Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute - Acta Nostra Yearbook (Guelph, Ontario Canada)

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ACTA NOSTRA 57 It was H230 when Amelia finally went upstairs to bed, or at least Veronica thought she had, but Amy was hungry and she crept downstairs to the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible as she felt sure Veronica would scold her for coming clown again and raiding the refrigerator. Amy, dressed in her night gown patterned with violets and with her robe thrown over her shoul- ders, tiptoed along the hall. She had reached the kitchen door and was grop- ing for the knob when she heard Jarvis, who was still in the living room, speak. 'Tm worried about Amelia. She seems to think there is something odd about Orville's death . . . You know, about the cremation . . . and if she begins to think about the alcove, and your chang- ing your mind so quickly when you told her the day you had it filled in. Nonsense, broke in Veronica. She's a perfectly harmless old fool. She could- n't reason out anything about his death. XVe've hidden everything, even the drug. No one would find it in the cane- bottoiued chair, let alone Amy. I suppose so, said Jarvis, but we have got to be careful. Amelia turned quickly away from the kitchen door and crept upstairs. She went into her bedroom, locked the door, and went to the cane-bottomed chair. Early the next morning a little old lady, her snowy white hair tightly rolled into a neat bun at the back of her head and wearing a faded mauve dress and a cameo brooch left the house on the hill. She called for a taxi at the corner store and was soon on her way downtown. She alighted from the cab in front of a great, grey stone building and walk- ed inside. She stopped in front of a huge desk and looking towards a man in uniform behind it, said slowly, Officer, my name is Amelia Good- child. There is something I think you should know. 3 lk Pk rid il il- ,Q iii i t vm l naman humps rag THE SEARCH He quickly looked over the books, seem- ingly intent on finding a certain book. His eyes swept over row after row, ever search- ing. Intermittently his hand would fly out and wrench a book from the shelf. Then with only a cursory glance at the title he flipped to the last page. A brief look and then he jammed it back on the shelf. Over and over again this was repeated. What great book was he looking for? As I watch- ed him frantically continue his search, the bell rang. His eyes swept over the vast array of books once again. The end of a fu- tile search? No! He grabbed a book and flipped to the back page. An expression of delight crossed his face. He rushed to the librarian, had the book marked and ran out the door. What had this search uncover- ed? What great book was this that he was so delighted in finding? What set this book apart from thousands of others? Why! it was the smallest book in the library!

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56 ACTA NOSTRA changed her mind and sat back in her chair to listen. Amelia, began Veronica, you left the house on Saturday morning. On Sun- day afternoon Orville had a seizure of his heart- Oh, no! exclaimed Amy. Please, Amy, don't interrupt. It is hard enough to tell you this as it is. You know how weak he was after his illness-and he always did have a bad heart. He was rushed to the hospital where Doctor Caine attended to him. I waited there until eight o'clock at night when Doctor Caine told me that Orville had passed away. Do-Doctor Caine, is this right? ask- ed Amelia. Yes, my dear, said Jarvis. I did the best I could, but he slipped away. He didn't sound very convincing, Amy thought, and why didn't Veronica seem sad: surely it was a hard blow for her. B-but why didn't you call for me to come home? murmured Amy. feeling rather hurt. The strain on Veronica was enough, explained Jarvis, without having an- other to sympathize with her and cry with her over her loss. But surely I could have helped, contradicted Amelia. I don't believe in your line of reasoning at all. Oh, it is of small consequence anyway.-Humph, modern doctors, she mumbled under her breath. Please go on, Veronica. Veronica continued, Orville was cre- mated on Tuesday- Cremated? interrupted Amy. But he always said that cremation was a heathen practice, that he would rather not be buried at all than to be cremat- ed. Veronica seemed to start a little when Amelia said this. Her eyebrows went up and she frowned. Jarvis was scowling too. I'm sure you're imagining things, said Jarvis. Please let Veronica contin- ue. I'm sorry, Amelia apologized. Veronica went on, The will was read on Thursday. Orville willed all his pos- sessions to me save five lumdred dollars which he has left to you. You can see Dryden, our lawyer, about your money. That's about all, Amy, Vernica sighed. I'll go and make some coffee while you unpack. I'm sorry Orville has gone, said Amelia. Then she added, more or less as an afterthought, or as something she should say, You have certainly borne the blow well, Veronica. Thank you, my dear. Amelia went upstairs to her room to unpack. XfVhen she had finished, she sat down in her old cane-bottomed chair by the window. IfVhy didn't Veronica call me home? she wondered. I think she was unkind .... But this generation is not as considerate as ours was .... She thought that I didn't care. Amy was beginning to cry. She sniffed, dried her tears, powdered her nose, and returned downstairs. She walked in to the living room, sat down and tried to read a magazine, but her mind wandered and she could only think of Orville. Giving up, she put the paper back in its place on the coffee table and rubbing her delicate fingers over her forehead, stared at the blank wall in front of her. Just then Veronica and Jarvis came in carrying a tray and a plate of cookies. Have you finished unpacking? ask- ed Veronica. Amy felt that Veronica was annoyed that she had. Oh, yes, said Amelia, forcing a smile upon her face, . . Veronica! es. Something is different in here. . . Oh! you've covered the alcove . . . VVhat- ever for? -er, I-I had it covered on VVednes-er -Monday while you were away. I was- I was sick of looking at it and it was too small a space to be of any use, so I had it filled in. Amy was going to ask another ques- tion but Veronica noticed and quickly said, Now, my dear, would you like some coffee? tix,

