Hamden Hall Country Day School - Perennial Pine Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

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THE GARDEN PARTY Clyde stood near a clump of azalea bushes, sipping his cup of tea, and looking ex- tremely bored. Garden parties were to him merely a waste of time and tea bags. A pity something couldn't be done to pep them up a little. Glancing up, he saw his hostess, Lady Lesley-Hopperly, approaching him. Looking around quickly for some escape, but finding none, Clyde braced himself for the oncoming attack. What a love-ly day for a garden party! Don't you think so? Clyde winced inwardly but replied with composure, I make it a rule never to think in humid weather. It's hard enough to keep cool without wasting precious time and effort worrying about the longitude, latitude, and temperature. Lady Lesley-Hopperly muttered something about having to speak to her niece, and ambled, as quickly as was gracefully possible, in the opposite direction. But Clyde hardly noticed her sudden departure. His attention had become centered upon a huge, furry mongrel which was lumbering solemnly up the path in a manner amazingly like that in which Lady Lesley-Hopperly had recently approached. The breed of the creature was obviously predominately St. Bernard, and his mop of thick, brownish- white fur gave him a decidedly wild and carefree appearance. When he walked, his fuzzy tail swung back and forth methodically until it closely resembled the pendulum on a grandfather's clock. As Clyde watched this great hulk of dog, an idea gradually began to form in his mind. He calculated that at its present rate of speed, the creature would take about ten minutes to reach the other end of the immense lawn. That would only leave him eight minutes! Clyde strode swiftly through the neatly hedge-lined walks until he arrived at a place where a group of admiring guests were gathered around Sir Hubert Galstry, a short, plump man, who, having spent much of his life hunting in Africa, was renowned for his wide knowledge of African wild-life. He sidled up to the African hunter and as soon as there was a pause in the conversation said, Sir Hubert, have you heard about that animal they've just discovered in Africa? It resembles a St. Bernard-the Fuzzy-tailed Gitua, I believe they call it. Sir Hubert seemed surprised but interested. You don't say! No, I hadn't heard. Do they have one in captivity? Yes, right here in London-not so very far from here, for that matter, at the city zoo. It's escaped once or twice, you know. They're harmless looking, but if a man goes within three feet of one, it's too bad for him! You mean they're man-eaters? queried one of the ladies in a hushed voice. Bones and all, replied Clyde with a knowing shake of the head. They make a strange noise just before they pounce for the kill-rather like the barking of a dog. rixty-three

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front of him. He was trapped, but he didn't care. The boy knelt down and put his hand out. It touched the fawn's nose and he drew back. The boy whispered, I'll name you Flash. As if in answer the fawn stepped forward and his nose touched the boy's cheek. The boy's arms were around his little friend and Flash leaned comfortably against the boy's side. The two were friends and happiness filled them both. A week later the two wandered through the woods together. Flash kept tugging at the boy's pants to go one direction, and finally he followed. He heard a roar in the distance and they started to run. It was the ravine. Flash led him to the pool. The boy smiled with pleasure because he knew Flash trusted him. The animals went unafraid about their busi- ness. They accepted him as one of them because he loved them, and he whispered, I'll never tell. Cynthia Adams Form II EXPERIMENT I pulled the heavy door open, and as it shut again with a groan of protest, I stepped inside the gloomy building. I was now standing in a hallway, dimly lit by a solitary street- light outside. As I glanced around, the atmosphere of the old building took hold of me and inflamed my imagination. This was a house of doom and phantoms, and the darkness hid the strange, terrifying things. I was so frightened now that even the table near the door turned into a menacing figure which seemed to move towards me. Don't be a sissy, I told myself sternly, but the gloom and darkness couldn't be pushed away. I advanced cautiously, feeling my way along the wall, when suddenly my head began to swim. I could smell something strange, exotic, filling the room, and overcoming me. Where did it come from? I turned to the right and saw now for the first time a glimmer of light showing under a door. Something compelled me to tiptoe over to it and push the door open. The room inside was pitchblack, except for a single light bulb. Over in one corner something bright and red was bubbling and sending out the queer odor. Over this stood a dark figure, mysterious and intriguing. I stood there completely fascinated and unable to move as the figure took up a flask of colorless liquid and mixed it with the first. The mixture now foamed and hissed and turned to a violent purple color. Immediately the dark figure threw in two black stones and whispered something mysterious over the solu- tion. A column of writhing green gas twisted and turned as it rose in the air, another column of crimson crept from the flask and twisted around the first. Now the solution changed from purple to a vivid yellow, and bubbled furiously. The dark figure lifted the flask, shaking it. There was a blinding explosion. Eureka, I could hear as the smoke cleared. I tiptoed quietly out again. My, I thought, Mr, Russ is certainly working late tonight. Lise Ore Form V rixty-two

