Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School - Echoes Yearbook (Peterborough, Ontario Canada)

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28 It first was perpetrated by A merchant from the East, VVho told it while conversing with A Babylonic priest. The latter was too solemn to Expand into a smile, He passed the joke to Egypt then, Engraved upon a tile. The reigning Pharaoh thought it so Particularly smart, He had it widely spread about In hieratic art, It came into the keeping of A wilv Philistine. Who passed his time in dyeing cloth. In Davids house to shine. But ages passed, the joke was told, XVith cffervescent fuss, I'nto a Greek historian Hf name Herodotus. He carried it about with him And spread it far atieldg .Athenian archons over it XYith laughter fairly squealed. Still farther west it travelled, till It came to Cicero. They say that he was too refined, And thought it rather low. A Roman legionary in The latest Gallic war With joy incorporated it Within his repertoire. 'Twas brought across the channel next Despite the choppy seas, By merchants seeking metal from The Cassiterides. It cheered the hearts of all the men Boadicea led W'hen squatting round the ruddy blaze Before they went to bed. It has been circulated in Each dialect and tongue, Until we wish the merchant had Been prematurely hung. THE EcHoEs Its time-worn humour often decks The after-dinner speechg To parsons and to undergrads, It clings as would a leech. 'Tis like the evil deeds men do: It terrifies the brave: Though men may come and go, this joke Can never find a grave! G. SHEARER, IVB Acad. R556 HE AGENTLE breeze fanned the new green meadows in the distance and swept up the river. It was pleasant to sit there, my back against the bole of a great tree, and to sketch the beautiful landscape which unrolled before me. A few fieecy white clouds drifted lazily across a sky of deep blue. Above me and to my right, earth and sky met rather more abruptly, it seemed, along the top of the high bank strewn with boulders. From behind one of these rocks, even as I looked, a small form came into view peering this way and that. It seemed strange to me that in this place, which was almost a wilderness, a baby should be Wandering alone. I felt, therefore. that his mother was not far off for the baby was not any more than old enough to get around by himself. He seemed to be on an exploring expedition, for he toddled along the top of the bank inspecting the ground and turning over rocks in what seemed a most interested fashion. Then he slowly began to work his way down the bank, not seeming to notice me. Suddenly he stepped on a loose stone which slid out from under him, taking his feet with it. He rolled over and over down the bank and shot out into the black rushing waters. I jumped up and was about to dash to the rescue when the baby's mother, whom I had suspected to be near by, rushed panic-stricken over the hill and down the bank. NVithout a sound or a moment's hesitation she dived into the cold waters and struck out strongly for her baby, who had by this time

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THE EcHoEs 27 The Duel 0U'l'SIDE Le Rouge Lion, the rain falls in a steady drizzle. Suddenly from the darkness down the road three men appear. In spite of the gloom of the night it is possible to see that they wear the red, white and blue cockades of revolutionary France. They come stealthily up to one of the partially shaded windows of the inn and stand grouped in front of it, speaking occasionally in hoarse undertones. Inside the inn two noblemen, Alex- andre de Nemours and Dupont dl-Xlembert, sit discussing their plans for the next day. They are fugitives from the Terror. VVell, mon ami, says Nemours to his companion, 'Ato-morrow we will reach the coast unless the Jacobins lie in wait for us at Caenf' Do not lose hope, H1011 brave, replies d'Alembert, I believe that we lost them at Orleans, where we tricked them into thinking that -W On guard, interrupted Nemours, someone is watching at the east window! In the meantime, outside the win- dow, tension is growing. How shall we attack? asks Car- rier, of the leader, Citoyen Greuze. We cannot enter boldly and engage them hand to hand for they are very adept with the rapier and are not lacking in skill with the pistol. W'e shall wait for an opportunity to trick them, snaps Greuze, whose temper is on edge after tramping all night through the rain. Look, rasps Lebas, the third conspirator, the aristocrats are quar- relingl Indeed, from inside the inn, come sounds of heated argument. Finally, the conspirators heard d'Alembert chal- lenge Nemours to a duel. The two draw their pistols and fire simultane- ously. Both fall to the floor, remain motionless, and for several moments the conspirators look at each other, speechless with amazement. Look, gasps Carrier, they have shot each other, neither of them moves. L'Let us return to Orleans at once, says Greuze excitedly, and report to Citoyen Marat that we have killed both of the accursed aristocrats. He should reward us Well. Two days later, two men stand on the deck of the schooner Cloud, bound for England from the port near Caen. Thanks to you We have escaped, says one whose name is Nemours, but we were almost food for lXfIadame Guillotinef' It was a simple plan, replies d'Alembert, I counted on the coward- ice of those rogues to delay them long enough to allow us to put on our little duel. ToM HooPER, VB Acad. The History of a Fine Old joke FIRST PRIZE, HUMoRoUs VERSE 9 ff F -mat was H1Qla navel These verses were inspired by the lines below: l'l'1zatez'er you do, do Jzol z'1zr!zf1'e' much ji0k6-Z'6llZ.lZg 111 the pl'0g7'C111ZI716, for there is uotlzfizg more boresome zffzau an old joke, that seems to have l1'Z'6'd-f6i'6l' since the Flood. There's nothing so infectious as The prehistoric joke, It dates from times when mortals by Gesticulations spoke. Come, listen to the history Of one undying brand, Which may be heard in vogue to-day VVhen walking down the Strand.

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THE EcHoEs been caught in branches which hung over the river. The mother soon reached the spot, but seemed unable to get at the tiny creature which was entangled amongst the branches. Finally, with super- human strength, she tore the branches away and grasped her baby. She struck out for the bank and tried to scramble up, but it proved steep. Then, still carrying her precious burden, she made for a place where the bank was not as steep. I stood rooted to the spot, watching this battle against death. 29 Finally the mother reached her ob- jective, half swimming, half carried by the current. She climbed out and placed her olfspring on the grass. Then instead of fondling her baby, just snatched from the jaws of death, she delivered one good cuff which sent him rolling along the grass, and turned away. To a human being this was an heroic self-sacrificing rescue, but to the mother bear and her cub it was just another incident in a normal day, FRED HooPER, VB Acad. 1716171-g7Zdl'1.07l FIRST PRIZE UPPER SCHOOL You held it in your hand, the dying dove. VVhen first I came upon you in the wood, And the soft colours of its gentle throatl Were streaked with ruby blood. You said with scornful look, It's just a birdl Don't cry about it, silly one, you said. And, There are plenty of them in the Wood, No one will ever notice this one's dead. I wanted, then, to ask you if you thought You could bring back the tender cooing note Its mate had heard and loved, or paint again The iridescent rainbow of its throat? Oh, how I wish I could have called you lvrzrte - I only turned, and slowly walked away. You didn't understand? f You never could A I hope you will s some day. HILDA THoMPsoN, VA Academic