Williams High School - Messalonskee Ripple Yearbook (Oakland, ME)

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CARELESS THE MESSALUNSKEE Rll'l'l.li 27 Characters: Mrs. Agnes Tyler Mr. Henry Tyler Sylvia, their daughter Joan Joyce Scene: The living room of Tyler's home. Time: Evening. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler are going to the show and are leaving thirteen year old Sylvia alone. This is the first time she has ever been left alone in the evening. CURTAIN Agnes: Your father and I are going to a show tonight, Sylvia. You don't mind staying alone, do you? Sylvia: fOver-confidentlyl of course not, mother. I've stayed alone a lot of nights. Agnes: fStearnlyJ Sylvia . . .! Sylvia: Well-of course you've always callefl Aunt Janet over, but she's not much company. Henry: fEnters stage, tying necktiej Come on, aren't you about ready? 1Looks in- mirror at R. CJ You women are always so slow when it comes to going anywhere. Agnes: CPuts on hat and coat and stands in doorway waiting for Henryj Well . . . I'm ready. lIenry: fLooks up, sees her readyj Huh? fGrabs suit coat and starts to put it on.5 Agnes: Don't you think you'd better wear your vest, dear? I think you would look better. Henry: fMoansJ Oh-h .... I'll get it. It's in the bedroom. 1Dashes out as Agnes tries to tell him somethingj Agnes: Wait, Henry, its in the closet here. Oh, dear, I wish he would listen to me just once. Sylvia: Daddy has an awful time to get ready to go out, doe'sn't he, mother? 1Laughs lightly to herself, covers mouth with hands.j Henry: fDashes in panting. Exclaims help- lesslyj I can't find it. Sylvia: Daddy, mother tried to tell you it was here in the closet. fGoes to closet and gets coat Henry Agnes YOU, Henry Agnes Henry see it. Henry puts it on, then his suit and overcoat.J There, now are you ready, dear? I've been waiting five minutes for now. Oh .... Well, let's go. Have you got the tickets? What tickets? Oh .... Let me . . . fSearches through pockets. Finds them in the last pocket.J Here they are. Agnes: You better give them to me before you lose them. fTakes tickets, puts them in her purse, and they leave.J Agnes: Good night, Sylvia. Henry: Good night, Sylvia. Sylvia: Good night. fShe sits down in a chair and starts to read a book. Sits there by the window for a few minutes. Then she hears something right outside: she starts from her chair, looks out the window and sees a face looking into her's. She jumps back and screamsj Eeeeekkkkkk. fThen there is silence again. She gets up and turns on some more lights. There is a knock at the hall doorj Who is there? fShe hears some giggling and goes to the door to find two of her friends, Joan and Joyce.J Joyce: We scared you, didn't we, Sylvia? Sylvia: I'll say you did. I'm all jitters, now. I'm glad you came over. Daddy and moth- er have gone to a show tonight. Joan: Lets play Chinese Checkers, then. I won the other day. Sylvia: 1 ll say you did. I'm afraid you'll win now. Do you want to play, Joyce? Joyce: Sure. I'd love to. fThey set up table and start playingj Sylvia: I hope nobody else tries to scare me tonight. I locked the hall door so that no one can get in. Joan' We didn't mean to frighten you so badly, Sylvia.

