St Josephs Academy - La Lumiere Yearbook (Prescott, AZ)

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ACADEMY CHIMES. 15 basement, where I came in contact with many clumsy tools, of which the hammer was my greatest enemy. My new owner, too, persisted in “ sitting on me,” an abuse that any one will resent, whether we use the expression in a literal or a figurative sense. The next evening quite a number of his friends assembled in the basement at one of their club meetings, which, as I soon found out, was a newly organized body. I felt rather distinguished, as my owner was president of the club. Soon they took up a collection and I heard him exclaim : “ Well, boys, I lack one cent to make the amount due.” Then a bright idea struck him. He remembered the cent he had put on his work-table. He took the lamp and with his companions searched for me. I was readily found, but as they looked me over, they were rather dubious as to whether I’d do, but finally they agreed that I could be put in the collection box on the condition that he (my owner) would give a substitute for me at the next meeting. I was placed in a bag made of chamois skin, which the treasurer kept under his mattress. Here I remained for about two months, when one day they decided that they would have the pennies changed for silver; thereupon we were all taken to the drug-store, and the ever-accommodating clerk, in exchange, gave them two silver dollars. The soda-water clerk then took me out of the drawer and gave me to “ a sweet girl graduate.” I may be pardoned for judging, but I quickly concluded that the young lady in ques- tion was not the clerk’s sister, though it is quite likely that she has since told the poor boy, in soothing terms, that she would be a “sister” to him, when he tried in vain to picture his life without her, and each time produced only a blank. Trials enter into mortals’ lives as well as into metals’, and mine had only commenced. The dear girl gave me and four other pennies to a street car conductor, who handled me rather roughly and looked me over before taking me. I was very soon given to a washer-woman on the car who was taking home a weekly washing, and now I began to realize that the world was a hard place to live in. While in this poor, humble dwelling I learned many lessons of sacrifice and resignation. I was next given to a peddler, who placed me in a dirty leathern bag, but he got rid of me pretty soon at the house across the way, where the servant girl was a little uncertain as to my worth. That night I was taken to the post-office, and the girl purchased some stamps with my companions and my- self. There I was placed writh a pile of pennies, but being on top was soon given to a shop-girl and went as far as the elevated railroad station with her, where she paid one-fifth of her car fare with me. The conductor accidentally dropped me on the floor in the super- intendent’s office and I stayed under the desk for weeks, till one day I was rescued by the office boy and put into his pocket, which was full of tobacco, etc.—anything but a pleasant abode. He did not seem anxious to part from me. I was put into his “Sunday suit ” pocket, and dropped in the collection box at church. After the services I was transferred to the pocket of the worthy clergyman. I was happy here, and sel- dom disturbed, felt quite at home. Hav- ing remained about three weeks, I thought I had at last ended my wander- ings. One day his house-keeper came into tell the good Padre that one of his very poor dependants was at the door asking for money. My heart was in my mouth for fear I should at last be disposed of in charity. My suspense was soon at an end when, much to my chagrin, the good pastor poured the contents of his pocket into the woman’s hand and, of course, I went with the rest. She expressed her gratitude and went on her way rejoicing. She took us through a crowded street and into one of the shabbiest houses, up the rickety stairs to the fifth floor of a tenement house, where she turned to the right and opened a door. Inside all was cheer- less—the room absolutely destitute of furniture, with the exception of a bed

