Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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THE BRANKSOMP] SLOGAN- SI May 27tli, 1919, Principal McKiniion, of Halifax, spoke on his work as a chaplain at the Front. During ' the first term of 1919-20, an editor was appointed in each Form, and every second Wednesday she read a papei composed of articles on various cui-rent topics, submitted by members of the Form. Form II. A produced the best papei . Several very interesting outside speakers have also contributed vei ' y much to the success of tlie Curi ' ent Events period. October IStli, Mi ' s. Putnam spoke on the important part thi-ift stamps had played in the Victory Loan campaigns, and urged con- tinued thrift. Octoi)C ' r 23rd, Mis. Shiro Terada spoke on Japanese customs, and also on her impressions of America. Mademoiselle Herzog, of our own staff, gave a most interesting account of her trip to Russia during the wai ' , and of the work of the American Red Oross in Paris, on October 29th. November 12tli, Mi ' . Taplan gave an illustrated lecture on Na- tural Tread sljoes November 13th, Mrs. Kennedy, who was the head of the Maple Leaf Club in London, England, during the war, gave an interesting account of the Club ' s activities. January 28th, Madame Pantazzi, who has lately returned from Roumania, told us some of her experiences in that country during the war. March 3rd, Dr. Hall, the seamen ' s chaplain, reminded us, in his inimitable Vvay, of the importance of the Britisli navy, and tolcl some- thing also of the work of caring for sailors on foreign shores. March 10th, Mr. Bartlett gave a most interesting illustrated lec- ture on Armenia, and explained the need of immediate relief for its people. March 17th, Mr. Haslam lectured on the influence of tlie Bilile on English history. After Easter we expect to have a series of lantern lectures and travelogues, Avith a view to learning something more about other countries. ELEANOR MINN1 ]S. MARY MACPHATL.

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30 THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN That iiig ' lit, when lii.s motlier and sister were going to bed, Jack announced tliat he was going to the shaft, and, as he went frequently to get the latest news, his mother thought nothing- of it. He went cautiously to the shed, and found the well-stocked gunny- sack, which he fastened across lii s neck with the aid of a stout cord. At the shaft mouth he put a lighted candle in his hat, and started clambering down over masses of debris. At the third level he struck his liead against a projecting mass, and knocked his cap off, and now complete darkness surrounded him. Unable to clioose liis footing any more, he trod on a piece of rotten wood which gave way ])eneath him, and he fell, carrying clowii with him stones and rubbish. When he came to, he felt a cold hand stroking his head, and cried out, ' ' Is that you. Dad? His fatlier i-eplied in a shaking voice, ' ' Is it you, Jackie? Heaven grant that you are not badly hurt, my boy. I don ' t think so. Dad, but I ' m afraid your Christmas dinner may be a little the worse for wear. The pie was damaged, but it was still eatable, as they saw by the dim glow of a match Avhich Jack ' s father lighted. A¥hen the matcli flickered out, they talked in the darkness for a few moments, tlien Jack ' s head nodded against his father ' s shoulder and he fell asleep. A¥lien he awoke tliey had their Cliristmas dinner in the dim light that Altered througli the piles of debris, and later on in the day when more rubbish had been dug out and a strong rope lowered, the boss and his boy were brought up to the surface again, the father somewhat weak from his three days in the shaft, but so strengthened and heart- ened by his boy ' s presence in the last hours, and by the nourishing food he had brought him, that he suffered no lasting ill effects from liis imprisonment. JEAN SHEAFE, Form III. A GROUP OF PREFECTS AND SENIORS Left to Right -Upper Row— Isabel Keid, Edith Burchell, Helen Howard, Jean McLauchlin. Lower Row —Mary Clay , Muriel Zybach, Bernice Derris, Laura Stone,

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32 TH] ] BRANKSOME SLOGAN THE ELEME T OF SUSPENSE ' ' Wlien they had taken all the men in tlie village pi ' isonei ' s, they led them back to the captain, and got a medal each. As the old man finished speaking, there were several snorts of disgnst fi-om the circle ronnd the fire. ' ' Huh! that isn ' t anything, sniffed one old fellow, tilting back his chair. ' ' Why, that isn ' t anything to what happened to me that time when I was shipwrecked in eighteen-seventy. At these words there was a groan from the othei- membei ' s of the circle, and a despairing look passed from one to the other. The old man, rocking back and forth on the two legs of his chair, did not choose to see it though, and settled himself against the Avail to begin. From behind his hand Old Jake, his neighbor, whispered to the man on tlie other side of him, Every time he tells it, he improves it. I remember the first time I heard it, it was quite a modest, likely tale, but now he beats Baron Munchausen himself. It was on the good ship ' Hui ' ryup, ' began the old man. We were going down to Lima from San Francisco. Just as we were about opposite the end of the California peninsula, a terrible stoi ' m came up so suddenly that it was dark before the sun had gone down. I was young then, and so strong tliat folks used to wonder at it. AVell, that storm lasted for weeks, and the ship was wrecked, as I told ' em it would be if they weren ' t careful. We all got into th.e life-boats, and ours was one of the last to leave the ship. There were six of the shijD ' s sailoi ' s in it, four mining engineei ' s Avho were on the way to Peru, an old doctor, and myself. We never saw any of the otner boats again, and after drifting for about two days we came to land. None of us knew w here we w ere, but we soon found that we were not on an island, unless it was a very large one, but on the mainland. After we had been there about a week, I decided one morning to go oif on a little exploration trip of my own. I walked inland, taking care to notice any landmarks as I went along, so that I should be able to find my way back. I went farther inland than any of our party had been before. The country was hilly, worn-down hills with big, broad tops, covered with short, scraggy grass and bushes, and a few single trees. After walking uphill till the sun was beginning to get near the west, I saw a ridge, a definite top to the groups of hills. On reaching this point, I could look back and see the wonderful old Pacific, but ahead of me a group of trees hid the view. It was quite a big group, and it surprised me, as they were practically the first trees I had seen tliere. I hurried down tlie slope, and entered the forest with the feel- ing that there was something queer about it. It was a very still day, and there did not seem to be any life of any kind stirring in the grove. I had seen wliat I tliought were two tall white birch trees some way ahead, but, as I got nearer them, I realized hcj were marble folurims; then 1 conld see more beliind them, and I realized that these