Milford High School - Oak Lily and Ivy Yearbook (Milford, MA)

Page 31 text:

Vol. IV. MILFORD, MASS., MARCH, 1888. No. 7 La Foi. Soyez comine 1 ' oiseau ,Pose pour u n instant Sur les raineaux trop frele: II sent ployer la branche, Mais il chant.e pourlanl ' Sachant qu’il a des ailes. —[Victor Hugo. Faith. Be like the bird, an instant poised On the too frail bough, so lightly. He feels it bend, but knowing well ' I ' liat he has wings, sines brightly. F. E. 11. ’88. “In March come the March winds, They blow and blow, They sweep up the brown leaves That green ones may grow.’’ Ambition in Life. W HAT is your ambition? Of course you have one, as every energ etie person should have; but what is it? Is it for wealth siin|)Iy, or is it for ptitriotisrn ? Perliaps it is philanthropy ; love for your fellow- nian ; it nitty be self-itn]»rovement, to make the best use of yotir own tal¬ ents? Grant that your ambition is for wealth, not to hoard it with a miser¬ ly (uipidity for the money, nor for reputiition, nor yet for charitable pur])oses; but to carry on a success¬ ful business, or for gratification of self, to ha e anything that heart can desire. This is better far than no ambition, for however selfish and un¬ willing to use his money for the good of others a man may be, he is, never¬ theless, of great value to his town. Think how one man, owning proper¬ ty, or carrying on an immense busi¬ ness, is obliged by his taxes to con¬ tribute to the expenses of the town. See the great multitude to whom he gives work. The railroad kings, for example: What power they have in all the questions of the day. Behold the great army of their employes and the others below these, who look up to them and depend on them for daily bread, but all, :n reality, re ly- iiifT on the one man at the head. So then, if you do seek wealth, you will, unintentionally jierhaps, be of great benefit to those about you. Another’s is a patriotic ambition, aiming at the attainment of political influence and the power to give right impulse to society. This is a noble ambition for any peison. In the troubled times of the present, has not the world need of America? And can America meet the position to which she is by nature and by right assigned, unless some one is at work to raise the moral tone of society, and to im))rove the general condition of our ])olitics? Then, if you will, as¬ pire to ])olitical influence; but as you value your country, use your power aright, and let America and the world ])roflt by your good deeds. ' Fhe desire of a third is to do good to his fellow-men, to redress great ])ublic wrongs, further moral and so¬ cial reforms, and, like Garrison and Phillips, destroy vicious systems. When one has such an ambition, if he is eager and zealous, what great o-ood he can do. The world needs O more Peabodies today, to raise and sustain the weak, to cheer the dis¬ couraged, and in every way to work for the welfare of the ))eople. What a future would be ours, were there more striving to lessen the public wrongs, to reform society, and to improve the morals of the gener¬ ations which so quickly come on to the stage of life. The lemperance work needs young men and young women. Here is a fleld for you! The government needs strong-mind¬ ed men to combat the Mormon trou¬ bles. The New West Educational Commission is doing a great work in this direction, for education seems to be the only cure. You all, I doubt not, will soon have the privilege of suffrage. Will your influence always be for the right? Think not that I exclude the young ladies, for even if we are now denied the right of voting, it will not be so long. But who can estimate the influence of one strong woman, even now, on the questions of the day? What an influence Mrs. Livermore has! Although she is not ] ermitted to vote, yet, by her energy and her lectures, slie exerts a power far greater than any one man can by a single ballot. The fourth and last ambition to which I must direct your thought is self-culture. I hear one say, “I wish to im|)rove myself and rise as high as I possibly can.” This is com¬ mendable. Yes, it is a duty to culti¬ vate the talents with which we have been endued, and yet it is selfish am¬ bition, unless we improve ourselves for the purpose of assisting and en¬ couraging others, and to be more competent to devote ourselves to some good work. In this country there are so many advantages of which one can avail himself, if he has the disposition, that he who fails to do so is unworthy of himself. Therefoi-e improve all the j)Ossibili- ties within you. Leave nothing un¬ tried. E. II. “Not books, but thought started by the reading of them, makes the educated man or woman.” Thus de¬ clares a recent writer, and to this we might add : Not what we can memo¬ rize from our text-books makes us true scholars ; but the discipline and development of our mental powers by trying to grasp the real meaning the author intends to convey, edu¬ cates us.

