Eastern High School of Commerce - Eastern Echo Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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He'll come through, he finished with a return of his former spirits. April 24th is tofday, murmured the Doctor. Across No Man's Land crept a line of khakifclad figures. At intervals, bursting shells flared up, illuminating the ghastly scene. A whining note followed by a deafening explosion, the landscape bathed in an unearthly light, a figure totters, stumbles forward again, staggers, and then slowly crumbles to the earth to lie still. WAR WEDDING Dorothy Knights, 381 T was all like a bad dream to Nina: one day Michael and she walking down the aisle to the strains of the Wed' ding March, and the next Michael off to war amid shouting and cheering. Michael had not wanted to be married after he found out that he was to leave for France so soon. He said he might never come back--but Nina had insisted. She could see it now-the hurried little wedding in the Church Around The Corner, her in her silky, white gown and Michael in his straight black suit with his bronzed face and brown hair. They had not even time for their carefullyfplanned honeymoon. In a short day it was all over and Michael was gone-s-to France and War! He had been gone six months now, and it wasca month since she had heard from him. She was sure he was woundf ed. He did not usually miss writing her each week, but now a month had passed. Nina waited five long months and still no word came from Michael. She was certain now that he was either dead or badly wounded-surely he would have written if he were safe. Then one day calls were sent out for volunteer nurses. Nina was a good nurse, she would go to Franceg she would be near Michael then. The next few months were ones of hard labour for her. Each new group of wounded soldiers brought to the hosf pital she scanned searchingly, but always with the same result: there was no brownf S ixty-six haired, bronzedffaced Michael-there was not -even any one who looked like him. Her thoughts were always of him, wondering where he was and if he were alive. Sometimes she thought she could stand it no longer, soldiers dying every minute of the day, guns never ceasing to fire, bombs breaking around the hospital, lighting up the dingy rooms for a moment and then leaving them dark again. Then one night a new group of wounded was brought in from the field. Nina scanned their faces as usual. She did it mechanically now-she was so used to it, it seemed like a part of her clay's work. Her eyes rested on one face-a bronzed face. She could not see the eyes as they were bandaged, but it was Michael. Uh Michael! She ran to him half dazed. She had him moved to a bed and then knelt down beside him. She took his hand. Oh Michael, I have found you at last! He turned his head and started to rise, but she pushed him back gently. It's Nina, she murmured. Nina? I am in Heaven. Nina is with me. I am happy now, he said. 'lNo, no Michael, you are not in Heaven. You are here, in the hospital with me. You are badly wounded, but you are going to get well, then we shall go back to England together. Michael, however, did not get well and did not go back to England with Nina. He died a few hours later, but Nina was happy. She had found him at last! .A f TRESS wt' ly 'lil U- 'Q EASTERN ECHO

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THE BANSHEES WARNING RELAND-Land of moods, land of romance and glamour! From her most northerly point to her southern shores she is steeped in folklore-tales o' the wee folk and banshees who appear in strange forms to wail their warning of death or disaster. Her fanciful tales and beliefs in a spirit world is as much Ireland as are her immortal Killarney Lakes. There are people who scoff at such nonsense, people who from the snug con- tentment of their own cosy firesides de- ride the Irish for their simple unwavering belief in omens. Among these was num' bered Dr. Robert Graystan until one day-. It was April, 1914-an April which County Clare met with blossoming slopes, blue cloudfstudded skies, budding trees and a mantle of soft sunshine. Along the winding country lane, upon which the young foliage cast lacy shadf ows, could be seen striding the upright form of a young man of twentyffour years or so. At his heels ambled a spaniel puppy, its large brown eyes mir' roring the devotion which it felt towards this master who wended his way oblif vious of the quiet beauty of his surround' ings, his thoughts far away on another quiet countryside many miles away. Not until he turned in at a gate before an old gabled, weatherfbeaten house did he pause and with a shrug attempt to throw off the feelings which gripped him. Unfortunately for his intentions, his actions had been noted by a ruddy' faced man who stood nearby, partially concealed by a spreading oak. He adf vanced now with a worried frown and made as if to speak. A preliminary cough startled the young man and he turned with the exclamation, Oh, dad! Something wrong, son? ventured the older man, laying his hand on the boy's shoulder. Ch, just the usual talk of war, wherf ever you go--. EASTERN ECHO Dan Kerry patted the shoulder and remarked optimistically, Don't you be worryin' about that, my lad. This one, if it does come, won't last long and Britain will only be on the edge of it. Britain will be in up to the hilt and you know it, was the sober reply, as with an affectionate glance and a part' ing nod the son continued on his way. Dan Kerry was to remember those words when another April rolled around and found young Dan on the high seas, each wave carrying him farther and far' ther from the security of County Clare to the torn battlefields of France. They still lay in his mind when he drove through the sweetfscented twilight of April, a year later, dividing his time between a letter from his son and an account of his family history with which he was regaling Dr. Robert Graystan. Aye, well do I remember my father telling me of our own family ghost, spirit, call it what you will. 