Pelham Continuation School - Pelham Pnyx (Fenwick, Ontario Canada)

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30 THE PELHAM PNYX ther away from his law studies. Why was the world like this? Why did he receive a beautiful sun-tan each summer to be made fun of in his law study? No sun-tan could ever be becoming to a lawyer-at least Reggie thought so. Reginald Orgen, Life Guard, meant he was just a nobody, not able to take a full-year law course because he had to take a four-month job. This job gave him what he ate the whole year, but to Reggie it meant watching over those people who could afford to spend their leisurely days lolling at the sea-shore. And he noticed the nearest thing to a lawyer, that is a successful lawyer, were the clubhouse janitor's whiskers which at times formed a clean- clipped moustache above the upper lip, and which on occasions looked a full face moustache, not that any lawyers had them. And so his thoughts wandered as he charged with glaring eyes the friend- ly smiles of passers-by, He was atop a life-guard station and over the waves came a screaming, hysterical voice. With one leap he was in the water! lf only these, timid, petite, dieting girls with modern curls and curves would know even the tiniest bit about swimming, it would save him a great deal of remorse and suddenly-but he must get to the girl. What intuition or feminine thought could have possibly made a woman churn the water, beat the waves and endanger both the lives of her and of her most wonderful rescuer, Reginald Orgen, Life Guard! With what seemed like his last ounce of energy, Reggie drew the now ex- hausted body up on the beach. Without a moments hesitation he began pre- parations for artificial respiration. A look of familiarity came to him as he saw the strained nerves of the beautiful face before him. Uninindful of those round him he suddenly thought again that thought he had on his plunge into the water. He was-got to keep steady- O.K., just keep away and let fresh air get in -and back to his thoughts. He was selflsh! He had more self-pity for himself, after all, he had come from a newsboy to life-guard in five long, hard but happy years. The moaning of the girl brought him back to thoughts around him. But there's something awfully familiar about her. Does any one here know her? Why, don't you know? She's Kathy Orgen, a girl from the States work- ing here at a summer cottage. Kathy . . Kathy Orgen, my sister. The circus of thoughts whirling around in Reg's head . . he'd found his sister. He had a family . . he Was not alone . . he'd saved her. Thinking it all over as he slept in his new bed in Kathy's flat, Reggie said aloud, Nothing but being a life-guard could have brought her to me. No lawyer, not anything, not anyone, just a life-guard on the seashore. Who wants to be a lawyer all his life without being able to swim? NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS By Jean Daboll, GRADE x NEW YEAR resolutions are something almost everyone has made and al- most no one has kept. I remember a neighbour of mine called George, who was badly in need of a change of ways, especially regarding his school work. I suggested New Year Resolutions might help. He took pad and pencil and wrote enthusiastically: I resolve:

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THE PELHAM PNYX 31 1. To borrow no books. 1. To do no unnecessary talking during school hours. 3. To do my homework every night. 4. To miss school only for very good reasons. He put the pad back into his pocket looking as pleased as though he'd put away all his trouble . There, that's that! he said happily. January and came and with it time for George to keep his resolutions. They were in his pocket. Latin was on the time-table for first period. He'd left his text book at home. He dashed into the next room and borrowed his chum's before nine o'clock. Resolution one was broken! It was ten o'clock when he noticed that the boy across from him was wearing a new sweater. Did Santa bring you that? he whispered, indicating the sweater. Resolution two was broken! He had Geography, English and French homework that night. He did his Geography, started his English, and then he yawned and said, Mother, call me early and l'll finish my homework in the morning. When he was called the next morning, however, he turned over in bed and yawned twice. I think I'll sleep a little longer and forget about my homework, he murmured. Resolution three was broken! I Time to get up or you'll miss the bus, son, his mother called an hour ater. George sneezed. I believe I'm catching cold, l'll stay home to-day, he said, snuggling under the covers. When he arose at eleven, he felt fine. ln fact he never sneezed the rest of the day! Resolution four was broken! Some time later I asked, How are the resolutions coming along? He scratched his head for a second and then, looking very wise, he re- plied: Oh, yes! Those things don't seem to be a bit of good. I'm going to destroy them and make better ones next year. THE GRAF SPEE By Donald Alsop, GRADE x THE GRAF SPEE was one of the three German pocket battleships. She was supposed to be injured by the raid on Heligoland which the R. A. F. staged earlier in the war. Besides the Graf Spee are the Deutchland and Ad- miral Scheer. They are called ocket battleships because they carry battle- ship guns but are not the size ofla battleship. The Graf Spee had been raid- ing on Allied shipping but had not been heard of for over a week when she was steaming along and saw an Allied ship, accompanied by the convoy ship Exeter. The Graf Spec attacked, when suddenly out over the horizon came the two destroyers Ajax and Achilles. By the time the two destroyers came up the Exeter had been much damaged and was forced to withdraw from the light but the Ajax and Achilles went right on With their superior speed but inferior guns they chased the Graf Spee up the Argentinian coast and forced her to put into Montevideo harbour, much damaged by the running battle, which lasted fourteen hours.