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

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18 Mon Chien C'est un gros chien noir, Il est toujours bien aimable, Il dort sur mon lit le soir. Et pour me plaire, il fait tout son possible. En ete, il a toujours chaud, Et dans l'eau, souvent, il joue. Mais a mes yeux, il est beau, Et moi, je l'aime beaucoup. Quand il tire un traineau, Il travaille bien fort. Il ne dit jamais un mot, Et apres, il s'endort. NIADELEINE MURRAY-Grade IX The Caterpillar Cou1dn't Count Caterpillar couldn't count All the steps up to the mountg He went so high He reached the sky And didn't come down till he learned to fly. MARTHA PENNOCK-Grade III The Lonely Crusader CEntry in Library Contest Book- Title Contest! .lane Eyre, the tenant of Wilfell Hall, decided that because of the great expectations of her uncle, Silas Marner, she and her counsins, David Copperfield and Oliver Twist, would visit him. They took the thirty-nine steps up Gentian Hill ending at the door to the north side of the old curiosity shop and went along the northwest passage till they reached his ofhce. He welcomed them and said. Let me tell you something of myself. My brother Jonathan and I felt the call of the wild when young, and spent seven years in Tibet where we met a man who told us always to reach for the sky. The stranger was the man from St. Malo who, by his own might, became the little minister who assured the pilgrims' progress in America. He gave me the yellow hat you see beside that painting of towers in the mist. We followed his advice and formed the White Company . I am now the last of the Mohicansn in the business, and want you to succeed me as I have no sons and Jon was kidnapped, became a Prisoner of Zenda, and later was lost in the cruel sea. Old Silas' undecided heart was quieted by this meeting and in his long will he left the business to his nephews. Twenty years after, when the shadows on the rock lengthened, and the wind in the willows began to die down, they still talked of their beloved uncle. Nom BAKER-Grade X Her Valentine Grandmother sat in her old arm chair, Her thoughts were far away, She thought of the time long years ago- One special Valentine's day. 'Twas thirty years ago or so That unforgotten day, As sitting in the same old chair She'd heard a wee one say: This is for you, my Mommy dear, I made it all myself, And handed her a Valentine Worth more to her than wealth. Her thoughts returned to the present day As footsteps, light, drew near. That must be little June, thought Gran, As the steps became quite clear. Then up to Gran came a child so fair And said in her shy, sweet way, This is for you, from me, Gran dear, You know, this is Valentine's day. BRENDA SxM1vnE-Grade IX Knight in Blue-Jeans Thomas Buckerdown was very happy. He was going to be dubbed a knight! Then he would ride with all the other knights before the queen. His wife and children whose names were Bonnie, .lack and Pip were very excited also. Pip helped him shine the armour till it sparkled. He was almost more excited than Tom. It was the day before the dubbing ceremony. Pip went down where the sparkling armour hung. When Crash! It feel to the floor. Pip ran upstairs crying. He told his mother about the tragedy. They both went downstairs to look at the armour. It had a big dent in it! His mother told Pip to go to a tin-smith to see if he could get the dent out. When Tom came in, he looked for the armour. Where's my armour? he thundered. Pip accidentally dropped it, his wife said. Very late Pip crept in. When his father came in in the morning Pip hid under the bed. Come out from under there, Tom yelled. Pip came out. Where's the armour? called Tom. I hid it, said Pip. Tom started spanking Pip but he would not give in. 'fBonnie, Jack, find my armour, Tom called. Soon they came back without finding a trace of the armour. Well, dear, you'll have to go, his wife said. What can I go in? he asked. You'll have to go in your blue-jeans, his Wife told him. I can't, he said, but he knew he had to.

