Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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28 The Branksome Slogan Theme and Variations Theme. The villain leaned against a tree. He saw the heroine approaching. As she passed him he seized her and tried to embrace her. The hero saw .what had happened, knocked the villain down and escaped with the heroine. (As Shakespeare Would Put It) With apologies Scene: A Forest Glade. (Enter Villain) Villain: I ' ll wait me here, beneath this aged oak; For here it is, I saw my lady first; She heeded not my pleading, spurned my hand, But now my mind is set — No more will I Stand by and see before my very eyes Her love bestowed upon a churl, whose form Is far less comely than my noble own — Whose lands are lacking much and in the fight, Whose valour shows him nothing but a rogue. But cease, — anon — {Lady enters.) Lady: What! you are here, my lord? ' Twas rumored that you ' d gone to other parts. Villain (aside) : ' Tis well, she tho ' t I ' d gone and so came here — Yes, I am here, and now will make it plain That I am not a man whose passions fade. I offered you my heart — You turned away. But now I have you in my pawer — and I — Lady: Stay! Hold your distance, villain that you are, I ' ll never marry you — that you may be sure. My love is with another, whom all know To be a noble and a valiant lord — Go, go, I pray you. This can never be — Villain: You mayn ' t thus lightly thrust my suit aside; Whate ' er I want, I take, by fair or foul. So you — (Enter Hero.) Hero: Hold, knave! — Remove thy hands — Go hence! Thou black-browed braggart. Get thee from my sight. Villain: Son of a dog! You dare address me thus? Know ' st who I am? You dare not fight, I trow. Hero: Unsheathe thy sword — If you be .what you say. Then like a man receive what you deserve. Villain: Thou beardless boy — You ' ll rue this day, but come. Hero (wounding him) : Faint-hearted villain! This is your reward! Lady: Oh, Egbert — kill him not, I pray you, lest — Hero: Be still, my love — ' twere best if you ' d be brave. (Villain dies.) Anon — the earth is rid of one more knave. (Curtain.)

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The Branksome Slogan 27 the court-yard. Great was his wrath upon discovering his niece in the embrace of a humble knight. He ordered Alfred to be beheaded at da.wn, and his body thrown to the dogs, while his head was to grace the wedding feast as a gruesome reminder to the princess. The king ' s orders were executed, and when Arthur heard of his brother ' s cruel death, he was overcome with rage and grief, and in his heart he planned a ter- rible revenge. That night when the courtiers were drinking and carousing in the great hall in celebration of the royal wedding, Arthur appeared before the king and told him that the princess had been found murdered out in the court. The drunken king staggered after Arthur to find the princess pierced through the heart with Arthur ' s sword. With a yell of rage he turned upon the knight; but Arthur sprang at him, pressing his thumbs into the king ' s throat, and slowly bending him back over the edge of that awful chasm of death — the well! Slowly — slowly the body of the king went back into the well. It fell at last. Scream- ing with half mad glee, Arthur jumped on the edge of the well and plunged after his enemy down down down . . . . The boy groped his way to the door and opened it. Over in the east the sun was rising, a flaming ball, tinging the tiny fleecy clouds with a rosy glow, and turning the drops of water hanging from the leaves to sparkling jewels; a bird call- ed to its mate, and a few yards away a rabbit hopped into a thicket. Once more Mother Nature smiled upon the world — the spell of the evil spirits .was broken! EDITH MERRILL, IV. A. The Desert Golden and brown were the sands of the desert, Red and golden and brown, The sun was golden and azure the heavens; To Beth-Arad .went I down. Ivory like milk, and the gold of the mountains. Silk and jewels and wine, Daggers of silver and slippers of velvet. Such a cargo was mine. Merchants in robes of yellow and crim- son. Ears pierced with golden rings. Eyes as old as the purple mountains. Bought all my beautiful things. Grey and black were the sands of the desert. Leaden the angry sky. Groaning the wind and choking the sand came; So young I was to die. Awful the storm, and the sand was blinding. Came death in a terrible way; Smiling the morn and the sun shone brightly. Alone on the sands I lay. So lie I dead on the sands of the desert, Happy at length with my lot; There ' s beauty of sun and of wind and of heavens. Far more than the treasures I ' d bought. LOIS TEDMAN, Form IV.

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The Branksome Slogan 29 (Zone Grey ' s Version.) With apologies. Out in the patio lay Nell, taking her customary afternoon siesta. Watching her with avaricious eyes stood Pete Halloway, his handsome, insolent jfigure slouching against a palm tree. He smoked idly but with a suggestion of uneasinesss. With a gesture of impatience he flung the cigarette away and strode toward the hammock .where the girl lay. Nell stirred and Pete drew back into the shadow. The girl opened her eyes, blue as sapphires, and glanced sleepily about the patio. Pete held himself back with an effort, but his slight movement caused Nell to glance around. Nell started violently and turned dead white. Pete Halloway, she said, with biting sarcasm, I told you I never wanted to see you again. What arc you doing here? You know perfectly well, .was the low answer. You know perfectly well that I ' m a man who does not take ' no ' for his answer. Nell started towards the house. No, you don ' t, said Halloway, striding forward and seizing her in a rough grasp. If you yell, I ' ll throttle you, he said, in a low, tense voice. The door onto the patio opened and Dick Strong stepped out, his usually good-natured face white with anger. Pete ' s hand .went to his hip. What are you doing here, Pete Halloway? Strong asked, sharply — Oh, it ' s no use telling a lie. I saw you insulting Miss Raymond. I should think you ' d be ashamed to show up around here after what happened last night! . Who stole Old Man Raymond ' s money? Pete asked, smoothly, an evil grin on his face. That ' s a lie and you know it, Dick flashed back, and anyway the money has been found on one of your men. Pete ' s face changed to a sickly yellow. He pulled out his revolver and fired. But the bullet buried itself deep in the wood above Dick ' s head, for Nell had sprung forward and knocked the weapon from Pete ' s hand as he fired. I ' ll give you ten to beat it, said Dick, and if your dirty face is not out of sight by then, I ' ll shoot! Pete turned and fled, tripping into the very arms of two mounted policemen who appeared around a corner. Well, thank heaven, I didn ' t have to kill the poor devil, Dick said, as his arm slipped around Nell ' s waist. M. BOYD, III A.