'Twas on the night he died, sixtyffour years this very even', he told me of a light which flickers in the room of a person to warn him of death. To warn of death! Quite melodraf matic, was the amused response. Well, you may laugh, but when that light came, my grandffather died, when it came, my father died. Theres some' thing strange. They turned in at the old gate in the fastfgathering dusk. But the Doctor wasn't listening, for with thudding heart hc was gazing at a gable windowe Danny's room where for a brief instant a light flickercd and then vanished. Striving to keep a panicky note out of his voice he inquired casually, Danny have anything special to say? Nothing, except, and a worried frown flitted over the fathers features, that on April '24 they would be go' ing over the top. The Saints of old lref land are watching over the lad, though. Sixty-five

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LIGHT IN DARKNESS Mabel Fraser, 356 U 'M going to leave Winthrop, Bob, was the startling announcement made by Dr. Grant as he entered Bob Willard's office. Anne must have her chance at College, and with all she needs, I couldn't afford it on the salary I earn here. But Grant, you can't leave! You're the best doctor we-what's that Billy? Come quickly, gasped a boy, burst' Theres been an ing into the office. explosion at the mine! Snatching his satehel from the desk, Dr. Grant rushed after Willard, and in the doctor's runabout, they sped through the town. As the car stopped, the two men rushed toward the pit entrance. Not very serious, Mr. Willard, called a burly miner from the shaft en' trance. All are out except young joe Nelson. Got his hand caught under a piece of falling coal. Must weigh a ton, and we can't budge it an inch. This looks like work for you, Grant, said Willard. Entering the cage they descended to the lowest level. Boarding the small train, they rode through the dark tunnels. At last it stopped before a narrow pas' sage. Several feet away flickered the dim light of miners' lamps. They hurf ried to where several miners were try' ing to roll a huge piece of coal from the still figure of a young man. He was just a boy, and lines of pain were visible under the grime of his drawn face. Are you positive there's no way of moving this? said the doctor placing his hand on the huge rock. No, the space is too small for any machinery, and besides the rock about here is pretty loose. It would fall at the slightest jar and bury the poor boy. Then I must amputate those fingers. They are probably so badly crushed that it would be necessary to amputate them, even if we could release him. But Grant, protested Willard, how can you operate in this small, dark, dirty space? EASTERN ECHO I must, replied Dr. Grant, quietly. Hold the lamps where they will throw the best light, he instructed. After administering an anaesthetic, the doctor squeezed into the small space beside the boy. Lying on his back and staring up at the black rocks hanging dangerously above and threatening to fall at any moment, he started the operf ation. Never will those men forget that scene. From the start of the operation to the time when they lifted the unconscious lad to the train, there was no sound exf cept the low commands uttered by the patient doctor. Two weeks later was a holiday in the town of Winthrop. Dr. Grant was pref sented with the Carnegie Medal and a sum of money as a reward for his bravf ery. The proudest person that day was Anne, his daughter, who was to enter College next week. Well, I'll stay at Winthrop after all, Bob, said Dr. Grant after the ceremonf ies as the two men sat in Bob Willard's little office. Yes, your future here is assured now, replied Willard, smiling happily. BIG BUSINESS-DESPOT? Vimy Carmichael, SS ERHAPS the most striking differ' ence between the presentfday civil' ization and that of a century ago is the tremendous increase and amazing change that has taken place in the everyday business of life. Where once life flowed smoothly, placidly, pleasantly, leisurely along, we now have the rush and hustle, the hectic hurry and flustered haste, the flashing speed of the modern metropolis. whitefhaired patriarch Where once the held court before the peaceful village inn of a slumbering, lazilyfcontented com' munity, now the leonine head of Big Business rears itself above the multitude. The steel hands of the newlyfcrowned king beckon in all directionseeelike mag' netic talons irresistibly drawing towards them all the clanging, crashing, roaring lContinued on page 922 Sixty-seven