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

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VOX FL UMINIS Page Twenty-eight afternoon he had said little, in fact almost nothing, evidently something was on his mind. Dorothy knew that his thoughts were bound to free themselves and that it would not be very long before some question would arise. She did not have to wait much longer, for soon he spoke. Dorthy,', he said, for he had not yet learned to, pronounce all the syllables of his nursefs name, why is the sparrow the only bird that stays here for the winter P Now it so happend that Dorothy had heard and read many stories explaining, Indian fashion, these difficult questions which are bound to arise about nature. Well, if you're a good boy while you're outside. she answered, I'll tell you a story about the birds after you have finished your tea. The clock in the nursery had just struck half past five and jerry slid away from his meal table over to the grate fire where the logs were cracking continuously from the great heat which the leaping fiames were creating. N ow Dorthy, will you tell me the storyf' he coaxed, you know you promised to. I happened to be in the room at the time and Dorthy's story ran something like this. A long, long, time ago, when Glooskap, the great magician, ruled in this country, he was king, not only of all the people, but of all the animals as well, the fish and the bears and the birds and any other animal that lived on the continent. But with all Glooskap's magic, he had had a very hard time, a few years ago, battling with Giant Winter, for the latter had come to the land bringing with him his helpers of Death and Famine and had put as much of this world to sleep as he possibly could with the aid of another of his assistants, in fact two others, for with Snow, Frost is bound to come. Then one of Glooskap's animal friends told him of a very lovely maiden, who was the only one in the world, who had power over Giant Winter and that was Queen Summer. So Glooskap journeyed to her country and appeared before her court to plead with her to visit his country. After a while she consented, and escorted by Glooskap and certain members of her court, including Happiness, Beauty and many others and also a large number of birds, for she was very fond of them and they of her. NVhen she reached Glooskap's country, she met with Giant Winter and formed a treaty with him, which allowed him to rule in the country for six continuous months of the year, the other six, she was to rule. And now the last day of Summer's rule was almost over. Glooskap, knowing how she loved the birds, had called all the birds in his kingdom to come and feast with her that night. After the feast they were to accompany her on her journey back to the south land. As the sun was just going down behind the hills, the birds began to Hock to the palace of the magician. Soon the whole palace was one large mass of color, feathers that vied with every color in the rainbow. And so the feast began, and after that a large concert was held and all the different birds took part, some of them formed into small ensembles, others into large choruses, and at the end, two or three of the best singers gave solos. Then as it began to darken and with darkness get colder, Queen Summer

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Page Twenty-seven V OX FL U M I N I S CARRY HALL 'S' The House system was introduced into Riverbend about the middle of October and at our first meeting, Patty Collard was elected House Captain, Kay Hall, Secretary and Ruth Baldry, Sports Captain. The teachers in Garry Hall are Miss Wilson, Miss White and Miss Vaux. At the end of the second term we found it necessary to elect .a new captain and Ariel Anderson was elected to the office. The Hall decided as a Xmas project, to give a hamper to a family in need in the city. The hamper was gratefully accepted. It was decided that there should be inter-house basketball and badmin- ton games. Our house entered with much enthusiasm. For the swimming meet a shield was made by Isobel Hutchinson, in the colors of Garry Hall, which are red and white. We are proud of Marjorie Kelm and Isobel Hutchinson. who were successful in their respective classes in the Manitoba Musical Festival. The Magazine Committee are in need of funds, so at a later date, we are going to have a garden party at which all houses will take part. To close the first year of Garry Hall, we intend to have a picnic. -Ruth Baldry and Shiela Paget. FORT GARRY Fort Garry was built -as a Hudson's Bay Fort, near the site of several former forts, at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. The first Fort Garry was named on April 18, 1882, after Nicholas Garry, one of the directors of the Company in London. The fort was rebuilt several times. In 1835, Upper Fort Garry, or the Store Fort, was built, a substan- tial structure, with solid stone walls and four large bastions. In 1850 it was enlarged and a new gateway was erected. In 1882 the fort was demolished except for the gateway, and the land was sold to the City of Winnipeg. In 1897, the gateway, which still stands, was presented to Win- nipeg by the Hudson's Bay Company. In its grand days, Fort Garry was the centre of fur trading, settling, the buffalo hunt, and all those activities of pioneer times, even as its successor, Winnipeg, is the western metropolis of today. -M. Aline Harvey. THE LAST GUEST A few days ago, Jerry and his nurse Dorothy. had been out on their usual afternoon walk. It had proved to be one of those days that are not very cold but just cloudy and dull. The young man walking beside Dorothy was generally full of many silly questions or foolish comments, but this

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Page Twenty-nine VOX FLILMINI5 realized that it was time that she was leaving, so rising from her temporary throne, she thanked her host and then bid the birds follow her to the great south land. But Master Sparrow took no heed of her bidding and went on eating. for he was rather a greedy little bird. But it was not long until he found that it had got too dark to see what was spread on the table, so he left it. thinking that now if he flew fast enough he would be able to catch up to the other birds and nobody would know the difference. But as he reached the outer court of the palace he heard faint notes of distress coming from the farthest corner. As he neared the corner he found that his friend, Master Chickadee. had met with an accident and was too badly hurt to be able to Hy. He did what he could for the poor little bird, but that was not much, then he thought of the great magician, so he went back to the palace and begged to be presented to him. Glooskap received him warmlyyand listened carefully to all that Master Sparrow had to say. Then they decided to go back to the corner and get the Chickadee and bring it back to the palace. It was not much before midnight when they had finally done all they could for the Chickadee and for the first time since leaving the feast. Master Sparrow wondered how he could possibly catch up .with the rest of the birds who had left so much earlier. But Glooskap must have known his thoughts for he said, 'Master Sparrow you need have no fear. for I am going to ask you to stay with me at the palace and with Master Chickadee, and I will promise to take care of you through every winter.' So the Sparrow and the Chickadee stayed, the Sparrow because he had been willing to leave his friends and offer help to someone in need. and the Chickadee because he was not strong enough after his accident to Hy the great distance to the south land. And is that why the Sparrow and the Chickadee stay here for the winter P asked Jerry 'who had been listening very intently with his face in his hands. Yes, that is the answer to your question, Dorothy explained, and now it is time for you to go to bed. -Isobel Hutchinson, Grade X. TUESDAY MORNING 'Tis minister day, Great the curiosity-who can he be? We watch from the window, his face to see. A car rounds the driveway, and then it halts, He steps out-alas! That bush has its faults On minister day.