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

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Vol. IV. MILFORD, MASS., JANUARY, 1888. No. 5 The Leaf. Triiiislated from the French of Arnault. Leaf, from thy stem now broken, Poor shriveled and withered token. Where think you that you ’re going? —Oil, of that there is no knowing. The storm has reft the tree, Which alone supported me. The boistrous, fickle wind. With its power quite unconfined— Since that unhapp day Has blown me its own way. From forests on the one hand ' fo the broad and fertile low land, From the summit of the mountains, To the valleys moist with fountains; All timid fright disdaining I drift w ' ithout complaining; To that certain goal I’m wending Toward which all life is tending. The laurel leaf will go there. And the rose leaf, bright and fair. Jt. u., ’88. Volcanoes. f OLCv NO was the name bestowed the ancientson ' a fire-mountain in the Mediterranean, but it is now given to all similar jihenomena. The word volcano generally conveys to most minds the idea of a huge, in¬ wardly-burning mountain, pouring forth masses of steam, molten rock, and ashes. This, however, is a false idea, as a volcano is not al¬ ways of mountainous origin, but indeed, more often a hole in the ground, formed by the fracturing of the earth’s crust, when the earth was passing from a molten to a solidified condition. These holes became visi¬ ble as fissures in the crust, at first pouring forth steam; then, as the holes grew deeper and the force from below more powerful, on ac¬ count of the nearness to the centre of the earth, rocks were sent forth. The deeper the fissures become the more violent the ejections, and these holes are now tlie craters about which the inountains have been formed. The ancients knew only the volcanoes of the Mediterranean, but now there are more than five times that number here in North America, of which St. Elias in Alas¬ ka and Popocatepetl in Mexico are the highest. Of those known to the ancients, Stromboli, on the island of Strorabolia, was called the light¬ house of the Mediterranean because of its flashing light at night, as it was in continual action. Who of us thinks of a volcanic eruption except as something terri¬ ble, bearing death and destruction to everything within its range? Yet what can be more grand when wit¬ nessed at a distance? As the masses of red or white hot stones are hurled into the air thousands of feet, and fall back, they are crumbled into ashes; then comes the shower of ashes and dust finer than snow, sift¬ ing into the smallest seams and nich¬ es. At the eru])tion of Vesuvius, which buried Herculaneum and Pompeii, some of the inhabitants went into the cellars, which were different in many respects from ours of today, as they were cemented so tightly that not even a ray of sun¬ light could enter, and many of them were very far under ground. Even here the ashes sifted and the gases entered, suffocating and burying the prisoners. Different volcanoes eject different materials, masses of silicon, slate, limestone, alumina, slate, or granite being often found among them. These comprise most of the solid materials, and go towards building mountains of huge dimensions, such as Vesuvius and Chimborazo ; those throwing forth molten masses are of a more gentle slope, as the material flows off like the water of our street gutters. It is to this molten mass that the term “lava” is properly ap¬ plied. When lava is cooled it re¬ sembles the slag and clinkers of our furnaces, and is used in making or¬ naments which are sold at Naples. By mixing these materials with wa¬ ter, it was found by the ancients that they were serviceable as a mor¬ tar, and the volcanic mud so settled as to form rocks, “tuffa,” from which the city of Naples is built. The most important gases emitted are carbonic acid gas, boracic acid and ammonia. These, acting upon the different rock materials, crystal¬ lize them and also effect some won¬ derful changes. Limestone is changed to statuary marble; sandstone, to quartzite, and clay to the hardness and lustre of porcelain. The action of the acid gases upon silicon crys¬ tallizes it and forms the amethyst and many other gems. By the same process the diamond, crystallized car¬ bon, the ruby and sapphire, crystal¬ lized alumina, are formed. Together with these are found agate and onyx. Iceland-spars and rock crystals are found in these underground labor¬ atories. To this country are annu¬ ally brought tons of pumice-stone and sulphur for our manufactories and our households. All the mountains and hills are fast traveling oceanward under the - errosive and carrying power of fall¬ ing and running water; and, if it were not for the up-building and lifting power of volcanic action, we might, possibly, go back to that long-ago time when there was one universal ocean. Even the life of man depends on volcanoes. This may seem ridicu¬ lous at first; but as they are the great source of carbonic acid gas, which is the food of the whole ves:- etable kingdom, the statement is easily ])roved. Therefore by the seemingly all-destructive volcano is added life, beauty, and wealth to the world. B. T. M., ’88.

