Balmoral Hall School - Optima Anni Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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17 seconds later, it was the lamp again. for days until Groon's tortures lasted he gradually began to waste away with lack of food and sleep. Once he staggered from his apartment a month later, to buy a meal. Out of another door at the same time came Elias Iohns and Groon fainted on the stair. One night, the footsteps were louder than they had ever been. All of a sudden the door burst open and the room became unbearably hot. A flaming chariot driven by Elias and drawn by two fiends rumbled in. Stopping the chariot, Elias chanted in a monotone, You have been weighed on the Scales of Truth and are found wanting! Your sentence - Eternity in deepest Hell! O ye spirits, give me mercyg give me mercy, I beg of you! shrieked Groon, gro- velling at Elias's feet. Nay! No mercy! cried Elias, and with that he threw Groon into the chariot and whisked him away. In the morning, the maid came to Groon's suite to change the sheets. She knocked, but hearing no answer, entered and perceived the occupant lying on the floor, hideously contorted. She called for help and up to the suite rushed a doctor and the local detective, Sergeant Everest Mar- ney. The doctor examined the body and stated that the man had perished from hunger. Sergeant Everest Marney searched the suite for means of identifying the dead body. Finally he opened a drawer, and asked, Now why the devil would a man die of starvation when he's got a fortune like this in the room? BEVERLY KNIGHT-Grade VII VVinter's Icy Fingers They begin as little diamonds, Twinkling in the snowg The sunshine melts the snowflakes, And the fingers start to grow. Soon Winters icy fingers, VVith sword-like points so sharp. Grow thick, and strong, and frightning, As they glitter in the dark. These frozen silver swords, Hang in a jagged row On the edges of the eaves-troughs, Pointing to earth below. ANNE GARDNER-Grade VII Boastful Ghosts We will watch the ghosts come out tonight With silvery eyes and dressed in white: They will hide behind the evergreen trees, Those ghosts with silvery eyes that see The moonlight on a far away hill, The air that has a sudden chill, The creatures of the woodland space That peer about from face to face. But those brave ghosts will give a shiver When they see the raging river. I know those ghosts: they are all the same- They only play a foolish game, Those boastful ghosts! CONSTANCE VINCENT-Grade VII For The Sake Of Freedom Three silhouetted figures crept steathily away from the small English manor. As they turned for their last look at the group of dirty cottages and the manor house on the hill, the man sighed. 'AI could na more stand that life than I could . . . Soldiers! They know we've left. Quick, into the bushes The man and his wife and child threw themselves to the ground. Several minutes later, the soldiers' footsteps died away. They've gone now! That was a narrow one, wasn't it, Father? queried the scrawny girl. 'ilndeed t'was! Come on, 'urry it up. We 'aven't much time. As they hurried along, scattered thoughts raced through the man's head. Meet Tom 'alf a mile from the town. I-Ie'll take us to our hiding place. Bring us food once a week. Hide there for an 'ole year. But we're free, free, in an 'ole year. Why I heard the ol' Marquis say so 'im- self. I'Ie says, 'hide in a free town for an 'ole year and your free for the rest o' your life'. Aloud he exclaimed, Ower yonder's Tom's lantern! 'Urry up now! An hour later Tom left the family as comfortable as possible in the loft of a de- serted stable. The loft was full of rotten hay which served as beds for the family. A missing board was the only window and even this had to be avoided during the day for fear of being seen. For the months that followed the family spent idle hours in the stable, but they never left it. For the first months doing no work was a novelty, but this pleasure gradually 111

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16 The Uncrovvned King Noble and God-fearing men went to war To fight for a purpose as never before. Despite the fact that they seldom were paid. The people grew frenzied to join the Crusade. By Godfrey Bouillon, the first movement was led: For week after week over Europe they sped. He persevered till he reached what he sought -1 jerusalem at last was from Turkish rule brought. They chose Godfrey as king during that day, The people rejoiced, but all Godfrey did say Was, Hear! I refuse to accept my gold crown For t'was here that my Saviour wore one of thorn. JANE FERGUSON-Grade VIII The Revenge Of The Old Bell-Ringer The old church in Adelaide had been standing longer than anyone could remem- ber. Its five bells chimed every noon and midnight. The elderly bell-ringer, Elias johns, was almost a legend in the little town. People knew that he was beyond one hund- red years old, but none knew exactly how old he was. Old Elias was a dear, kindly old man, and grown-ups and children alike loved him. Cn a rainy autumn day, an elaborately- decorated four-horse carriage stopped in front of a small hotel in Adelaide. Out of the carriage stepped a lean, stooping, evils eyed man dressed impeccably in black silk. hith a top-hat, carrying a heavy oak cane. His eyes were hollow and resembled slits cut in his head. His inhumanly pale face had many wrinkles and a sharply protruding chin. The man limped into the hotel. Matthias Groon is the name. His oily voice slithered over the words. The attendant at the desk nodded. A'Yes, sir , he amiably replied. I want a small room overlooking the road, Groon rejoined and he added, with easy access to the door, for I have heard that this place is a terrible fire hazard and if it should catch fire, I will want either to jump out of the window or dash oht by the door. MYes, sir, again replied the attendant: that will be four shillings. Groon pulled the money out of his wal- let, and flicked it at the attendant. From that time on he was seldom seen except at meal times or in the saloon. One midnight, two weeks later, Groon silently crept out of the hotel to the bank beside the church. At the same time Old Elias had risen from bed and was about to ring the