the team, remain here so we can make the necessary arrangements. The rest are dismissed. johnny glanced at Bob's white face as he left the room. He felt sorry for him, yet he felt relieved, for if Bob failed to pass the exam, he would automatically become center. The day before the written examinations, Bob walked home with johnny and confessed, I'm awfully worried about that test tomorrow. Advanced algebra has been a real struggle this year. XVe didn't have much of a teacher last year, and our whole class just barely slid by. If I only had someone to help me review it tonight. Sorry, but that lets me out, johnny replied, I have to go to a party. Al' though this was true, it made him feel guilty, but he reassured himself, it will serve him right if he flunks, he was so sure of himself. Somehow johnny didn't seem to enjoy the party as much as usual - he kept thinking of Bob, desperately trying to puzzle out algebra. Something seemed to keep saying to him - Aren't you ashamed? You're letting the whole team down y not helping Bob. You're just thinking of yourself. At last johnny could stand it no longer, he left and drove over to Bobs house. Bob looked worried as he came to the door, but a look of relief came over his face when he saw who was there. After the review was completed, Bob asked, johnny, why did you leave the party and come over to help me? Oh, it was nothing, answered johnny, it wasn't a very good party, any- way. I guess l'd better leave now, so you can get plenty of rest before that exam tomorrow. At noon the next day, johnny waited for Bob. Well, how did you make out on the test? he started to ask, then stopped as he saw the look on Bob's face, I flunked the exam by three points, Bob told him, but joe Green passed. I guess that means you're it in the tourney. Oh, I never can play as well as you can, Bob, johnny almost groaned, now we may lose the game. Oh, no, we won't, retorted Bob brightening up. Come over to the house tonight, I'll show you a couple of tricks I learned last year at Groveton High. Shirley Ellingwood '56 MY RESCUE I had been flying my small two-engined cargo plane on instruments for sev- eral hours, and l was certain that the plane had wandered from its scheduled course. A howling blizzard had developed about an hour after I took off. Having glanced at the fuel gauge, I was convinced that we would never ar- rive at Fairbanks, Alaska, our destination. We were carrying supplies for the winter season to the weather station there. My left engine had begun to sputter and cough. I was forced to shut off the engine because I could not afford to waste gas on an engine that was not running properly. I flew on one engine for about an hour, when I noticed that I was rapidly losing altitude. Either the gauge was broken, or I was flying into a mountain. The latter seemed more probable, so I steered the plane sharply tothe right. It was then that I noticed that my left wing had become coated with ice. It was about to fall off! I would be forced to land on the side of a frozen moun- tain in Alaska! Grimly, I shut off the other engine and began to lose altitude. I tried to operate the landing gear, but the mechanism was frozen. In spite of my efforts, there was nothing else that I could do. Suddenly there was a loud grinding noise and the ice-coated wing fell off. The :lane shuddered violently for an instant and careened head-on into a huge boulder! 28

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soon as possible. Telling Nancy that he will talk with her on the morrow, he hur- rtes away. Nancy turns to face her children. Again the question, Mother? This time she must answer and answer well. Come children, let us sit before the fire. With one strong arm around each ol' her children she begins to speak. Your father is not coming home tonight. We must go to meet him one day, but not until we have worked to make this land a safe home for those who will come after us. This is what your father would have wanted. We are pioneers and this is a hardship which we must face. Be happy my children, be happy with the knowledge that we are helping to build a country that would make your father rightly proud. Rosalie Curtis '56 NIGHTFALL IN SUMMER Now the night is creeping Clouds drift through the sky, Hear the bullfrogs peeping, Their nightly lullabye. Stars are gems of beauty Glittering one by one, The silvery moon gleams brightly, For another day is done. A distant cry of a whipoorwill Breaks through the solemn night, The world around is faintly hushed Patched in the bright moonlight. The murmuring of the pine trees, The towering waves of grass Lend a mystery to the nightfall, And chant to those who pass. Donna Andrews '58 SUNSET When the sun sinks in the West Casting its glow ore' mountain crest, Making the valley an artist's dream, Reflecting in the babbling stream. Nature sprinkling her carpet with dew, Closes the eyes of the flowers, too. Calling her birds to the swaying trees, Sending her message by the whispering breeze. That day is done and night is nigh, An' th' golden parade marches from the sky. One more check to see all is well, While being caught in the sunset's spell. Gerry Andrews '56 30