Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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10 THE MAGNET ‘Are these the peoples who call theinselves civilized, and who call them- selves Christians?” Here we learn, but at what a price, that civilization and Christianity are still to be striven for. War is now a very different matter from what it used to be. In past times victory was gained by cunning and artifice alone; now it is merely a question of which has the more powerful guns, air-crafts, etc. Formerly, war was nothing but child’s play, compared with this. Men are no longer killed singly, but are mowed down by the thousands. The immense slaughter is beyond our comprehension. Man has outgrown this means of settling disputes. Even from this most terrible calamity we discover many advantageous truths. We realize that at this war we must act upon the principle of nationality. That is, that no portion of a race, or people, shall be separated from the whole by the victor, as an indemnity, that the victor shall relin- quish his claimsin order to suppress any spirit of hatred and revenge, there- by avoiding any future war. We perceive, in discovering this lack of civili- zation and Christianity, that this money lavished in killing each other, must be spent in teaching us to love and respect each other. We also learn that war is too frightful, and too destructive, and too full of pathos, to be waged again. Therefore, we will do all that is in our power to gain a just and last- ing peace among all nations. MARIAN GAULD, ’I16. In the Heart of the Woods He in this quiet nook was the profoundest peace. Behind me rose the deep, dark, murmuring pines. Down yonder was a little lake where boys occasionally went fishing. It was surrounded by a fringe of bushes. Here and there a white pond lily pushed its pretty head out of the water as if taking a peep at the world. Once in a great while the tranquillity was broken by the distant rumble of a farmer's wagon pass- ing along the edge of the woods. Now I came upon a path which led me into bushes heavily laden with blueberries, and I helped myself. Just then I spied a large rock and I climbed to the top to see better what was about me. There on my right was a beautiful, silvery cascade, about fifty feet in height, tumbling over rocks of every size and shape. Now and then I could hear birds calling to each other, and squirrels chattering. On looking up, to my surprise, I saw a small, black cloud rising from the west, and as it rose, it grew larger. That warned me of a coming shower and | hastened home. Since then, I have often visited the heart of these woods and spent many a happy hour reading by the little lake. InMA A. HOLDEN, ’I16.

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THE MAGNET 9 with a joyful voice exclaimed, ‘Mr. Baldwin—Miss Shepherd. I was just telling Poppy about fairies, and here they are.” At the name “ Baldwin,” the girl jumped, but her excitement was not noticed in the confusion. Solomon was presented the gift, and Poppy was promised a big doll before the jolly party broke up. It was not until the two visitors had reached the street that they real- ized the late hour and Mr. Baldwin said, ‘‘ Now, where do you live, Miss Shepherd? I will gladly accompany you home.” “ At ‘The Sheldon,’” was her reply. “Then we are neighbors. It isn’t by chance you're the ‘fifth floor back?’” A year later, found Solomon working as office boy in Mr. Baldwin’s office. It was a bright summer's morning when he dashed into the office clutching a newspaper in his hand. “Jerry,” he exclaimed to the book- keeper, “did you read the piece in the paper about the weddin’ 2?” “ No,” was the answer. “Well,” replied Solomon, “ Mr. Baldwin was married yesterday, and J made the match.” “ Did you, indeed,” laughingly said the bookkeeper. ‘You're quite a chap, Solomon.” | PAULINE M. Burns, ’I5. What the War Teaches Us HE general opinion of a great and terrible world-wide war impending has been prevalent for many years. Yet, when it came, it came with a swiftness that nearly swept us off our feet. Very little time inter- vened after the Germans’ declaration of war before the three other great na- tions had mobilized their armies and entered the struggle. All this alacrity signifies the readiness of these peoples to kill each other and the fact that not pity for a weaker nation but jealousy and race hatred alone were the causes of the war. What kindled this feeling of hatred and revenge? It was the taking of Alsace-Lorraine by the Germans. Is it possible that people with a strong patriotic feeling for its own country can be made loyal to another? That this cannot be, has been proved from time immemorial. It was just such a situation as this in Alsace-Lorraine that fostered the seed of war. So in 1874, the real causes of the war were laid. From this fact we learn some- thing that should aid us in avoiding another such a catastrophe. In reality, from every phase of the war, we discover something. What we read about the fearful atrocities committed makes us shudder and ask:

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THE MAGNET II An Elizabethan Romance OWN the richly carpeted stairs of the palace came Queen Elizabeth, magnificently dressed in a costly robe of satin and jewels. Slightly behind her, hardly less beautifully gowned, came Dorothy Harding, the Queen’s favorite Maid-of-Honor. Her Majesty's body-guard followed in glittering array while their spears flashed ia the sunlight which streamed in through the window above the landing. One ray from the sun touched the decidedly auburn hair of ‘“ good Queen Bess”’ and lit up the features of her face. Her blue eyes looked kindly at the slip of a girl who followed her. The Queen’s sharp nose was aristocratic, while her thin straight mouth proclaimed her to be quick in her decisions and just in her judgments. Stately and dignified was her large figure as she swept majestically down the stairs. Dorothy Harding, or Lady Chester, was a marked contrast to the Queen. Glints of gold were in her dark hair, while her brown eyes were luminous as if in wonder at all this magnificence. Her small delicate feat- ures were finely chiseled, but there was determination in the square chin. The tiny figure betrayed petulance, and at this moment the toss of her head showed decided wilfulness. The two ladies entered the Queen’s drawing room where the conversation which had evidently taken place was renewed. ‘Lady Chester,” said Her Majesty, ‘Surely one of these nobles, who is so eager for your hand, pleases you. Though you are young, for twenty- one is very young indeed, I would dearly love to see you settled happily with some one whom you respect.” “Respect!” exclaimed Dorothy angrily, ‘‘ Your Majesty, I must Jove my husband. To be sure, no fault can be found with many of your titled gentlemen at the Court, but I do not care for one of them.” “My dear child,” said Elizabeth, smiling, “‘ pray do not be angry with me. I do not insist that you marry one of my noblemen. In fact, I should be extremely sorry to lose my little Maid-of-Honor. Nevertheless, it sur- prises me to think that one, showered with as many attentions as you are, should be indifferent to them all.” ‘Your Majesty,” replied Dorothy, instantly penitent, ‘“ I beg your par- don for losing my temper, but I was thinking of my father’s wish. His greatest desire is to see me married to a man of station. Of course, | am Lady of Chester and it is fitting that I should marry a man suitable to my rank. Nevertheless, I fear it is hard to confine one’s affections to nobility.” “Why, Lady Chester, what do you mean?” asked the Queen. “Oh, Your Majesty,” said the Maid-of-Honor, hastily, “I mean that I am afraid that I am difficult to please and can never be satisfied to be the wife of one of your noblemen.’ Dorothy hoped that her blushes would not be noticed.