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Clyde paused to allow the horror of his description to take hold in the minds of his appreciative audience. Sir Hubert broke the silence. Say-now that you mention it, I do believe I have heard of such an animal, although the name sounds unfamiliar. I wonder-! Sir Hubert broke off abruptly and stood with a look of horror frozen on his plump face. For, rounding the corner of one of the hedge-lined walks, lumbered a Fuzzy-tailed Gitua! b Following Sir Hubert's horrified gaze, the guests turned and faced the man-eating east. Reactions varied. Most of the ladies shrieked and jumped up on the nearest chairs, benches, or tables. Lady Lesley-Hopperly, not being capable of such gymnastics, fainted dead away, taking care to land in one of her wicker chairs, while the gentlemen 6 with the exception of Sir Hubert, who was frozen with terror, and Clyde, who pretended to bel, rushed madly in all directions from the Fuzzy-tailed Gitua which had plopped down in the grass and was sitting calmly displaying his large, pink tongue. Sir Oswald Lightly, a doctor of psychology noted for his absent-mindedness, grabbed a garden hose which he had literally bumped into during his flight, and started to squirt water at the monster lying in the grass. However, in his confusion, he succeeded only in thoroughly soaking Sir Hubert and Lady Lesley-Hopperly who was still prostrate in the chair where she had collapsed a few moments before. Meanwhile Clyde was shouting to anyone who was listening that the only thing with which to appease the anger of a Fuzzy-tailed Gitua was a bunch of carrots. Somehow in the confusion he managed to be heard, and soon a group of the bold gentlemen were gathered around the Fuzzy-tailed Gitua, luring him with a large bunch of carrots. Sir Hubert, by this time recovered from his momentary shock, joined this circle of the brave. Clvde tore off one of the carrots and threw it at the panting animal. The puzzled mongrel sniffed at it once-then stood up and let out a short, sharp bark. The circle of courageous gentlemen turned and fled and there was another round of feminine shrieks. But to the astonishment of all, the Fuzzy-tailed Gitua did not pounce for the kill. Instead he turned and lumbered solemnly down the path and around the corner of the walk, his tail wagging rhythmically. Sir Oswald dropped his hose and stood vigorously mopping his brow. The remaining gentlemen, regaining their courage, and at the same time, their chivalry, helped the ladies down off their perches. Silence reigned supreme until Lady Lesley-Hopperly regained consciousness and began to groan, l'll never forget it! Such a horrible creature! A savage animal-in my own garden! She mumbled on incoherently. Gradually the atmosphere became normal again and the guests began to leave, until Clyde and Sir Hubert were the only ones remaining. Clyde walked up to Lady Lesley-Hopperly and shook her hand warmly. Thank you for a most enjoyable afternoon, he said with a pleasant smile. I can't say I've ever been to a garden party quite like it. As he walked out the gate with Sir Hubert close behind him, Clyde whistled to him- self cheerfully. Well, managed Sir Hubert at last, that was quite a harrowing experience! Yes,', replied Clyde smilingly, it will provide garden-party conversation for some time to come! Barbara Wells Form IV rixty-four