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IO ACADEMY CHIMES. worth in his “ Ode on Immortality,” when he writes : “ To me the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that often lie too deep for tears.” When the everlasting gates of morn- ing are thrown open and the glorious lord of the day begins his state, the morning glory is the first of the flowers to greet him ; then others come to bask in his smile and remain until the day is far spent. Now the four o’clock opens and remains to receive his good-night caress. Before the return of spring come nature’s darlings, the birds. We wel- come the song-sparrow and our hearts glow with renewed life as he sings to us from snow-powdered trees, for he has many familiar songs in his repertoire. The buds begin to swell and that tells us that it is nearly spring. The birds sing in ecstasy. The trees again put on their robe of green, and the lord of day looks on approvingly, with ever increasing warmth in his smile. The dainty flowers peep up timidly to catch a glimpse of him and grow lovelier in doing so. On summer evenings we love to watch the broad crescent moon drop slowly down into the west, pouring its wierd light upon the sleeping world. How beautiful is autumn ! The time when all the promises of spring are ful- filled ! Apples are growing upon the orchard boughs ; the monarclis of the forest stand arrayed in robes of richer dyes than the fairest hues of the orient. Birds of passage have sought their southern homes; all except the robins, who remain, and even they are strange- ly silent. How tranquil are the days ! Nature’s work is completed and she stands calmly beholding the autumn land ’ere winter, the magician, shall turn her gorgeous landscapes into scenes of glistening white. What si- lence ! The cold has changed even the waves of sound and the new-fallen snow muffles the echoes. How it sparkles in the moonlight like so many diamonds. Nature slumbers under her jeweled mantle while we are celebrating the most blessed of all the feasts—the birthday of our Maker and hers. The new year, which brings us such serious thoughts, we know will bring us the springtime, and neither birds now flow- ers will fail us. The winter books of nature hold as many bright, fascinating and wonderful stories as do the spring and autumn volumes. Let us dwell for a moment on the pleasures created especially to please each of the five senses. First—The grand scenery to delight the eye, the beauties of summer, the dazzling glories of winter. Second—All the musical sounds to charm the ear; the ripple of the brook, the note of the nightingale. Third—The fragrance of God’s flower- garden. What would the rose be with- out her fragrance ? No better than the rose on “ my lady’s hat.” And the sweet violets would lose half their love- liness by losing their delicate odor. Fourth—Touch. How thrilling to lay one’s head upon the mossy bank and listen to the stories the tiny rill tells as it makes its journey to the mighty ocean. Lastly—Taste. There are so many things pleasing to this sense, and the tastes of people so vary, that in view of such facts it is natural to fall back on the trite proverb, de gustibus non disputandum, used by rhetoricians in contemplating taste in its metaphori- cal application. Let us be exquisitely alive to the beauties of nature and whilst enjoying them remember that they are but shad- ows of the glories and joys prepared for us above, for God has said, “ Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man what things God hath prepared for them that love him.” Thus we shall learn to look through nature up to Nature’s God. Nettie Hawkins, ’oi.

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i5 ACADEMY CHIMES. in one corner, a starch-box on which was placed a candle-stick and a few cracked dishes, and one chair without a back. The word “ poverty ” was written everywhere. On the bed, which was spread with clean but poor covering, lay a child about two years old. The poor little thing was pale and wan and looked as though his life was ebbing fast. My heart went out in sympathy to the young mother, for she appeared as though she had once been accustomed to different surroundings. She tenderly lifted the babe and kissed and soothed him as well as she could, speaking to him in baby language. Very soon a man came in and I jumped at the con- clusion that he was the child’s father. I will pass over those sad weeks of the child’s illness. The Angel of Death hovered over the desolate home, but the little life was spared and one day, when he was convalescent, his mother gave me to him. He took great delight in me. I was his constant companion and only plaything. I grew to love him, and, indeed, I love him yet, though I have marks on me made by that young rascal’s teeth. After a time, his mother noticing his fondness for me, told her husband of it and he bored a hole through me and drew a string through it, and I hung suspended from that urchin’s neck for months. Many a time my life was in jeopardy as the horrid boy dangled me over the porch railing, yet I esteemed myself happy in being the only treasure he possessed and was content to remain in that com- fortless home for ever—if needs be. One sunny afternoon the little fellow dropped me out of the window into the street and I was carried away with the rubbish. A Chinaman passing by, with a bundle of clothes on his head, spied me. Ching Lee put down his load and looked cautiously around, but there was no one in sight. Assured that the coast was clear, he uttered a cry of joy, sprang forward and picked me up. “ Me fin’ him out! ” he exclaimed exultingly. “ No likee oder Chineeman know. Heap good place. Heap plenty money in dirt pile. Me know vely fine place fin’ money. Takee him glocely store. Me come back to-molla, Fliday, Satu’day.” So saying he set out for the “ glocely store ” to dispose of me for some opium or some other equally odious stuff, but the shrewd grocer re- fused me in my present mutilated con- dition, and I shall doubtless spend the remainder of my days in Ching Lee’s pantaloon pocket, and as long as he keeps me there he will never be out of money. Inez Morrison, ’oi. EMPLOYMENT 15 ENJOYMENT. Labor is Heaven’s great law for human improvement. Honest, earnest, willing work is not only a duty, but it is the only road to success in any path of life. Men of leisure have never conferred great blessings upon the world. Regular labor drives away evil thoughts and prevents evil deeds, while it incites good thoughts and develops power to perform good deeds. It makes men in- dependent and self-reliant and secures real contentment. Work, whether com- pulsory or of choice, is a blessing, and every one should select some field of labor as the theater of his improve- ment. Every day observation shows us that no idle, selfish person is as happy as a busy, energetic, unselfish one. Let us look around the class-room. Which pupil is happiest? Surely she who