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Elegant Perfnmes. ' Drllatley’sCoilSymp ■All of the delicate odors from LuUn, Atkinson, 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 be¬ come stronger. Those suffering ' should not miss an opportunity to try it. Made by J. ALLEN RICE, Milford. Dr. DeJongh’s Catarrh Mixture Fill6 StatiODCf?. Gives immediate relief to all eases of Catarrh, Astnma, In¬ fluenza, Hay Fever, Rose Cold, Cold in the Head, and diseases of like nature. This m.ixture . is purely vegetable, and can be used by old or young, with eqiial- ly beneficial results. Sent by mail on receipt of 25 cents. J. Allen Biae, Milford. Call at Rise’s ■ Pharmacy and see the finest display of Royal Irish Linen, Boston Linen, Bos¬ ton Bond, Boston Bank Linen, etc., in all the new designs; also, Electric overland mail for Foreign correspondence. —B XJ Y- NEW SPRING DRESS GOODS -AT-- MARKED DOWN! All Winter Overcoats and Suits ■ at Cost. Latest Styles in HATS AND NECKWEAR. ELEGANT LINE ' OF ' H ULL Dress Shirts! -A-lsTID TIES. Gfile SowkeL, LEADING CLOTHIERS, Hale’s Block, Milford, Mass. 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 LOAVEST PRICES. - SPECIAL DRIVED FOR TWO MONTHS! . - 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 Boys’ Calf Goods. Prices Way Down. Come All and See the Bargains at G, T, FALES C0„ |C. B, THOMPSON ' S, • I 154 MAIN ST.. MILFORD, MASS.i 114 MAIN ST., MILFORD.

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Misnomers. W HAT a day I have had ! Every¬ thing lias been so [irovoking ! I’ve just been down town shopping, and in the first store I asked the clerk for some lead pencils; he said: “We have none in the store.” As I turned to leave, he said; “I beg your pardon, but perhaps you are looking for jiencils with graphite in them.” I remarked that I supposed that was it, but they had always been called lead pencils ever since I could remember. Although I want¬ ed some sealing-wax, too, 1 knew of other places where it could be bought, and, as 1 felt a little pro¬ voked, I went on. “I sould like to see some sealing-wax,” said I, in a sec¬ ond store. After a moment the clerk handed a box to me saying: “I sup¬ pose this is what you want, but it is not wax at all; this is a mixture of Venice turpentine, shellac and cinna¬ bar.” I told him that whatever it was I wanted it. I left as soon as I could, for I could see that he was amused at my embarassment. I next went into a jewelry store to look at some thimbles. I saw a very ]»i’etty one and immediately asked the price; adding, “I suppose this is good silver, is it not?” “Oh yes, it is German silver,” he said. I replied that it was just as good, if it loas im¬ ported. When I got home 1 found that I a third time had shown my ignorance. Perhaps you can ima¬ gine my wrath when I found 1 had a thimble made of an alloy of zinc, cop¬ per and nickel, and no silver in it. In a dry goods store I asked for some whale-bone. The clerk said, “I am sorry to say we haven’t any.” “Tiien I must try at another store,” I said. The clerk happened to re¬ member that they had something in the store Avhich people called whale¬ bone, but which, he said, did not contain any property of bone, and therefore is not bone. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was what I wanted, and so I told him that it would serve as well for my purpose as what I had asked for,—at the same time trying to seem indifferent, but to little pur¬ pose, I fear. Our pump needed fixing, and as I was passing by the hard-ware store, I stepped in and said that we had a pump at the house which needed fix¬ ing. The man who waited on me said, “What kind of a ])ump?” “A suction ])um]), of course,” I replied. “Well, of all wonders, yours is the only family in town which has one; that is, that I know of,” he said. “I guess not,” I said. “May¬ be,” he answered, “the word suction does not mean the same to you as to mo; but, as the water in the pump is pushed up, I do not feel like call¬ ing it a suction pump.” “Well, I do not care hoiv the water is brought, but I want you to fix that pump ;” was my rather jietulant answer. By this time I needed some stimu¬ lant, and so stepped into a tlrug store near by for a glass of soda Avater. The young man who Avaited on me seemed to be A’ery bright, in fact, as I soon found, too bright