Newport High School - Blunita Yearbook (Newport, PA)

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Ube Blue anb TKflbite 13 ious way in which it was found it drifted to America and wras published in our newspapers. It was published in honor of our soldiers and our French comrades and allies who fought in that great war. So, my friend, that is the origin of the poem which you have just read—but the author's name is unknown to the World itelf. I was the comrade to whom he read the poem that afternoon in the hospital. LOIS E. ZINN, ’22. THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP. npO ANYONE, who has read “The Old Curiosity Shop,” it is quite in-A teresting to see the place. It was a warm summer day w'hen 1 visited the various literary buildings in London. As I went up Fleet Street in my approach to the Old Curiosity Shop, I admired again and again the magnificent flowers and trees of England. Everything is perfect. There is not a dead leaf or wilted flower to be seen. Every house has its little yard, filled with flowers and surrounded by a stone wall. As 1 walked up the very narrow pavement at .the side of the Old Curiosity Shop I could almost reach the top of the first floor of this small house. I stepped into or rather down into the first floor, for the house seems to be sunken just a little below the w'alk. I was met at the door by a little old lady, who is employed by the government to look after the place. The first room is that in which Dicken’s wrote The Old Curiosity Shop.” It is so small that when three or four people are in the room it is crowded. Dickens’ desk, wrhich is hewn out of a large log, stands at one side of the room. The fire place is still there as are also the tongs. I pictured little Nell sitting at her grandfather’s feet near the fireside. How very clear Dickens had made that picture! The characters of other novelists amuse and instruct, Uut finally fade away like chance acquaintances. To anyone who loves the characters of Dickens they are real. They seem to be sealed to us as life-loqg friends. The walls of the room were squalid with age and there were names scratched here and there by visitors. The smallness of the room impressed me. It seems almost like a child’s doll house. There were pictures of all Dickens’ characters sold in the Curiosity Shop. I bought several, among which was one of Little Nell. When it came time for me to go I was loathe to leave the place. I cannot express in words what seemed to hold me there. It is so very quaint. Of all the historical places I have visited this seems to have stood the longest in my memory. GRACE SOUDKR, ’22. Willie—“Mother, my Sunday school teacher never takes a bath.” Mother— Why, Willie, who told you that?” Willie—“She did. She said she never did anything in private that she wouldn’t do in public.”— Ex.

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12 cbe Blue anfr lUbitc. had ever been found. Further proof stated that the judge and Mrs. Grimes were twin brother and sister. Thus Judge Brown's greatest trouble, who his parents were, was ended through a ferris wheel. WM. MORROW, '2‘L JUST A WAR POEM. 44 1% J HAT A wonderful poem that is,” said my friend, as she handed ▼ ▼ me the newspaper which she had been reading. 1 read the poem and after I had finished 1 said, 1 happen to know the origin ol that poem. Would you like to hear it?” She nodded assent, so I began the following story: During the war, in 1915, a young American officer was taken to a hospital in the town of Havre, France. He had been badly wounded and needed the best of attention. During his convalescence he won the friendship of many soldiers in the hospital because of his cheerfulness and his charming personality. This soldier whose name was Sergeant Bradley had given the best of service on the field of battle. He wras also known for his poetic ability which was remarkable. While he remained in the hospital the days seemed to pass very slowly and at times the soldiers were very lonely. In order to afford some amusement for his comrades Sergeant Bradley would recite them the poems which he had written from time to time. These poems proved to be very interesting and each day the soldiers would ask for something new in the form of a poem or story. One afternoon Sergeant Bradley was sitting near an open window looking out over this small town. There before him he saw' some of the buildings which had been destroyed by exploding shells. As he thought of the horrors of war he began to put his thoughts dow n on paper. The sun was sinking over the hills as he finished waiting. He rose and walked to another part of the room where he talked to one of his comrades. He read the poem to this soldier and then carelessly laid it among the loose leaves of a book which he had been reading, thinking that he would lead the poem to his comrades at some future time—perhaps on the ’morrow. Little did he realize what an excellent piece of work that poem was! That evening when all was peaceful and quiet in the little town of Havre, all were awakened by the roaring of guns and the exploding of shells everywhere. Before anyone could realize the danger the hospital was in ruins. What a terrible sight it was to see the soldiers dying. Such was the experience of Sergeant Bradley, but he was one of the fortunate ones who did not receive further injuries. Time went on and he was sent from place to place and at last—to the land of America, his beloved country! In the meantime in the French village of Havre among the hospital ruins, a paper was found which was partly torn and which seemed of no consequence at the time. Later, however, some one discovered its real worth and before long a very popular war poem was being published in the various French papers. In the same miracu

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14 Zbc Blue anD tiUbitc LITTLE EPPIE AND AARON. 4 4 J OY'S COMING, dad-dad, ’ exclaimed Eppie one bright morning. •D nut “dad-dad was busy at his loom and did not hear h m A moment later, she was at his side, and again she called him. This time he heard and was about to answer her, but was prevented by the appearance of little Aaron in the open door-way. 11 is mother was not long in following. While Silas and Mrs. Whinthorp were engaged in busy conversation, Eppie and Aaron were also busily engaged.—but in quite a different way. They had tried for some time, but in vain, to secure two of the delicious brown cookies from the table. But they had soon given up this tiresome sport, and wandered toward the door. “Don’t go away, children, Mrs. Whinthorp had warned them. But this intended warning did not have the desired fleet. Rather than a warning, it appeared as a suggestion to these active playmates. Led by the desire of cookies, and by Mrs. Whinthorp's suggestion of going away, they decided to go where cookies were more plentiful. Aaron knew quite well that the hot cookies had been left on the kitchen table at home to cool, and Eppie was eager to follow him there. They both knew the road well, and the distance being short, they i oon covered it. Once inside the kitchen door, they were safe. But the cookies were not By means of a bench, the farthest cookie was reached, and removed from the table by tiny, excited hands. When the table was almost empty, and two little mouths, four little hands, many pockets and Eppie's apron were filled with the delicious goodies, Eppie and Aaron started toward the door. But there was no need to open it. For much to their surprise, Mrs. Whinthorp entered the room. “God bless you. children,'' she cried, You’re safe.” JEANETTE P. GOODLING, ’24. A TEDIOUS WAIT. Wf AITING for a train at a country station is a tedious experience. I » ▼ remember quite well the last experience of this sort 1 had. Th day was late in October and the wind was whistling around the tew' boards which formed what w'as called a station. At least one solid houi of this cold and waiting! 1 set myself to find something interesting to do. As the floor of the station extended to the rails and the roof covered half of the fioor.I amused rnvsalf for a while by jumping from direelty under the end of the roof to the tracks in one beautiful broad jump. Tiring of this, I hoped to pass .some time by walking the rails and jumping,the ties. Time seemed to pass so slowly that I finally decided to sit down and try to be patient. Taking my suitcase I prooceeded to make myself as warm and comiortable as I could, by placing the suit-