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

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Page Twenty-one VOX FLUMINIS Why! It was a bunny rabbit, with a new coat, a brown coat. Something was pushing under my feet as I stood there. Thinking that perhaps I had trodden on a little animal, I stepped aside, and something with a delicate mauve shade pushed its head up. A crocusl The flrst of our Howers to come in the spring, and as I looked down, the ground about it seemed to change from its brownish grey color and was becoming a beautiful green with other little flowers peeping through. I felt happy, and strong and new! I took a deep breath of air, not cold, frosty air that nipped at me, but a soft, warm, fresh air that filled my whole being with the desire to stay in that one beautiful spot and drink in this invigorating air. Giving myself a little shake to see if I was still living. I realized that I musn't linger there too long, and so with the voices of the frogs, softly singing in my ears, I walked slowly away from the warm sunshine, loth to leave the little flowers and birds, till night fell with a light breath of wind, a sigh which kissed my cheek while the flowers nodded to me in farewell. Do all beautiful things have to come to an end? I thought so when I awoke in the morning to find that old man winter was still with me. But when once outside, I could almost believe that the air was warmer, and that perhaps the snow was a tiny bit softer than yesterday, and I comforted myself with the thought that spring would soon be here and bring all the delightful things I had dreamed of. -Ferne Cairns, Grade X. WILL SPRING EVER COME AGAIN? As I sit here and watch the snow And hear the whistling winds that blow, I wonder if spring will return again With flowers brought out by sun and rain. The wonderful hopes we had for spring VV ith budding branches and birds that sing, Are vanishing into a blanket of snow Covering the earth from top to toe. The river began to break and flow And grass and trees began to grow, Our hopes were high and our spirits gay For spring, we thought, was on its way. But now the days are dark and gray 'And our hearts are turned a different way. So I wish that spring on its way would come That we might begin our outdoor fun. -Maurine Stuart, Grade IX.

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VOX FLUMINIS Page Twenty A DREAM Would you like me to tell you about a beautiful dream I had last night? Very well, I will. I went to bed last night, feeling very cold. Outside my window the snow was fiurrying and blowing across the yard, and coming up in little banks around the window. I could hear the cold. cutting wind, shrieking around the corner of the house. This is a terrible nightf' I said to 1ny bed post. I like winter, but-these blizzardsl-! Shivering, I un- dressed quickly, or, as some people who watched me said, dressed, for I had on my bed socks. kimona, a big blanket over all that, a hot water bottle in one hand and extra covers in the other. Gnce settled in bed, with only a little strand of hair sticking out from under the covers QI must have my fresh airl I was soon asleep. In a few moments it seemed, I was walking along the wintry streets, hugging myself to keep warm, when I heard a man say, Yes, spring is just around the corner, and I determined to find which corner spring was concealed behind. I-Iurrying up to the first corner I saw, I peeked around it, but to my disappointment, spring was not there, but only icicles and snow banks. Ah! there was another corner ahead. Maybe spring would be there! Again I peeked around and was greeted this time by a little ray of sunshine. This doesn't look half bad, I thought. I guess I will explore this street and search for spring. The sun was glaring now, and melting the icicles that were hanging from the eaves. The snow seemed to be getting softer and wetter and soon I was walking in little puddles of water. After I had walked quite a distance, I became tired, and seeing a nice, big, old tree near by, I leaned up against it. Then from above, I heard a soft popping noise, as if something was breaking, and, looking up, I saw little buds on the trees, just breaking open into little leaves and fiowers. As I loved the trees, I wanted to find more, and see them put on their new green dresses. Just the thing, I said aloud, I'll go to the country. In less than a minute, I found myself in the middle of a large field on which nearly all the snow was melted and running down in little rivers to a lake. Then this would run down further to another lake. I followed one little stream as it trickled over the little pieces of ice that had been hidden from the sun, and watched it grow larger and clearer. I don't know how long I followed that little river, but soon I heard a big roaring, booming sound, and looking around, I saw a big river, rushing toward the sea, with fiat blocks of ice fioating on it, and crashing against one another, and there was my little river, which I had followed and watched so eagerly, slipping into the big river. Then I next found myself in a wood, and I could hear plenty of little popping noises that the tree buds were making, and soon all above my head was a vast do-me of bright green. And there was another noise too, a soft chirrup which seemed to be far away but was coming closer, and soon, in front of me was a dear little robin, cheeping shyly at me at first, as I approached, and cocking his little head at me, as if to say, Don't look so surprised! Don't you 'know its spring ? Then he shook his little wings and was gone. Under a shrub, I found a strange kind of animal-no, it was not strange, but there was something different about it.

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V OX F L U M I N I S Page Twenty-two ..-.. .......... ..-.-. .... . ........ .......-......... ...... .. .... . ..... ..................-,--...-............................................-... .... ................................... - SUMMER IS A--COMING IN! Summer is a-coming in, magic words. The news is spread by birds and bees. The trees and flowers and grass are bursting into bloom. Every- body is carefree and gay, little children are skipping and playing marbles, dogs and cats are dozing lazily in the sun. Plans are being made by one and all for summer vacations. Some to the beach, some to the mountains, others to camp and all over the place. Mr. Robin has heard the message and thinks it high time to find a mate. He struts up and down the backyard fence, sounding his cheery call. Soon Miss Robin hears the call and comes to him. They become Mr. and Mrs. Robin and, as all their other friends are doing, begin to build a nest in the old apple tree. Mrs. Robin is delighted with some string she has found, and Mr. Robin has discovered some lovely bits of straw which were at some time or other in a broom. The nest is soon begun and before very long is completed with four blue eggs of which Mr. and Mrs. Robin are very proud. Mrs. Robin sits on those eggs nearly all day, keeping them warm with her soft, feathery body. However, she does not mind much as her husband sings to her of the beautiful summer coming in, and she is able to smell the sweet perfume of the apple blossoms and gaze into the blue, blue sky. In time now there will be four very young mouths to feed, and Mr. and Mrs. Robin look forward greatly to the time when they will be able to say to other bird friends, Chirrup, chirrup, see our clever babiesln -Betty Moxon, ' Grade IX. THE OTHER SIDE OF CLOSING DAY We invariably choose the hottest day of the summer for closing day. You sit for hours on one of those hard benches, your back practically broken trying to sit up straight as you have been told to do. It is all very lovely for those who win prizes, but it is all very boring for those who have nothing to do but sit and applaud. When you get up to sing, your dress positively sticks to the bench and you feel about as animated as a pricked balloon, in this condition you stagger up to the platform. C If you are a graduate, you trip over your long skirt on the top step.j Then Mrs. Dempsey does her best to make you feel peppy and smile cheerfully. When it is finally all over, you rush downstairs and into a dancing costume. You make a mess of an otherwise perfectly lovely dance and rush back into your white dress, pulling your stockings over all the grime and small twigs you have collected on the lawn. You are then ready to appear in the garden, seek out your admiring parents, smile sweetly at all Mother's friends, and if possible, procure something to eat to revive your spirits. As soon as possible, you persuade Mother that it is time you went home, and then, hurrah for the summer holidays! In three days you'll be writing final examinations. .-Janet Turnbull. ' T Grade XI.