Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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18 T H E BRANKSOME SEOGAN sweater like those of the other fishermen — all the men on this island are fishermen — but, instead of the tieht-fitt ng- cap, he wore a, high silk hat. He was smoking a clay pipe which was about two feet in length and trimmed with paper flowers. On leaving Marken we crossed to Monnikidam, a quaint, little town, which is the proud possessor of one of those mechani- cal town clocks which one sees so often in Germany. eJust as the hour is about to strike two wooden knights, mounted on wooden horses with lances in their hands, pass and repass, and a little figure blows the hour on a trumpet. After spending a short time in Monnikidam we got on the trolley and in about an hour were back in Amsterdam once more, after a most enjoyable day. AINSLIE McMICHAEL. THE PREFECT ' S LAMENT. Oh, it ' s left, right, left. On Huntley and Bloor and Elm, And oh, but its hard for the girls in the rear. But it ' s harder for her at the helm. For its left, right, left, To the leaders it ' s misery, battle, For when they should sound like but one maiden ' s step. They sound like a whole herd of cattle ! G. McG.

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THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN 17 Our next stopping place was Voiendam. The Yolendamers dress in the quaintest costumes. The men wear long, full baggy trousers, jackets ornamented with large, white china buttons, and tie ' ht-fitting caps. The women wear full skirts and aprons made from two different kinds of material; their hair is cut short, and they wear caps with wings, which are very pic- turesque indeed. The chief industries of the town are duck-raising and fishing. The Island of Marken is about half an hour ' s sail from Voiendam. This island has a population of one thousand three hundred souls — nine hundred adults and four hundred children. It also boasts of four trees and one policeman, who is deaf. Their costumes are somewhat different from those of the people of Voiendam. The men ' s trousers are short and full and they wear sweaters and close-fitting caps. The women wear a great number of petticoats to make their dresses stand out. The more petti- coats one wears in Marken the more stylish one is. Until the age of seven years the girls and boys dress exactly alike, except that the boys have a circular piece of cloth sewn in to form the top of their caps, while the girls have not. At the age of sixteen years a girl has all her hair cut off except enough for two curls, which hang down at either side of her face. Just as we Avere embarking to go back to the mainland we saw a bride and groom. (It appears that, for two weeks after the wedding, the bride and groom keep walking around the island almost continually.) The costume of the bride was very pretty, being beautifully embroidered and trimmed with lace. It is always carefully put away after the wedding and honeymoon and is handed down from generation to generation. The groom ' s costume was very funny, consisting of the short, full trousers and

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THE B RANK SOME SLOGAN 19 Galloping along a lonely country road we came to a little side path, and being venturesome spirits, urged our horse.s through the bushes covered with vines and wild creepers, and came on an old broken-dow n cottage. All around it were signs of neglect and desolatiou. We tied our horses in a dilapidated old stable at the rear of the house, and wandered up and down the deserted garden paths. So this was thej haunted house of which we had heard so much ! The place certainly gave ground for people ' s superstitions. Dead leaves were strewn everywhere, the autumn wind moaned plain- tively through the bare branches of the trees as if crying for a lost soul, and dusk had already overtaken us. My companion glanced nervously around and suggested in a subdued voice that we leave the place and proceed on our way. We were both well armed, however, and, not being superstitious myself. I felt a strong desire to explore the cottage. After a few minutes ' hesi- tation my companion consented, and we ascended the three rickety steps that led to the porch. The house itself was but two storeys in height, and if it had ever been painted the sun, wind and rain had done their work w ell, for the place had taken on that nondescript color which comes from long exposure to all kinds of weather. The few win- dows had been broken long ago, and cobwebs had taken the place of the glass. We pushed the old wooden door. With a mournful groan it swung slowly back on its rusty hinges, and we found ourselves in a long, dark passage. Just then a gust of wind blew in. What ' s that? exclaimed Philip, pulling me roughly by the sleeve, and starting back. He pointed to a doorway ahead, and I saw something white waving to and fro, Richard, I refuse to go any farther, he announced, this may be a den of thieves, Philip, I retorted, exasperated by his foolishness, that is nothing more nor less than a piece of paper blown by the wind. You forget that the door is open. Philip is younger than I and apt to be silly at times. We went on, A large square room opened off either side of the hall, dimly lighted by a single window, most of the plaster had fallen down, and beyond a pile of dirty rags in the corner of one room, we discovered nothing but filth and dust, which w ere in abundance everywhere. At the rear of the building one long room extended the width of the house. It had evidently been