Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE GOLDEN-ROD 21 BOOK NOTES MODESTINE (Travels with a Donkey and an Inland Voyage R. L. Stevenson.) In his “Travels with a Donkey” Stevenson has clearly described to us the disposition of the average donkey. Now, Modestine was no exception to the rule. She was usually a meek, little creature, but, like all her sex, subject to occasional bursts of pettishness. She would be jogging amicably along at a snail’s pace, when, suddenly, she would come to a dead stop, refusing to move another inch. Light lashes from a whip would not make her budge, nor would sugar lumps, brought along for that express purpose. She might be coaxed and coaxed the whole day long, but that would not move her. The only thing to do would be to lash her legs vigorously with the donkey- whip. Then she would start, and when the spirit moved, go along at a good pace. Modestine was very sure-footed and min- ueting along would lift first one slender foot and then the other in such a graceful manner. Carefully would she go along down the hilly roads, her small feet culping the cobble-stones. Perhaps she would hear some distant noise and cock up her velvety ears and stop dead still. Then again, if you were not discouraged you would use all your persuasions to make her resume her jogging. Barbara G. Chambers, T7. WHEN A MAX’S A MAX The author, Harold Bell Wright, has chosen the cattle fields of Arizona, as the setting for a most interesting novel. The story deals with the trials of Lawrence Knight, a rather worth- less, young, Chicago millionaire, in his at- tempts to “make good.” As a cowboy on a western ranch, under the assumed name of Honorable Patches, he works hard to accom- plish the work dealt out to him, in order to win the love and respect of a girl with whom he is deeply in love. With his constant good- nature and stick-to-it-ivness, he finally wins out. He captures the rustlers, with whom he is suspected of being in league, and proves himself worthy of the trust and confidence of his friends. He then finds that his efforts have been in vain, as the girl, for whom he has been trying to make good, has married an- other man. The story is well told and the author evidently knows his subject well, but he is very cynical in his prejudices against city life. Albert Baker, 1917. THE COMING OF THE TIDE—AN IMPRESSION (Margaret Sherwood) A most interesting book full of beautiful color descriptions of the ocean at sunrise, noon» and sunset. Not much of a plot, but so at- tractive in other ways that the plot is scarcely missed. Author’s love of beauty brought out wonderfully. Charming characters who hold one’s interest all through the book. A South- ern girl, passionately fond of the water, whom everyone comes to love for her frankness and winning ways. An old man, well-posted on the characters of his ancestors, who later learns that he is adopted and must give up all reference to traits inherited from his sup- posed ancestors. A young man, made over from a woman-hater to a lover, through the influence of the pretty Southern girl. On the whole, a book well worth the time spent in reading. Mabel G. Merigax, 1917. LORNA DOOXE “Lorna Doone,” by R. D. Blackmore, is a story of country life in the west of England. The leading character is one John Ridd

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20 THE GOLDEN- ROD How The Flashlight Helped “Father, will you please give me a half a dollar. I want to get a battery and a bulb for my flashlight, so that Everett Harding and I can signal to each other,” said Donald Reed a bright boy of twelve, to his father. “That’s all you want money for, batteries and bulbs for that old flashlight. It has cost me ten times what it is worth, but here, you may as well have this,” and he tossed a half dollar to his son. Donald went to the hardware store and got a bulb and battery for his light. That night he was signaling to his chum, Everett Harding, who lived across the street, by the dot dash method. That night Donald’s father brought home a large sum of money, which he was going to deposit in the bank, coming from the office, but when he arrived at the bank, he found it was closed, and as the office would be shut, he took the money home for that night, and put it into his own private safe. Little did he know two crooks followed him to the bank, to see whether the money was deposited. They knew that Mr. Reed’s company deposited money every two weeks. They would have robbed him when he was carrying the money to the bank only he went through the business section of the city. The two thieves planned to rob the house that night. They kenw that Mr. Reed had a safe but that did not bother them, for they were both experts in opening safes. That night with a companion, they entered the house by a window in the rear and crept into the dining room where the safe was. They started to try and open the safe, using different combinations but that failed. They had ex- plosives but did not want to use them except as a