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17 The Hunt Dashing across the meadows, Galloping up the hills, Flying over the fences, Leaping over the rills: Mounted on a hunter, Ebony, black, or gray, While up ahead the hounds run free To bring the fox to bay. Then, suddenly, the well-bred dogs Burst into frenzied songg They've seen the fox amongst the trees- The final chase is on. Up and over the walls we go, We clear the logs with ease, Drawing ever closer to The fox amongst the trees. He comes to the edge of the woodland And darts into the field. The hounds go dashing after him But still he does not yield. Closer and closer we come to our goal, The horses are breathing fast, A few more yards-the hounds close ing The hunt has ended at last. KATHRYN NEILSONLGI'3dC VII Too Busy In a secluded room of Flat H in the Queen Joan Hospital, there is now an empty bed. But, it was not empty twelve years ago. No, in it was a tall, fair, muscular boy of eighteen. Before he entered the hospital, he had been president of the student Council, captain of the Basketball team, and an excellent student in his college. He had loved life, and had always counted his blessings. One morning, he had had a stiff neck and the next day he had sore legs. Two days later the doctor came and made the shocking diagnosis that Bob had polio , Within an hour, Bob was in the hospital. At first, he was sent many presents, received piles of letters, and there were numerous visitors to cheer him. Then, suddenly, there were no more letters or presents or visitors. Everyone seemed to forget about Bob Vickers. One day, Bob's mother ran into the room saying, Bob, your father has been offered a wonderful job in England. You can be trans- ferred to a hospital over there and we shall all be together! Next day, Bob's nurse packed for him and he was looking forward eagerly to the journey. But, it was all too good to be true. The doctor claimed that Bob could not manage the journey across the 4-can and Bob was to stay at home. Two months later, his parents left, promising to visit him the following summer. But when summer came, all that Bob received was a post card saying, Sorry, dear, Father cannot leave his business. That was the last news that Bob ever heard from his parents. He supposed that they thought that now that he was twenty five, he needed no friends or help. His parents were just too busy. Now Bob's hair was a dark blond. He was no longer muscular, but skinny , He no longer had his deep tan, but was lily white. Bob was in the hospital for twelve years. During the last five years he had not one visitor, not one letter, and not one gift. He spent his thirtieth Christmas alone, staring out of his solitary window. He never felt sorry for himself nor felt any hatred for anyone. He died that night, so quietly, in his sleep. He had no mourners at his burial. Not even his nurses in the hospital came to his burial. Everyone was too busy . BTADELEINE MURRAY-Grade IX Kidnapped fEntry in Library Quiz Book- Title Contestj One ,hne day, twenty years after the young zroyageur climbed the thornapple tree, Renny's daughter Rebecca, a girl of the limberlost, and Mary Anne were kidnapped and taken through the far forest to Treasure Island. The merry men of Iceland, Adam Bede, and Silas Marner, set out in the little ark from Rowan Farm, followed a light in the forest beyond the black stump to rescue the little women. The King's general, Mrs. Minizier, and her horse Speedy, also went to join the wagons rolling north. By chance, the eight cousins saw the shadows on the rock. This led them to the Lake of Gold and The Magic Garden where they found the Black Rose. After ten years, they found a village in a valley where the kidnapped girls were spending their seventeenth summer. They held their white banners on the long ride home from this little world. They returned with the crescent moon to the good wives at the professor's house on Green Dolphin Street inside Asia. JUDITH KNIGHT-Grade XI Snow Snow, snow, beautiful snow. In the moonlight-how you glow! You look like silver stars When you fall upon the cars. When you fall upon the ground, The wind doesgblow youfround and round. GERTRUDE TODD--GI'3.Cl6 III

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I9 So off he went in blue-jeans. When the queen Skating saw him she thought it was the most original I outfit she had ever seen. She said that from then I llke to Skate, on every time a knight was going to be dubbed he would wear blue-jeans and would receive a new set of armour. DEBORAH DIcKsoN-Grade V The Witch The witch is very sly and mean And she rides on a broom at night. She has never really been seen- She flies at a terrific height. Un Hallowe'en nights She mixes some brew. Which frightens the folks When she says boo-boo-boo. If you see this witch ever It will give you a fright Specially if you see her In the middle of thc night. DEBORAH FERGUSON-'Gl'i:l.Cl6 IV RETURNING FROM GYMNASTICS But I don't like to wait For Winter to come, When I can have fun. I like to skate But I don't like to wait, For the rink to be filled. When it is, I am thrilled- For then I can skate, And not have to wait. DEBORAH RILEY-Grade IV A Knock at Midnight Once upon a time there was an old, old house at the edge of Bridge Street. Nobody cared for it. There it stood shabby and bedraggled. Then one day a family moved in. In the family there was a little girl with a freckled nose and her little Scottish Terrier whose name was Laddie. The girl's name was Gertie Changer. At night Gertie went to sleep with Laddie by her side. Then a loud knock was heard at the front door. It woke Gertie and Laddie with a start. She put on her little pink housecoat and slippers and with Laddie she crept to the front door and opened it. As she did, something flew in, but she couldn't make out what it was for it was so dark and dull for it was midnight. It went around crying Peo, peo, peo! Laddie ran after it. Gertie ran to turn the light on to see what it was. It was lucky for Gertie that when she turned on the light the flying thing flew around so that she could see what it was. It was a golden bird. And at that time that kind of bird would give good luck to everyone. So it all ended up that Gertie tamed the bird. They all lived happily ever after. BEVERLY KNIGHT-Grade III Winter Winter is a jolly time With lots of ice and snow, And children romping all about With rosy cheeks aglow. When stormy winds are blowing And darkness fills the sky, It's fun to sit around the hearth And watch the flames leap high. I'A'rR1c1A SPARROW-Grade V