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58 ACTA NOSTRA Prize Senior Poem THE LONELY ONE I liar' lzy flu' .wa And aflwz as I zvalfll ll. I sw' 'flu' .V7l'll5'l-IIKLQ' lzalk of a sllip Trarlging jnrflz. I zualrll As lllr' lilly lay l.s su'allazue'rl 'ap by my lll'l-glllillllf. Il gliflfax .vl0a'ly, Snlanlllly, Calling anrl .x'l1'1'i11g inla lla' U1'I'IlIl, lY!'T'I'l' Vf.S'llHQ, V A-1la'ay.s raorlcirlg, ll llllHllll'.V ml, on anal rm. -Larry .IU'llI'S XIIA AN OILWELL 1TIllXlll'UIlllllllg, IIIFIIKICTPIQ. blaflc. A-I ruffirrl. glllfl-IIIIX lmrsf of llama! A sirr'r1'.v .K'l'l'I'llIl1 reads flu' air. ,-I slfarlan' falls UYUI' tim rarllz, A snzalcz' rlnarl lfcgins to .sr'lllf', Tlm m1'11'.v rmslrils arf lrarnirlg. Nllqld falls, qalft relgrzsq alllfaaglz Tla' llf'k1'11.g' flames are rlanclng slill. Szuwvl valnz has fnllozued riot. -Libby Hilton IXC Y ,lui f, ,jf W! N. ,lk ,H x A , . .N lifw' 'P' 1 1 EEL fill ', 3-,ffrai A . ,H '- ' Yr 1,1 H-'mg f :I ffqkx, 'iz' -'KIT' ,Tn ' 4 gN Fr- xr. , 'lf gl gy 11 Afx. fy-gr! . f .-2 vi,-T j'.x . if fjgf ,ggix JMU, a l fp'g xg. i ' if 954- ..,4':H 5, Amr N, N L1 bn y ,fJi ,TfH+4.wk.,-x H... fv THE TRAVELS OF A MOUNTAIN BROOK CIl.S'I'lllllllg orfm' Ilia zaalr'rfall, Tllf' rlj2lI2ll11g brook ramf IIUZUHIQ ll .9fJla.xl1f'1l and gllrglra' ana' jllnzjnfzl alzoal, Tllrn Iu'i.s'l0fl mzmfl anrl Tflllllll. Il wnznzzl its Qlmrrx' wav along. Bl'lZl'f'l'1I tlle zfzlllvjd' zlavjl. 'l'l1m11g'l1 grassy ficflflx aml zmfarlaws wide, .-lml ammzg lla' lllUllIIlIIl.ll.Y .s'l1'1'jJ. ,-lm fl l111l1l1l1'zl along Ilu' lllflllllllllll xldes, T116 lfmnlf czzlrlrgwl anrl grczu. final Vfllflllllg fllf' 111n1n7fa1'11s llllgll and SllfI'll'3', As a river ll tl1'1l111lc'H'fl fill lllfllllgll. Farllzcr and farllmr on it 'rolled Tnzuanls llze walling sm. ll lmgan to swell and lmrsl zulllf pride, .-11111 lo ram' the frimzzlly lmc. ,-11 las! ll nfaflmfl the grml zmlcrzown, ,-12111 all ils 5126771 was game. The rlwm' l1l'C'llllI!' par! of tllis grffal vxlbanse Tlfal .vlrfflrllfd farrzfer 011. -Iiarllara Glamljield XD