last resort. Donald’s father was a light sleeper and a slight noise would wake him. While one of the crooks was trying to open the safe, the others were guarding the stairs. Mr. Reed was awakened by the noise made by twirling the combination of the safe. Scenting trouble, he took his automatic and went downstairs to investigate. When he got to the foot of the stairs, the crooks leaped upon him, then bound and gagged him. But he had time to cry out for help two or three times. Donald was awakened by the confusion below him. The boy did not know what to do then he thought about his flashlight. He took the flashlight and flashed it into a large mirror, he placed the mirror in such a position that it shone across the street into Everett’s room. By constantly flashing the light, he woke up Ever- ett, whom he saw come to the window. Then by dots and dashes he flashe’d his message to Everett, telling him to telephone for the police, as his house was being robbed and he could not reach his telephone. Everett woke up his father who quickly telephoned for the police. The crooks were unable to open the safe by trying different combinations, and they de- cided to blow open the safe. Just as the door of the safe fell off, the police had surrounded the house. Then two policemen went in the same way as the thieves had entered. Finding themselves surrounded, the crooks gave up to the police. After the excitement had died out, the boys became interested in wireless, and to show his appreciation to the boys, Mr. Reed bought them a complete wireless set.

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22 THE GOLDEN-ROD through whose efforts a notorious band of out- laws, named Doone, is entirely annihilated. The heroine. Lorna Doone, is almost too fairy like to be human but for all that she is very lovable. Although the characters are for the most part dull and uninteresting, yet the story is exciting and well told and the descriptions are wonderful. “Lorna Doone” is probably one of the greatest books in Eng- lish Literature and any time consumed in read- ing it is certainly well spent. Mabel Derry, 1918. NINETY-THREE Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo is one of the best romances that I have ever read, for three reasons. The first reason is because it is so well planned. Each chapter has a certain definite end in view. Every time the action of the plot is stopped to go back to something, which at the time appears to have no bearing on the plot, there is a fixed purpose in the author’s mind. For instance, the first book seems to be of no use at all until in the mid- dle of the story, then the mother following her children takes a prominent place. It’s a fine example of literature. The second reason is because of its educa- tional qualities. This book depicts the condi- tions in France during the latter part of the Revolution. Victor Hugo presents a very graphic account of the hardships in all parts of the country, life in Paris and in the theatre of the war alike, being described. The high cost of living now-a-days had its duplicate in the year of ninety-three in France. The third reason is because the book is con- sidered one of the great classics. Any rom- ance, novel, or other form of literature which is in a class with Ninety-Three, is a good thing to read. It offers such a great opportunity to improve one’s composition and English by studying and copying the style. It is always a good plan, as in any line of work, to imitate the great masters. Ninety-Three is an educa- tion in itself. Harold Ewertz, 1917. ROBERT E. LEE The biography of Robert E. Ijzc by Gillman is the most readable biography I have ever had in my possession. It brings out Lee’s character in a most in- teresting way. at the same time giving a good idea and a true one of the conditions in the South at the time of the Civil War. If more Northerners would read this book, they would lose a great deal of their bitter feel- ing towards the South. It does not uphold the South in seceding from the Union in any way, but it shows that the South fought for what it believed to be right, and that is as much as anyone can do. There is one passage in the book summing up Lee as a general which I thought was especially good: “Lee was Caesar without his ambition, Frederick I without his tyranny, Napoleon without his cruelty, and Washing- ton without his reward.” This seems to be true throughout the entire book. He had no ambition, except to do right, he was fair and just at all times and dealt sympathetically with his soldiers. He never received a reward nor did he wish one. As time passes on and people overcome their narrow prejudices against Robert Lee, gain- ing a clearer and a truer idea of him. he will be respected more and -more as a man who at all times did that which he believed to be right without a thought of his own personal interests. No book can give a truer portrayal of Robert Lee and the South at the time of the Civil War than this account by Gillman. Florence M. Hoacland, ’19.