Hamilton Collegiate Institute - Vox Lycei Yearbook (Hamilton, Ontario Canada)

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Easter Y O X L Y 1' E I ' 1921 OOOOO0000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 9 O C 0000000000000 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 000000 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO First Prize Essay by lVl'ss Rhena I. Mcllroy 6 6 OUR-THlRTY. chimed the gay little French clock on the mantle- piece, and Four-thirty boom- ed the pompous old Grandfather clock in the corner, a second later. Beat you that time! giggled the little clock provokingly. lt's your own fault, though: you will persist in regulating your time by the sun. lf you'd go by the moon, as l do, you wouldn't be so slow. Why, you-you impudent little hus- syl! sputtered the big clock furiously, los- ing another second in his anger: how dare you say l'm slowl lVly time is per- fect, and has been for a hundred years. As for that new-fangled notion of setting your time by the moon, it's absurd! Everybody knows the sun is more accur- ate: there are no two sides to the ques- tion. - You're a self-opinionated old fogey! retorted the little clock, hotly. You- A distant bang of the front door in- terrupted the discussion, and a moment later an impetuous young person burst into the room like a small whirlwind. What do you thinkin she began, breathlessly, to her mother, who was sew- ing quietly by the window, entirely un- aware of the interesting argument quoted above, My essayl l forgot all about it! It has to be in by to-morrow! On 'The ideal Schoolg' isn't that an awful subject? What'll l ever do? l'll have to work like fury! Well, replied her mother, rolling up her work, you'll just have to do the best you can. lf you try, you can get a good start before six o'clock. l'm going down now to bake a cake for supper. so you can have the room to yourself. Left alone, Nlarie made elaborate prep- arations, she Filled her fountain pen, sharpened two lead pencils, found a fresh blotter, attached the study lamp ready for use, and finally, with the light of deter- mination in her eyes, opened her note- book at a clean page, and settled to work. ln the silence that followed, the little clock glanced across the room in a friend- ly fashion. lsn't it a glorious clay, she remarked, with a conciliatory jerk of her minute hand. But the big clock was not to be ap- peased. Your'e fast, you know you are, he asserted violently, and anybody but a Highty foreign clock like you, would admit that the sun exercises the most powerful inliuence in nature. On you, perhaps, interjected the little clock, scornfully. On everything, declared the big clock, rashly. Prove it, challenged the little French timepiece, l dare you tol' Done, the big clock replied defiantly. l'll show you. He ticked on in meditative rhythm for a few seconds, then as a lengthening beam of sunlight spread across the carpet, a bright idea occurred to him. With a tri- umphant chuckle, he telegraphed a swift little message to his chief. the sun, and- Nlarie sighed restlessly, threw herself back in her chair, and impatiently bit the end of her pencil. Now, what was l going to say? she murmured, with a puzzled frown, l'm sure l don't know. As she glanced about in search of inspiration, her eye was ar- rested by a gleam of sunlight illuminating the title of a new book. The temptation was irresistible: down went the pencil, and two minutes later she was absorbed in the book. Half-past ten, struck the little clock soberly, and Half-past ten, sounded the big clock, with the conscious pride of one who has proved his point. How about the power of the sun now? he inquired grandly, nl told you l'd show you. Marie closed the book with a long sigh, uttered a dismayed exclamation at the

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Easter Y 0 X lateness of the hour, and with a despairing glance at the few lines on her paper, went slowly to her room. l'm sure l don't know why l looked at that book, she thought despondently, as she dropped off to sleep. What shall l do in the morning?' ln the den, the little French clock glint- ed appealingly up at the moon- Marie opened her eyes with a start. She was standing by a window at the back of Room ll: she was alone, but judging by the sounds overhead, would not be so for long. Nine o'clockl she exclaimed, glanc- ing at her watch, and nobody here yet. This is a fine state of affairs. They'll be clown any minute now, a silvery voice startled her by replying. She turned swiftly, and there, balancing itself daintily on the window-ledge, was the minute hand of her own little French clock. The new cloak-rooms and auditorium for chapel are on the third floor, it ex- plained obligingly, paying no attention to her start of surprise. That's a good idea, approved Marie, but what will they say to me for not going? 'ish-h! Here they come, was the re- ply, just slip me in your pocket and you'll be invisible. She had barely time to obey when the door was opened and Mr. Morris entered, followed by the class. Translate first, Dave, began lVlr. Mor- ris, when they were settled for work. Robinson arose, picked up his book, and with easy self-assurance, and graceful, appropriate gestures, read a page and a half of Cicero's speech Pro Lege Manila. Very well handled, Mr. Morris com- mented. Go on, Allan! Allan complied promptly, and with mili- tary precision and perfect equanimity, con- tinued two rnore pages of the oration. Utterly astounded, Marie stifled a wild desire to laugh, and clutched the little hand in her pocket with incautious haste. lnvoluntarily she cried out at the sharp prick it gave her, and the whole scene vanished instantly from her sight. li Y 1' E I 1921 She found herself walking down a spac- ious halllwith the Biology class. They halted before a door marked Botany, and Mr. Morrison admitted them to a large, airy room, flooded with sunshine. and equipped with every modern conveni- ence in the line of microscopes, specimens and books of reference. Marie gasped with surprise and delight. but the class took their places in a man- ner which proclaimed them to be entirely accustomed to their ideal surroundings. When the period was over, Marie, urged on by her own curiosity, and en- couraged by a friendly prick from the guiding hand in her pocket, followed Mr. Morrison into what proved to be the zoology class. Like the Botany room, it was large and sunny, and furnished to meet every requirement of the work. Mr. Morrison looked about him with an air of satisfaction, flicked an imaginary speck of dust from a shining specimen case near by, and then proceeded to the next room. Marie followed him eagerly, through the Physics Lab., with- its convenient desks and up-to-date electrical fixtures, the Chemistry Lab., which was spotlessly clean and faultlessly equipped, to the last of the suite, the Mineralogy room, whose walls were lined with shelves of rare speci- mens. And as Mr. Morrison locked the last door behind him, his face wore the expression of a man whose dreams have come true. Then in quick succession she attended a History class taught by Mr. Mccarvin, who illustrated his lesson by the use of a profusion of maps which fitted convenient- ly into the side of the wall, and rolled up like so many window blinds: and a Mathe- matics class, in which Mr. Simpson dem- onstrated his patent method of inscribing circles. Passing out of Room I3, she no- ticed, fastened just under the telephone, what appeared to be a small black box. Above it was tacked a neat card, bearing the following limerick:- There was a young person named Hull, Who once said he found school life dull. Now he edits the Vox, and his raven- black locks, Top a brain that oft longs for a lull. Continued on page 42