Page 30 text:

Elegant Perfnies. Dr.llafley’sCoilSpii All of the delicate odors from Luhin, Athinson, Wright, Pal¬ mer, and the other leading makers of Europe and this Country. RICE’S PHARMACY, Milford. Is the most effectual remedy yet introduced. ■ Every year the endorsements of ' this fact le- eome stronger. ■ Those suffering should 7iot miss an opportunity to try it. Made hy J. ALLEN RICE, Milford. Dr, De Jongh’s Catarrh Mixture Fill6 Stationery. Gives immediate relief to all eases of Catarrh, Asthma, In¬ fluenza, May Fever, Rose Cold, Cold in the Head, and diseases of like nature. This mixture is purely vegetable, and can be used by old or young, with equal¬ ly behefleial results. Serit by mail on receipt of 2§ cents. J. Allen Rice, Milford. ■ Call at Rice’s Pharmacy and see the finest display of Royal Irish Linen, Boston Linen, Bos¬ ton Bond, Boston Banh Linen, etc., in all the new designs; also, Electric overland mail for Foreign correspondence. .“R TT “V- II n73 Sw MARKED DOWN! All Winter Overcoats and Suits at Cost. Latest Styles in HATS AND NECKWEAR. ' ELEGANT LINE -OF—- Full Dress Shirts! Grile Sowker, LEADING CLOTHIERS, Hale’s Block, Milford, Mass. NEW SPRING DRESS GOODS, ■AT- G. T. Fales Co.’s. HAMBURGS, Largest Variety, Newest Patterns. Torchon and Medicis Laces, Table Linen, Napkins, Towels, Crashes, Nainsooks, Ladies’ Cotton Underwear. Bargains in Every Department LOWEST PRICES, G. T. FADES CO., 154 main ST., MILFORD. MASS. SPECIAL DRIVE FOR TWO MONTHS! -IN- Children’s, Misses’ Boys’ SCHOOL SHOES. Have the Largest Assortment ever offered any¬ where. Bargains in Ladies’ Goat and Kid Button Boots. Also, in Woolen Goods of all kinds. A.Great Drive in Men’s and Bovs’ Calf Goods. Prices Way Down. Come All and See the •Bargains at C, B. THOMPSON’S, 114 MAIN ST., MILFORD. '

Page 32 text:

Feathers. S ITTING one day near the wind- do v,I noticed a small bright feath¬ er pass by, borne along in its course by the wind. I remarked, “What a pretty feather that is!” whereunon I was .asked by a young friend then in the I ' oorn, “What is a fe.ather, anyway ?” So I attempted the explanation of one, which 1 gave as follows:— A feather is made uj) of three parts, the quill, the shall, and the vane, or beaial, consisting of little barbs. The (]uill, the ] art attached to the skin, is hollow inside, very transparent, and resembles horn in its appearance. It is light, but very strong. At the end is a small opening where the nourishing vessels enter. The shaft is a continuation of the quill, and diminishes in size as you go towards the ti]). It is always slightly curved, the upper and lower parts being separated by a grove. It is covered with a thin, horny layer, and in the hollow ])art is stored a white, soft, elastic substance, which is called the j)ith. This gives strength and nourishment to the feather. The vane consists of two webs, one on each side of the shaft. Kach web is composed of barbs, fixed obliquely to the shaft, and varying in tliick- ness, length ,‘ind width. In almost every feather, near the opening in the quill, there is an addition of a downy charactei ' , very small i n the quills of the wing and tail. Young birds are covered with down before the feathers have develo|)ed, this down helping the feathers to pierce the skin. If you ever notice a peacock, you can find as many different kinds of feathers on him as on any one bird you can think of. On the head of this vain bird are .short feathers, each one having at least four colors. These foi-m a jiart of his clothing. Also on his head are three thin shafted feathers, standing upright, having at their ends eyes of a yellow- green color, which are called “head¬ dress” feathers. On his neck the feathers are of the same brirrlit kind, only longer, while under him, or on his breast, they are of a grayish color. Those on his back are quite long and .all colors of the rainbow. But the great pride of the peacock’s heart is Ids tail feathers, and these certainly are beautiful. They con¬ sist of long shafts, with the short, narrow rainbow feathers in rows on each side, while at the ends are heart shaped jiieces of four colors. The smallest heart is in the centre of the end piece, and is of two colors. That is enclosed by another larger one, until the wdiole end is one large heart. It makes a very pretty feather. There are more than fifty of these tail feathers on one bird. When spread, they take the form of a fan, and are the vain creature’s es- ])ecial delight F’eathers serve to protect birds from the extremes of heat, cold, and I ' ain, for which their arraimement is especially adapted. They also en.a- ble them to fiy, and for this jiurpose are longer and more compact than those which cover the body. Feath¬ ers gave to mail his first pen. The shaft was sharpened and considered very fine to write with. They formed a part of his first weapon, the Indi.ans using them on the ends of arrows to straighten their course. The small, short feathers that come from hens and ge« se are used for feather beds, ]iillows, and cushions. The beautiful birds that inhabit South America and Australia have come to grief through the hands of man. They have been stripjied of their lirilliant plumage tliat we might be benefited thereby. There is jirobably hardly a Lady in the country, but has been guilty, at one time or another, of wearing the feather or wing, or even the whole of a bird. The many ships that sail across the ocean bring us rich gifts in the form of feathers, or we lhiid we are rich if w ' e happen to have certain costly ones in our possession, that were obtained not only through great danger to man, but at the cost of life to the jioor, innocent bird. In such numbers have these devoted creatures been slain to gratify the vanity of woman, that it has at hast attracted the ' a. tention of lienevolent individuals, who have formed a soci¬ ety for their protection, and named it after the great natur.alist, Audu¬ bon. The efforts of this society have somew ' hat diminished the “slaughter of the innocents,” so that many of the sweet-voiced creatures, that would otherwise have been killed, still remain to gladden our hearts with their songs. E. G. w., ’90. A Typical English Home. S IIACEBHIDGE Hall gives a clear idea of an English home of half a century or so ago. In this work Washington Irving describes the daily life of one of those old fami¬ lies, now almost extinct, in which he W ' as visiting for a few ' weeks. The house, a large, stone building, is almost entirely conce.aled from the view of one jiassing by the tall oaks and elms which surround it. An ave¬ nue, bordered on both sides by the same kinds of trees, le.ads to the front door, which is the entrance to a large, airy hall, at one end of which is a fire-place, w ' here at most times of the year, a large log can be found burning. This room is the tavorite resort of the family in the evenings, esjiecially during the win¬ ter, when each one must l»e ready with a story for the entertainment of the others. Passing through the hall the kitchen is reached, where often a number of gyj sies may be seen enjoying themselves at the ex¬ pense of the Squire’s larder. This is an illustration of the hospitality for which the English are noted. In a household of this kind the servants form an important part. Many of them have served in the family so long that tlu ' v seem almost apart of it; the housekeeper is a dignified old lady who can tell the history of every person represented in the picture gallery, w’ithout w’hich no English house is compb-te. Under her supervision everything is done quietly and (juickly. Next in impor¬ tance come the footman and butlei’, both skilled in their own duties. Horseback riding, besides being a pleasure here, is almost a necessity, as it is nearly the only mode of trav¬ eling ; and haw ' king, wi.ich is one of the favorite amusements, requires both a good horse and an experi¬ enced rider. The stable is ahvays well filleil, not only foi- the benefit of the family, but also for any guest. In a grove a short distance from the house is a rookery, and as rooks are said to add dignity to the ])lace where they build, no one is allow ' ed to harm them; in consequence of which there is hardly a tree about the grounds but has Mt least one nest in it. A half-mile walk takes one to the village, ov r which the Sipiire holds much the same power as did the lords in the feudal times over their tenants. The only excitement here is the daily arrival of tlu- stage-coach W’ith the mail,which is almost the only means of intercourse with the out¬ side world, as few travelers come to such an out-of-the-w ' ay place. H. Al. C. ’8(S. Dr. John Murray of the (Tiallen- ger expedition says the mean height of the land is 2 230 feet above the sea level and the mean depth of the ocean is 12,480 feet. Should the whole of the solid land be reduced to one level under the ocean, then the surtace of the earth would be cov¬ ered by an ocean wdth a uniform de})th of about two miles.