midnight chime. He chanced to glance out of the turret window and saw Groon enter the bank. Something is wrong: I've heard that this Groon is not a nice character, he thought. A few minutes later, Elias, too, had en- tered the bank. Unfortunately he tripped and Groon, hearing this, knew that he had been followed. He waited in hiding for 'Old Elias and then strucg him over the head with his cane. He cracked the safe con- taining two thousand pounds, and vanished from Adelaide with every penny. When morning came, the banker found Old Elias on the floor. He sent for a doctor, who pronounced Elias dead. Meanwhile one hundred miles away Matthias Groon gloated over his ill-gotten gains. One thing, however, troubled him. Although a master thief for over twenty years, he had never before murdered a man. This weighed heavily on his conscience. That night he heard footsteps climbing up the stairs to his suite. His heart began to pound in his sunken bosom, and his blood ran cold in his veins. A'Somebody else must have seen me kill that old gaffer and rob the bank, and have told on me! Now the police are on my trail! Groon panicked at the thought. The footsteps kept climbing and climbing. But, by the time the cock had crowed, the footsteps were heard no more, and the perspiration stopped streaming down his cheeks. Although the night's tortures were all a man could bear, the day had still more in store for Groon. He thought he could cool his nerves in a beer at the saloon, but as he walked in, to his utter horror the bar tender was nobody but Elias johns! This was too much for Groon, his face turned a ghastly hue and he ran as fast as his shaking limbs could carry him to his suite. The ghostly bar tenders hideous laugh rang in his ears all day. In his suite, dumbfounded, and hor- ror-stricken he stared into the oil lamp, but then there was Elias Iohn's distorted face laughing that spine-chilling laugh! A few

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18 wore off. They began to wonder if free- dom was really worth this great risk. How- ever when they thought of the hunger and pain of their past life, they waited patiently . . . for freedom. Tom came faithfully every week with food and water. Although once a poor serf like them, he was one of the few who had escaped as they were trying to and now Tom was a prosperous tradesman. The months dragged slowly by and fin- ally there remained only two days until they would be free. Father, Tom didn't come last week and we haven't much water left. An' well I know itg we'1l just have to manage on what we've got. jeanette woke up in the middle of the next night and heard her mother moaning in her sleep. Her father sat up. Seeing that Ieanette was awake, he sadly said, This lack of water is especially hard on your mother. lt won't be long before she'll have to have water. I knows it, whispered Ieanette thoughtfully, as she tried to snuggle into the cold hay. Her mind was already forming a plan. She could not bear seeing her mother suffer in this way and so she decided that the next day at dusk she would slip out to the town well and fetch water. lt would not be difficult as no one would pay attention to a small child. The next day she and her father began to feel the lack of water but her mother was feverish and getting worse. jeanette waited until the darkness gave her safety and pro- tection. Taking an old jug she had found, As she crept along the narrow street, every step she took seemed to be loud enough to alarm the whole town. Every shadow seemed to be moving, and then she saw one that really was! She pressed her- self against the nearest wall. A flood of re- lief passed through her as a scrawny, black cat stalked by, followed by his grotesque shadow. Finally jeanette cautiously approached the well. As the cool water slid down her hot, dry throat, she felt proud of her cour- age in going to the well. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by loud footsteps. She hurriedly filled the jug and started back. As Ieanette struggled along, the icy water splashed from the jug and trickled down her bare legs. Nearing the street where the stable was, a harsh voice broke the silence of the night. Hey, you there! Stop! I say, stop! Ieanette, pounding heart and trembling legs, turned the corner and saw the stable ahead. HI must keep on! I must keep on! she repeated wildly to herself. Stumbling through the stable door, she heard the footsteps no more. Her anxious parents helped her into the loft. Hleanette, where in 'eaven's name you been? Water, I got water . . . and she sank into her fathers arms. The family sat joyously around the win- rose 'ave dow sipping the Cool water. The sun slowly bringing a new day, a new life, and a new freedom. DENISE ROULSTON-Grade IX A Queer Customer Mr. Whittle, the hardware store's man- ager, lounged in his old, wooden desk. He was just dozing off when the bells over the doorstep jingled. Waking up with a start and silently cursing the person who had in- terfered with his sleep, Mr. Whittle crossed the room. A ragged hat was perched on his head and an ancient weatherbeaten face peered out from underneath. His small glar- ing eyes certainly did not expect the sight they saw! A voice called out, Wait a minute for me, Perkins, and a tall, middle aged wo- man entered the unclean, but reasonably tidy shop. In Mr. Whitt1e's eyes she was not a woman, but some divine personage! Her hair was a fiery black, perfectly straight and fell down loosely to her shoulders. Her eyes looked tired but at one glance one could see that she was the type who did not stand any nonsense. A straight Roman nose gave her a Uqueenly expression, as Mr. Whittle later put it. Her mink coat was draped over her shoulders and her dress sparkled with false diamonds and pearls. Mr. Whittle immediately straightened up, tucked in his tie and asked if he could assist her in any possible Way. She gazed at him without answering and walked slowly around the small shop. She inspected every detail carefully, the guns, knives, pots and pans and even his treasured toaster. Then as abruptly as she came in, she sauntered out! Mr. Whittle gazed at her retreating figure for some time. What a queer person she was! O11 well! He could not be bothered.