The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-03-30
cHAPTER ~.

with Wesley Bender, Ramsey was
lain upon fair terms before the Win
had run its course; the two were
kighbors and, MOREOVER, were drawn
cether by a community Of interests
AIch made their reconciliation II NO.
Issty. Ramsey played the guitar and
esley played the mandolin.
+ All i'll feeling between them died
tlh the first duet of spring. yet the
hkung they made had no charm To
4 olhe the savage breast OF Ramsey
1benever the Teachers Pet came into
\ thoughts. He day-dreamed a thou
' nd ways OF putting her in her place,
h was unable to carry out any OF
EN-, and had but II cobwebby salts
clion In imagining discomiitures for
which remained imaginary. Just
&c" he said to Fred Mitchell. That's
| ask, just once. just gimme one
bnce TO show that girl what she
billy is. guess II / ever get the
nce she'll find out what's the mat,
with her, for once IN her life. any
~" Thus 1t came to be talked aboui
y understood aud expected in Ram
rs circle. all male. that Dora Yo
MS day was coming. You'll see !"
h l,amsey. THE timell come when
h ole grill wish she'd moved out o
town before she got appointed
hnitor Of our class. just you wait :"
They waited, but conditions appeared
remain untavUruble indefinitely.
rhaps the great opportunity might
ye arrived If Ramsey had been able
achieve a startling Importance in
y of the various divergent yet
lraIie lines OF school epdeavor"--one
the phrases by means of which
fchers and principal clogged the
nds Of their unarmed auditors But
|push he was far from being the
(mb driven beast OF misfortune that
seemed In the schoolrOom. and, In
|ct, lived double life, exhibiting In
quito school hours a remarkable
ample OF secondary personality
CREATURE fearing nothing and capable
laughter; blue eyed. fairly robust,
ID anything but dunb-he WIS never
|eeSS without endowment or attain
Pit great enough to get him distinc-
pn.
PIE tried for" the high-school
pyen, and tried for" the nine. but
+ experts were not long in eliml-
ping him from either of these com
'lltlons, and he had to content him
" with cheering instead of getting
eered. He was by no manner Of
rams athletic, or enough of anything
w. to put Dora Yocum In her place,
u SO he and the great opportunity
Pre- still waiting In May. ut the end
the second year of high school,
Ien the class, now the 40 A." revert
to an old fashion and decided tn
'erialn itself with a woodland pie
ihey gathered upon the sandy banks
a creek In the blue shade OF big,
'chy'harked sycamores. with a dane
SKY on top Of everything and gold
~ atwinkle over the water. Hitler
napkin-coyered baskets we're
ought from the wagons and assem-
'd IN the shade, where they MP.
"red as an attractive little meadow
WINE napery. and gave both sur
I've ana pleasure 10 communities of
J" and to other original settlers of
: neighborhood.
'rom this nucleus or HEADQUARTERS
,he picnic, various expeditions set
TN UP and down the creek and
'ough the woods that bordered II.
70 ellvied boy fishermen established
I, upon a bank upstream,
NJ hooks and lines tlioughtfuly
oushl with them, and poles which
y fashioned from young saplings.
Icy look musseis from the shadows
oaii' and having gone TO all this
yyu"'e' declined to share with friends
\ energetic aud provldent the per.
r''es and pleasures secured to
l'mselves.
"'oert Paxton was one person
N p'"'ed his enterprise. Having Wis
1. ,ue spot some days before, he had
!. '"r MS exclusive use throughout
= uuratlon of the picnic an old row.
4 oei"hgng to shanty souhtter
"@ The ONLY rowboat within a mile
|. Two and Albert had his own uses
H.. : Alhert was the class lover and.
,sa nrst taking the three chaperon
D,%', ''lf for a row." an excursion
D,ho S'to III about ten minutes. he dis
,to inv Them; Sadie Clews stepped
'oaI pocket camera in one