Evening High School - Owl Yearbook (Reading, PA)

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96 THE OWL laid out on a rock plateau. The rocky shores of the pla- teau readily lend themselves to landscaped gardens and massed shrubbery. The little summer homes scattered about the island are so beautiful and colorful that they seem to be placed there by nature herself. Birds sing and bees hum and gather honey in the love- ly gardens around the castle. At the western end of the island is built a large pond for swans, and at the southern end is a smaller pond for fish. There are the large fields for those who like polo, and each summer the polo tourna- ments climax the season. The yacht house directly opposite the castle is one ofthe show places ofthe island and here are kept the boats which were included in the property of the Boldt estate. There is a beautiful boat-house with eight bedrooms, and baths. It has a reception room, steam heat, electric lights, open fireplace, and all conveniences one could expect. An artistic rustic bridge over one of the canals leads to the tennis house. Then there are Swiss chalets, unique in architecture and beauty, overlooking a beautiful View in everyfdirection. Q f All this was the dream of one man and one woman. It was to be a tribute of love. Over two million dollars had been spent on the Boldt estate when Mrs. Boldt passed away. The army of workmen droppedtheir tools, and the place became deserted. Birds and bats took up there abode in the dusty halls. Spiders wove their webs over marble fireplaces. Boys threw stones into the plate glass windows. Although Mr. Boldt came to the St. Lawrence River after the death of his wife, he never again visited Heart Island. .

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THE OWL 95 HEART ISLAND AND ITS POWERS by Laura Ebling George C. Boldt was born in Prussia of very poor par- ents. As a boy he often strolled along the Rhine and admired the grand old castles on its banks. I-Ie dreamed that some day he, too, would build a castle and live in the shade of its magnificent stone walls. In early youth he came to America, he became the world's greatest hotel man, owner of the Waldorf-Astoria of New York and the Bellevue-Stratford of Philadelphia. Thirty years after coming to America, Mr. and Mrs. Boldt saw the Thousand Islandsg they were so impressed with the beauties of them that Mr. Boldt called on G. K. Hart and bought Heart Island, an island shaped like a heart. The first white man ever to discover this island was Samuel de Champlain, who was so struck by the natural beauties ofthe island that he mentioned them all through the journals of his travels. Boldt's dream, which was eventually realized, was to turn the island into one huge estate, on which were eleven buildings, the central one being his castle. The huge castle was built large enough to accommo- date one hundred guests and servants. The reception room, ball room, dining room, billiard room, and library are located on the first and second floors. The upper floors are devoted to beautiful, spacious bed- rooms, each room is large enough to give sleeping quarters to whole families. The rooms are attractively decorated, and at one end is a brick fireplace over which are hung lovely old tapestries. A Winding stairway leads from the first to the second floor. The most attractive room is the dining room with its handcarved furniture of walnut, and its iioor of many beautiful colors and varieties of imported woods. 'lhe Walls are decorated with many old paintings. At one side of the castle is an Italian garden which is

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THE OWL 97 SHE by Mark Leiby She certainly was a cute little thing he thought as he looked admiringly at her over the steering wheel, and was she lots of fun. She was always willing to go with him wherever he wanted to go and never expected anything from hirn in return. That was the kind of a pal he liked and the crowd all liked her, too. No outing was complete Without her, she was just one of the bunch always in for every kind of game or devil- ment. But she had been a little peeved all day and that wasn't at all like her. She Wouldn't bring him the morning paper or fool with him while he was trying to read it. In fact, she acted very cool and aloof toward him. I have a hunch she was a little riled because he would not take her along on that fishing trip last week and she had to spend the week alone at home, missing all the fun, with no one for company except the canary and the cook. I guess it was sort of lonesome when the one you think the world of isn't around to help pass the time away. He would have taken her along but a fishing camp is no place for her with the odors, hooks, and other para- phernalia, that is common around every man's fishing camp. Now, it was up to him to make it up to her for the Week he had left her alone by taking her out that afternoon for a swim at the beach. Stealing another glance at her and keeping an eye on oncoming traflic he couldn't help but smile at the way she was trying to avoid his attentions just to punish him. Putting his arm around her, he whispered that she should stop pouting and enjoy her afternoon. When they arrived at the beach, the rest of the crowd was waiting for them. It didn't take them long as they were all ready for a swimming party before leaving home. After swimming for some time, he stretched out on the beach to rest and watch the clouds. The crowd had