John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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Time-A twilight ez-rening in 1272. Plate -Provence, Franre. Scene-Gloomy court- yard of a rastle. Towards the left is a sun-dial and a latticed window. Beneath the window old ivy eliznhs. When the curtain rises, Sir Denis, wearing the armor of a Crusader, struts across the stage. When he nears the window, he begins to sing at the top of his lungs without any arrotnpanifnent. His ooice sounds flat! SCENE ONE DENIS: Oh, Lady Antoinette, The sweetest of the fair, The sky gets clearer yet, Let another but to dare Say a small little word To Lady Antoinette, My swift arrow is heard And he his death has met. QA pretty dimpled face opens window and peers out shylyj. LADY ANTOINETTEI Sir Denis, you are back from the Holy Land harmed. My prayers have been an- swered. S.D.: Yes, my beloved, I am back unharmed, save where three arrows pierced my breast. L.A.: How horrible war is! L.A.: Verily, more accidents occur at home. SIR the llfl- A POX ON IT by DOROTHY PLEAU S.D.: Thou hast not told me of what thou thinkest of the ballad I made up for thee! L.A.: What ballad does thou speak of, Sir Denis? S.D.: Didst thou not hear me sing- ing it as I entered? L.A.: Nay, my lord. S.D.: Then I shall sing it again for thee. fHe sings what he sang hefore. This time it sounds worselj L.A.: That was simply beautiful. .S.D.: Shall I sing it again for thee? L.A.: So lovely a voice as thine, Sir Denis, should be saved for the King. S.D.: Qwith his usual rnodestyj. Thou art right milady. A hired trou- bador, the best my gold can obtain, will sing to thee tomorrow at this hour. He calls himself jean, Le Chanteur. S.D.: I'll write the words of my song on the sun-dial and he can sing them to thee. SCENE TWO Tiine-The next day at twilight. Plate and setting-The same. A handsome young man, dressed in the colorful costume of a trouhador, stops beneath the latticed win- dow and plays on his lute.

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Outside the door, the garden Tansy scattered its gold, The violets and hyssop Were very sweet to one grown old. Thus it was that one still dusk Forgotten feet returned Home to where the daffodils Like lighted tapers burned. Perhaps remembered Aprils Caused her homeward going To wet-purple larkspur which Had scarcely begun growing. They were not surprised who saw the poor Wispy-grey wanderer slip through the door. Doris Kludl' In Sorrow It is raining, little violet? But be glad of rain, Too much sun would wither thee, The sun will shine again. I know the sky is very black But right behind for you I I Is, always waiting to appear, The blue. Thou art weary, tender heart? ,But be glad of pain, In sorrow sweeter things grow Like flowers in a -rain. God watches, and thou wilt have the sun When clouds their perfect work Have done. g A Margaret Richrosl The Garden ILLUSTRATION H. HAUSENFUSS

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JEAN: fsinging and playingj. The Maiden's eyes were young and gaYv With ease they stole my heart away. Alas, where is she this sad day But wed ro the Duke of Brittany! L.A.: fopening latticej. Sing to me of Sir Denis. fshe sighsj. J.: Would'st thou not rather hear of something pleasant? L.A.: Welli J.: Oh, all right, I have just thought of a song about my patron, Sir Denis. Listen. fHe strums a live- ly airj. Because of his many boasts they say Sir Dennis surely comes from Gascony And his walk couldn't be more clumsy If he drank two barrels of Burgundy tHe gets no further for an arrow pierces him in the shoulder, and an infuriated Sir Denis springs up from behind the sun-dialJ. S.D.: fTo jean who lies woundedj. I've heard that thou goest about in- sulting meg therefore thou hast found me prepared. - L.A.: fclimbs down the unbroken part of the uinej. Thou'st killed him. Thou are a beast, thou art a brute, thou art a- S.D.: What, thou hast pity for a common troubador? I fear thou art quite mad, Lady Antoinette. L.A.: Pity? I give him more than pity, I give him my love. floohing down at jean whose shoulder is bleed- ing a littlej. Behold what thou hast done, Sir Denis. He's dying. fShe criesj. S.D.: Bah! The world is rid of a weakling. But had I known, Lady Antoinette, that thy feelings had taken another path, I would have shot him really dead. J.: ffaintlyj. Oh, pity the life of a troubador. Paid to make love and sing of it, but 'tis another who reaps the reward. L.A.: fkneels down beside Jean and kisses his pale cheehj. Does thou think thou art going to die? J.: Ah, Lady Antoinette, thou hast but to tell me to live and I will. L.A.: fdramaticallyj. I command thee! SCENE THREE Time-Early morning three days later. Scene and place-The same. Lady Antoin- ette and jean are standing near the .run- dial hand in hand. J.: Alas, today is the day that Sir Denis comes to draw up the marriage contract with the witnesses. L.A.: How I dread it! QA lot of emotion is used in saying thisJ. J.: We could elope to Picardy. L.A.: I will go pack at once. fshe scratches her cheek meditatiuelyj. What makes my cheek so itchy all the time? And what are these wretched little spots that cover my whole face? J.: ffllarnzedj. Little spots? Let me see. Mercy thou hast the small pox. QI-Ie turns quickly and runs of stageJ. fL.A. hrzeels down near the sun-dial and cries. Enter Sir Denis by the stage -right entrancej. S.D.: fgloatinglyj. Ah, so he has left thee. Methinks thou wast ready to elope. L.A.: Sir Denis, pray don't come near me. I have the Smallpox! S.D.: Ah, my Lady Antoinette, did'st not guess he told me that. I met him as he took to his heels in haste, but smallpox do not stop me. fHe steps forward and embraces her where she stands near the sun-dialj. Besides my love, I do fear thou hast been alarmed for naught. 'Tis only the measles! Q C urtainj