for me. He said he did not keep it; but, if I AV.aited, he Avould dissolve some soda in Avater for me. Seeing that I Avas on the point of leaving, he said : “Madame, I suppose you Avant Avhat lieople call soda, but you are drinking what you do not ask for. This is carbonic acid gas in Avater Avith a certain flavoring syrup, and it con¬ tains no soda; but the gas used is often generated from bicarbonate of soda.” I drank the mixture (and the information) and thought it tasted as Avell as usual. A friend Avho is visiting me is troubled Avith rheumatism, and know¬ ing that Burgundy pitch is veiy good for this disease, I asked for some. The clerk said that he had none, but that he had xesi i Avhich came from JVonocijj, Avhich Avas marked “Burgundy pitch.” I told him that I thought that I Avould not take it. “O, it is all right,” he said, “every one calls it by that name.” Remembering that I Avanted some flowers to wear tonight, I took my Avay tOAvards the hot-house and ordered roses of different kinds, among them tube-roses. The florist said: “I have none of them.” No¬ ticing my surprise, he then explained that Avhat I called tube-roses were not roses at all, but that he had some of the so-called tube-roses. By this time I thought it Avould be just as well for me to finish niy shop¬ ping some other day; but on my Avay home I saiv some very nice strawberries, and as it Avas near tea- time, decided to buy some. “I Avish two boxes of your strawberries,” Avas my greeting to the storeman. “I have none,” said he. “But you have,” I said, “I see them in the windoAV now.” “O, those are not berries; they are merely nuclei.” “They are Avhat I call straAvberries, anyway, and I Avill take them.” I started home, .thoroughly dis¬ gusted Avith myself, and on arriving immediately sat down to see if I could find any more Avrongly named articles, so that the next time I Avent shopjiing I Avould knoAV Avhat I Avanted. In looking over my books I found a list of other misnomers, and that you, my reader, may not ex¬ perience the same chagrin, I add the iolloAving:— The arteiy, from its derivation, means air carrier, but it carries blood. Archipelago ought to mean a chief sea, but it means to us iioav any narroAv sea interspersed Avith many islands; for this Avord Avas ap¬ plied to the JEgaen Sea, Avhich had these peculiarities. Cuttle-bone is only chalk found in the fossil re¬ mains of extinct cuttle-fish. Cen¬ trifugal force is not a force at all, but only a form of Newton’s first law of motion. We often hear of per¬ sons dying from a broken neck, but it is not because the neck is broken, but because the bone of the neck pierces the little ganglion of gray matter which controls respiration. Brazilian grass is nothing but stripes of palm-leaf, and does not come from Brazil, as the name would suggest. Baths always make us think of Avater, but there are certain kinds called Turkish baths, Avhich are simply heated rooms and did not originate in Turkey as Ave naturally su|»pose. Cat gut is made from the entrails of sheep. The Avhale is ahvays popu¬ larly classed Avith the fish, but is a mammal. The cuttle-fish is not a fish, although it resembles it in form. I also find that Cleopatra’s Needle” Avas not erected to Cleoiiatra’s mem¬ ory, and “Pompey’s Pillar” Avas not in the least connected with Pompey. This error of calling things by Avrong names has even reached the rocks. We Avho pride ourselves on our granite Avill be pained to know it is syenite. Still Ave are not the only unfortunate ones, for Quincy is Avith us. My head aches to think how much I have to unlearn, and, as you may also be sympathizing Avith me. I’ll save the rest for another time. M. F. B., ’88. Fronde says: “History is a voice forever sounding across the centuries the laAvs of right and wrong. Opin¬ ions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral laAV is Avritten on the tablets of eternity. For every false Avord or unrighteous deed, for cruelty and oppression, for lust or vanity, the price has to be paid at last; not always by the chief offenders, but paid by some one. Justice and truth alone endure and live. Injustice and falsehood may be long lived, but doomsday comes at last to them, in French revolutions and other terrible Avays.” It is not Avhat you study, but Avhat you remember and reflect upon that makes you learned.