Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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12 THE BRAm SOME SLOGAN. morning draws near they awaken to see the stone which closes Chrisf s tomb slowly moving from its place. Awe-stricken, they approach the tomb, which they find empty ; and realizing this to be the fulfilment of Christ ' s own words, they hasten to tell the Pharisees of what they liave seen. They have been gone but a moment when Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of John come with spices to anoint the body of their Lord. But lo, they are too late, and turning away with heavy hearts they are confronted by an angel who tells them that Christ has risen. Then another voice is heard behind them, and turning, they behold the Saviour clothed in white garments speak- ing words of love and peace as He ascends into the presence of the Father. TJiere were many tear-stained yet happy faces throughout the theatre as the thousands of people silently withdrew, each one con- scious of his own peculiar impression. ' NONE BUT THE BRAVE DESERVE THE FAIR BY H. C. B. Some years ago, in a little Western town, a group of men gathered as evening fell in the sm ' all grocery store which found itself a not too successful rival of the Hudson Bay Company warehouse. Indeed, had the proprietor limited himself to the grocery business, as practised in the slower going East, he would have been obliged to give up long before. But such terms in that country were elaistic, and the sign in the centre of the window, Buy your Tea, Flour and Sugar Here — All, Three Pounds for a Dollar — Bring your own Wrapping Paper, ' ' was flianked on either side by piles of tooth-brushes, spectacles, mouth- organs and equally dissimilar articles. To tell the truth, it was necessary to fill the window with a display of this kind, for the supply of. flour, tobacco and other staples was running dangerously low, and the supply boiat could not possibly be in for another week. Across the street a lamp placed behind ia transparent sign illumin- ated the words, The Grand Emporium, and in the lighted window beneath, various specimens of what are technically known as boiled shirts were placed in a row, the central one adorned with a dazzling tie of purple and orange satin, the pride and admiration of the whole town.

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THE BEANKSOME SLOGAN. 11 however, only mocks Christ, and refuses to take any part in the trial, saying that Pilate has power to condemn this man to death. Pilate, facing the angry mob once more, pleads Christ s innocence, harshly rebuking the priests for their baseless accusations. Turning to the people he asks which shall be released unto them, Christ or Barabbas, and with one voice they answer, Release Barabbas ! Seeing all his efforts to save Christ are in vain, Pilate, weakening before the clamor- ing mob, finally pronounces the sentence of death upon Christ, and orders the release of the robber. Then, breaking his sceptre and washing his hands, thus thinking to rid himself of this ignoble deed, he exclaims, I am innocent of the blood of this innocent man. It falls upon you and upon your children. With loud rejoicings the people receive this final word, and press eagerly on to finish the awful task they have taken upon themselves. Placing the heavy cross upon Christ, they urge Him on and on with cruel taunts and blows, until, utterly helpless. He falls beneath His burden. Just at this moment Mary, who has been seeking her Son everywhere, approaches with John and Magdalene. How pathetic is the scene as she recognizes Him, and realizes that He is to be so cruelly taken from her ! Finally, John, who has ever been her friend, persuades her to turn away, saying, It is the Father ' s will. ' ' But she cannot leave her Son to suffer alone, and, keeping at a safe dis- tance from the angry crowd, she and her companions are seen follow- ing Him to Golgotha. oThe soldiers, perceiving Christ ' s weakness, call upon Simon of. Cyrene, who is standing near, to bear the cross to the appointed place. In the meantime loving friends have gathered about Christ, who, as He leaves them, speaks comforting words as he sees the depth of their sorrow. Soon He is nailed upon the cross, with the two thieves on either side, the one rejecting Him, the other penitent of his sins, and receiving from Christ the promise of Heaven. Suddenly a crash- ing sound of stone and earth is heard, and Christ murmurs, It is finished ! Many, seeing in this sudden convulsion of nature the power of God, cry out for mercy, while others hasten to the Temple. Left alone with their Saviour, Mary and her companions kneel in adoration before Him, and then silently Joseph, Nicodemus and John lower the body from the cross. In her deep sorrow the mother holds her Son in a last embrace, and then He is taken from her and rever- ently laid in the tomb. Should the play end here, how gloomy would be the effect upon those who witness it. The soldiers who have been left to guard the tomb have fallen asleep on the third night of their watch, but as

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THE BEANKSOME SLOGAX. 13 Within the grocery store the proprietor was busy planing off the counter as the easiest way of ridding it of various stains. I wish the preacher wouldn ' t hold service here so often ' he grumbled. I ' ve got to have it clean, I suppose, hut there soon won ' t be anything left of it. His words were unheeded. The men around the stove were too much engrossed in a topic of their own, an amusing topic to judge by the outbursts of laughter at frequent intervals. They were a sun- burned, cheerful group, most of them young and all evidently accus- tomed to an out-door life. Seated on a box near the stove was a young English rancher, Harry Lloyd, who was noted as one of the best riders and polo players in the country. ISTot far from him lounged Simons, Lloyd ' s rival in knowledge of and love for horses. There were several other Englishmen land one or two Americans, but all, like the native Oanadians, filled with the true Western spirit of swift action. The subject under discussion, which excited so much interest, was a wedding that had taken place unexpectedly that morning. But Layton proposed to Miss Moore the week after she came here, protested one of the men, but just returned from a hunting expedition, and she accepted him then. What ' s all the fuss about ? Why, don ' t you know ? cried another. She changed her mind a day or two after, absolutely and finally, so she said. She also announced a week ago that she was going home by to-day ' s stage. Poor Layton was almost desperate, observed the owner of the shop, with a laugh. Then last night she up and told him she had discovered that she liked him well enough to marry him after all. You tell us the rest again, Lloyd. Lloyd chuckled as he took up the tale. I stayed in town last night, said he, and Layton pulled me out of bed at midnight. He begged me by all I held dear to ride like wildfire over to Elmwood — that ' s forty miles — to bring the minister to marry them before the stage left, and then she would have no chance to change her mind again. You see, he didn ' t dare leave town himself. Well, I did it — woke all Elmwood up at six in the morning to find the reverend gentleman, and had him back here by noon. They were married then and there, and moved at once into Hutching ' s old harness-shop across the road, where they held their wedding reception. My word ! T haven ' t got all the dust off me yet. There was a general chorus of laughter as the men recalled the incidents of the reception — the cobwebs which streaked the back of anyone forgetful enough to lean against the wall ; the old horse-collar which had fallen from its peg on to the shoulders of the disgusted