London South Collegiate Institute - Oracle Yearbook (London, Ontario Canada)

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l Jlt :BENSON was unimpeachable. For generations his fore- fathers had always been butlers to the best English families. Benson was more adventurous than his ancestors, for, thirty-two years ago, he had come to Canada, when he had entered into the service of his present master, Colonel Jarvis. For Benson, time had but heightened dignity. One day, before entering to announce the arrival of Mrs. Healy's car, he paused outside the living-room door. Mrs. Healy's falsetto voice came to his ear. My dear, I would never take the risks you are taking. I think it is very foolish of you to keep your wonderful necklace of diamonds here. You know. in these days-the servants-. Here Mrs. Jarvis interrupted her guest: 'tWhy Helen, our servants have been with us for years. I'd as soon dis- trust my own mother as I would them. They are devoted to usf' The harsh voice grated: Oh, you never can tell,-and you know that butler of yours has a face which I've never liked. Give him a chance and he'd do the worst possible. Benson stiffened, even though his mistress indulgently replied: Oh, you must mean Benson. Helen, he's one in a million. He's the perfect servant. Benson coughed, entered the room and announced the arrival of the car. Being a perfect servant. he did not stare coldly at Mrs. Healy. These words would not, ordinarily, have been noticed by Benson, but since he had not been paid for four months. he allowed himself to slip, and think-a thing which is never done by a perfect servant. He knew that the famous Jarvis necklace was an heir- loom and insured for 2i5250,G00. He also knew that Colonel Jarvis had lost his fortune in the bankruptcy of his iirm, and that the safe in the wall, which held the necklace, was old and fiimsy,-had been once broken, and had been mended imperfectly. Benson had, paradoxically, a true love of detective fiction and, like all amateur detectives, had a cherished perfect crime. When he went to bed, his plans were complete. The next night his employers were dining out. Having seen the Colonel and his wife to their car, Benson returned to the library. Drawing on a pair of gloves. he soon forced the safe with the aid of a cold-chisel and a poker from the fireplace. The job took about ten minutes. Dropping the necklace into his pocket, he returned to the servants' quar- ters. Later he hid the necklace behind a brick in the cellar. One of the maids discovered the robbery the following morning and soon there were detectives all over the house,- dropping ashes on priceless Persian rugs, and proving to be general nuisances. Benson's alibi was perfect. He had eaten, returned to his quarters, and played cards with another servant until the return of his master. In addition and-cc Q mContinued on Page TTr Page Twenty-tour GWYNNETH MARTIN Illustrated by Dorothy Hubbell . 6 x Q, I g Syn X fa... X , I lt f ll 4 ffl ll X .MH l W lffy f jj! 5 E 'TW I it l , X ' I V s' f N . l f l law, I. I . ll lillidikitil ' ligdiy l f Qmztj, li, f l, y fl Nxxll' ll X C sw 'l vl l I I 4 xQN il? it i t I .Bling ,I l Q is ' ll in 5-1 'I L .X XE h J T H E o R A c L E L

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SEASON S SQL!-I-UUE I he so sad And all the uorld Smzles down on HIL The tree above Wzth accents lon lVIurrnurs so tlx Its gladnecc to :hon The clouds U1 the km Sail ar aboae The bzrds tn the tree Tuztter thezr lme And o I lze And remmzsce On all tht: uorla' O joyous blns Ernest Harlew DAVV N Peace rests upon a sleeping World Above the dark sky turns to grey A red streak zn the east appears, And past tt now the sunbeams play Up zn the trees the birds awake, The young ones clamour from thetr nest, Whilst on the grass and woodland brake The mornzng dew doth glzstenmg rest And soon I Waken 1n my bed, And thrust my e-vemng sleep away As 7710T7l111g,5 banner zs unfurled And heralds forth another day Graeme Cameron IVC S O U T H C I Page Twenlry fav - V -f- -A.:-fp:-1 ' Y Beneath a tree, i ' , - f , A . S fr A ' ' f ' I gi' f I 'VT' A I 5 , of , , . ' 1 1 , ' X K