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26 THE MESSALONSKEE RIPPLE The Big In all da year I been here I neva see no boy lika dat o' mine. Da trouble ees dat you talka too much, Guiseppe, 'e weel coma homa een time. 'Ave you see da meesin' person policaman? I see dem to-day, Therese, but Guiseppe, 'e gotta t'ave da cash 'fore dat 'Merican weel looka for our Tony. It had been two years since the Rossini family had arrived at Ellis Island from Italy. The small restaurant bearing the large but insignificant sign Italian Sand- wich Shop had shown no future for Tony, the youngest of the eleven children of the Rossini family. He had been chosen from the entire eleven to make his home in America with his parents, and he had had no use for the beeg 'Mericans as his father called them. Six months now, Tony had been gone. During this time, his harassed father had imagined him in hundreds of predicaments. He could not understand why his son, so in- tersted in his music, should leave an excel- lent teacher like Mr. Scioletti. Mia poor Guiseppe, you wooree you head too ofteen. Da people dey talka 'bout nota seein' you at da restr'ant. It was true. Since Guiseppe had been here in the Ufreea country he had lost weight, and his hair, once in curly rings, had dis- nothing was left but a ring appeared and around his head taking the shape of a horse shoe. Da posta man, ees he come yet, Therese ? Mr. Rossini asked of his wife. She came into the room bringing a large envelope. Dis musta be a beel, she replied. No- body send us a letter lika dat if dey don'ta wanta da cash. She gave the letter to her husband. He opened it with tears in his eyes. It say 'Metro-poli-ton o-per-a . . . Satur- day after-noon'. Youa read better dan I doa. He handed it back to his wife. Moment It mean dat we go to da opera Saturday afternoon. It taka de mon to go to such a place. Not eef we 'ave dees teeckets, his wife answered proudly. Alla my life I 'ave wanted to go to da opera in da beeg city. She knew that if her husband thought she really wanted to go he would go and that it would take his mind off his son for a little while at least. Neither she nor her husband could understand where the tickets had come from. They had no 1'elatives here in this country and they knew no one except a few Italians who attended the same church that they did. Immediately, however, Mrs. Rossini set about unpacking their best clothes that hadn't been worn since Mr. Ros'sini's sister had been married. The day of the opera finally arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Rossini looked fifteen years younger as they climbed the steps of the Metropolitan Opera House and took their seats. Mia Tony woulda 'ave lika to bee here dis afternoon, exclaimed his father. Stopa da worryin', Guiseppe. His wife tried to console him but all in vain. He continued to worry throughout the entire performance. After the opera was over and they were ready to leave, a man came to them and excitedly exclaimed, There's a man who wishes to see you back stage. We don'ta know nobody backa da stage, meesta, answered Mrs. Rossini. I will bring the man here then. He said it was quite urgent. We waita here, promised Mrs. Rossini. Soon they saw two men hurriedly ap- proaching them. The first one was the man who had come before and the other one . . . Tony! they both exclaimed. NIARIUN wvHllEI.lIR, '42

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ti -9 -nr--gr 28 THE MESSALONSKEE RIPPLE Joyce: No, we didn't know this was the first time you had ever stayed alone. Where is your aunt? Sylvia: She had to go to a meeting of some kind tonight. 1The front door bell ringsj Now who can that be? We'll turn off the lights and creep into the hall and see who it is. fThey turn lights off and creep into hallj My goodness, what are you doing home this early? Didn't you go to the show? fShe says this backstage. They all enter as she says this.J Henry, Agnes: QRather ashamedb The show isn't until next week! MUUAM Toms, '41 IN A LAND THAT'S FREE Spring is the best time of the year Full of new hopes and good cheer. Truly, it makes one longer-lived To know he always will abide- In a land that's free. Summer, also, will see you through, Far, far away from your waterloo. The bubbling brooks are running free All as perfect as can be- In a land that's free. ln autumn time-like the 'spring- The world is changing, everything- Even the leaves upon the trees, Even the birds who fly at ease- In a land that's free. In the winter with snow on the ground All the children are playing 'round- With sleds and skiis in snow drifts high Never thinking what might be nigh- In a land that's free. While over in Japan and Germany Little children are never free. Even the parents who have to fight Thousands are killed every night- In lands across the sea. Free country,free speech,free press, and such We have them all and don't think much About not daring to speak a word Fearing a dictator might have heard- In a land that's free. Rixcurzl. F. IIOTIIRUP, '41 Thoughts arf- t of the lLyre AN ORAL BOOK REPORT I stand on one foot, Then on the other. My face gets red, And I begin to stutter. My voice trembles- I look at the Hoor, Then someone Walks by the door. I forget the name of the book, I forget the name of the author, And before I'm through, I wish I'd taken another. If anyone should ask me, I'd quickly retort, I can not and I will not Give an oral book report. MARION W'111cm.l1:R, '42 ANTS In front of my house I found One day I a little mound. Millions of ants were crawling 'round, Without making a bit of sound. They're so busy all through the day . . . It seems as if they mean to say, Why don't you get busy and think of a way Of doing some work instead of just play? Ants are such bothersome pests . . They climb over all in sight. When they run from their nest, I'm powerless to fight.