Riverbend School for Girls - Vox Fluminis Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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VOX F L U ll! I N I S Page Twenty-six Qf flowers so gay, And elves at play. I simply don't know anything Cf rousing songs that pirates sing, Cf Spanish gold, 01' stories told Of maiden's appeals for aid, And villains at the masquerade. I'm quite sure if I wrote about Our happy schooldays you would shout VVith laughter, and you'd tell me that This would be enough of that. But someday I shall write a book And when on the inside you look I know that person, you will say, VVhen but a high-school girl so gay. . She tried her best to write a poem But couldn't get her brain to roam On subjects sweet, As what you meet VVhile strolling through the leafy woods. -janet Turnbull, .-...l Grade X. COUNCIL FIRE Une fire that will live forever in my memory is the Council Fire at Glen Bernard. Now, Glen Bernard Camp is away in the far north country, in the land of lakes and forests, that really belongs to the red-skinned Indians. For scores of years the Indians have held their council Hres in places just like this-Glen Bernard. So now, the campers too, follow the same custom. Un the last night of each week, the beat of a tom tom calls the braves to council ring. They assemble, each wearing his blanketandhistribalcolors, and carrying his hatchet. Slowly, they file down the long path to the glen. Gn three sides it is surrounded by almost perpendicular walls of rock, and on the fourth-the moon-lit lake may be seen through the pines. All is dark, there is no light save the pale white glow of the moon. In the glen the high council is seated, with a natural rock altar in front of them. Then the old braves file in and take their accustomed places in a circle, in tribal order. When all are assembled, the great High Chief, Cgamoquay, enters alone and stands at the altar before the unlit fire. I-Ie salutes the council and the braves, bringing his greetings to them. Then he calls for the new braves. The tribal chiefs call them by name and they enter and take their places. g Then amid the solemn stillness of the great northland, the Big Chief lights the council fire. As the flames leap up, all faces turn towards the

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Page Twenty-five VOX FLUMINIS Oh! the wild joys of learning! the leaping from book unto book- The scratch of a noisy pen writing in some hidden nook, Of history, chemistry, Latin-the hunt for the lair Of a hidden equation, where only the brave may dare Through mazes of figures and letters-the odor divine From the chemistry lab., where strange metals combine To form fumes and solutions, salt, acid or base- The pursuit of elusive French verbs and the case Cf a Latinextraction-and old English verse, For instance-Gray's thoughts on a hearse- How great is man's mind-for mere learning, how fit to employ All the brain and the senses together-for knowledge is joy. fWith apologies to Robert Browningb -Betty Ray Parton, Grade XI. A RIVER I am a river, but I didn't start that way. I started my first journey in the skies and fell as glistening raindrops, into a little hollow. Others fell in the same hollow, and we soon filled it up, and started to overflow, down the hill. As we became bigger, and covered more ground, many, many other raindrops joined us, until we became about six feet across. We followed a ravine that led down the gentle slope, it was a gentle slope, and very beautiful too, covered with different hues of flowers. At the bottom of the slope, we entered a small forest, and rushed along, covering the roots of trees, and sending up into them, refreshing moisture. We were quite long by that time, and as more raindrops fell on the hollow, we were pushed on, until we came to a green, green meadow, with groups of trees here and there. We flowed through the ravine, in the meadow, and as I passed, I heard some cows murmuring, Water, and felt them enter my stream, to drink, and be refreshed, for the sun was hot that day. In another place, the ravine widened out, suddenly, and made a round hollow pool, where I knew, the boys would swim and play, later on. We passed through clumps of willows and other trees, where the birds would fly and nest, as time went on. And ever onward we fiowed, bringing moisture to all of nature, and leaving behind us, happy and joyful animals and plants. -Katherine I-Iall, Grade IX. I've tried my best to write a poem, But somehow my poor brain won't roam Cn subject sweet, As what you meet While strolling in the leafy wood. I'd love to tell you if I could

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Page Twenty-seven VO X F L U M I N I S stars in silent prayer. Ogomoquay kneels before the fire and with arms outstretched and face uplifted thanks his God for this great gift. When his prayer is ended the tribes are called by name. Each brave passes before and salutes the Big Chief 3 then each bends and places a faggot on the fire, a token of his allegiance. Four braves attend the fire while council ring is held. and the great flames stretch into the black night sky. The quietvfaces of the circle are now illuminated and then again cast back in shadow. As the braves file out before their chief , the fire dies. But the memory of its glory lives forever. -Peggy Carlisle, Grade XI. GLOVE-S Of course he didn't need any Indian gloves but Mr. Percy Meredith was a man of iron will, and having once been intrigued by the gay colors and the look of the strong man which this particular pair of Indian gloves seemed to radiate. he knew at once that he must buy them, that of course, they were made just for him, and besides,-ah-rather nice to show off to the boys. As he walked home with his parcel firmly tucked under his arm he said over and over to himself : Jolly glad I saw these-they'll just do for my study-what fun when the boys see them-I can jolly them along- And ever again, though he strove mightily to think of more pleasant topics, the question came popping up in his mind in the most uncomfortable fashion, Uh-wonder what Jennie will have to say ? Jennie was the wife of Mr. Percy Meredith, the man of the iron will. She, too, had an iron will, and many times Percy sensed uncomfortably that her iron might be a little stronger than his. But, no! How absurd! How could anyone have a will stronger than Mr. Percy Meredith, who had twenty men under him at the office, ready to obey his every command. At such times he never ventured to think of his stern old superior who very often took him to task about things that Percy thought very trivial. As he mounted the steps of his little home and opened the door, Percy's mind was fully occupied with the unpleasant question. He groped around for his iron will, found it, and beaming on the world in general, he called to Jennie: I say, dear, are you up there ? In answer Jennie came running down the stairs and while he kissed her he managed to place his parcel on a rather obscure table in a rather dark corner. Jennie was in a good mood, and Percy was glad. Maybe she would like his gloves. I-Ie found out after dinner. I-Ie had been reading his paper very contentedly when he suddenly be- came aware of what he termed sub-consciously a puzzled silence. The next moment Jennie came into the room.