Newport High School - Live Wire Yearbook (Newport, ME)

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NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL 1 l28l THE JOURNEY I donit know just how it happened, but suddenly I found myself in China, the land of coolies and chopsticks. Be- fore my eyes stood the oldest civiliza- tion in the world, and the largest in all Asia. Confucius says its history reaches back for fifty centuries, and still old an- cestry worship reigns oier the land. Here in the Far East, as in America, the importance of rivers is very evident, and from the mountainous inland re- gions of China they flow straight to our own Pacific Ocean. My vision quite suddenly vanished, and I now gazed upon another corner of the earth, seeing before me the lofty Alps of Switzerland, the most magnifi- cent physical feature of Europe. The weather was a skieris dream. The weighted spruces cast blue shadows on the gleaming slopes and Swiss chalets, summer will come, bringing a great transposition. The slope, which once gleamed with snow, is now blanketed with famous Alpine roses and violets. Now and then a young mountain goat can be seen wandering in this field of rainbow colors, trying to reach the in- accessible rocks of the higher altitude. At night the stars seemed to crackle in the black infinity of sky, as I looked up- ward to the summit of a gracious, snow-capped mountain. There I stood- in the enchantment of this momentous twilight view, gazing upon the flowing, silver tributary o'f the Danube and Rhine as it took rise in the Alps, the pride of all Switzerland. I shall now proceed to tell you of Holland, the most important small country in the world, known principally for its dykes and windmills. The in- habitants of this little nation call them- selves Nederlanders,v meaning Dutch. Though they have had their own dis- tinctive characteristics for centuries, manyfof them are rather like Germans, while others are like the English. Dutch folk are known the world over for the quaintness of their costumes, the wooden shoes and baggy trousers of the farmer, and the neat white caps and dresses worn by the women and chil- dren. Along the canals and o,er the low meadow land, bicycling is the modern mode of travel. As for history, Amster- dam is Hollandis largest city, the Hague is the nation,s capital, and Rotterdam the seat of authority. My next stop was London, a most beautiful old city of palaces, museums, and cathedrals. Yet I had seen so much of man-made beauty I decided to spend a day in' the English countryside, and observe the architecture of the Old English half timbersf' as the country homes are called. They are low ram- bling cottages, and to the spectator the neatness of their shrubs and gardens in the misty early morn gives a calm and peaceful picture. For excitement and pleasure I went to Paris, the literary, artistic capital of France, and social capital of Europe since the decline of Rome. Because of its magnificent architecture, Notre Dame becomes the oldest, largest and most impressive cathedral in the World. Here in France there are ancient castles of every description, but the treasure of them all is the Lourve, a royal castle since the day of Philippe Auguste. Paris can rightfully claim the title of being the cradle of the newest fashions, the latest luxury, and the paradise of all pleasure seekers, who wish to glimpse

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THE LIVE WIRE l29l the most attractive jewel that glitters in the Coronet of mother earth. Paris became a thing of the past, as I journeyed through Italy, for my en- tire attention dwelled upon a White, circular tower in the distance. Some- thing seemed to tell me that it was the famed 'leaning Towerv of the cele- brated Italian city of Pisa, but much to my dismay it vanished from sight. I might have ventured to some other remote corner of the earth had I not been awakened by the strike of the vil- lage clock, reminding me to reopen the pages of a forgotten history book. I did this enthusiastically, for still fresh in my memory were the thoughts of that mo- mentous journey. But instead of finding the lesson to be full of Parisian adven- ture, I proceeded to read how Colum- bus discovered America. Rosalie jones '47 -u sf fu HIS LAST COURT Old judge Gibson, a justice of the Peace, was never known to smile. He came to Arkansas years ago, and, year after year, by the will of the voters, he held his place as magistrate. The law- yers who practiced in his court never joked with him, because everyone soon learned that the old man never engaged in levity. Every morning, no matter how bad the weather might be, the old man took his place behind the bar, which with his own hands he had made, and every evening, just at a certain time, he closed his books and went home. No one ever engaged him in private conver- sation, because he would talk to no one. No one ever went to his home, a little cottage among the trees in the city's outskirts, because he had never shown a disposition to make welcome the visits of those who even lived in the immedi- ate vicinity. His office was not given him through the influence of elec- tioneeringf' because he never asked any man for his vote. He was first elected because, having been once summoned in a case of arbitration he exhibited the executive side of such a legal mind that the people nominated and elected him. One day a woman charged with mis- demeanor was arraigned before him. The old man seems more unsteady than everf' remarked a lawyer as the magistrate took his seat. I don,t see how a man so old can stand the vexation of a court much- lon-gerf' I am not well todayf said the Judge, turning to the lawyers, and any cases that you may have you will please dis- patch them to the best and, may I add, to the quickest of your ability. Everyone saw that the old man was unusually fee-ble, and no one thought of a scheme to prolong a discussion, for all the lawyers had learned to rever- ence him. Is this the woman? asked the judge. K'Who is defending herlw GI have no defense, your honor, the women replied. In fact, I do not think I need any, for I am here to confess my guilt. No man can defend mef, and she looked at the magistrate with a curious gaze. I have been arrested on a charge of disturbing the peace, and I am will- ing to submit to any judgment. I am dying of consumption, Judge, and I know that any ruling made by the law can have but little effect on me,', and