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

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VOX F L U MINI S . Page Sixteen seemed that we had both been left eighty -thousand dollars to dispose of in twelve hours! VVe decided to go separate ways, and on dressing and going out I noticed the surroundings not at all familiar! On pursuing this discovery further I found that I was in London Qmy, I'll never forget 'how startled the bobby was when I asked him what city I was in lj. ' Eighty thousa-nd dollars to dispose of by ten o'clock-a strange city but then, a strange quest. I took a bus Q-one has to run afiter them in Londonj but on second thoughts changed to a taxi. I might as well begin to be extravagant. When I was asked where I wanted to go I told the driver to take me to the most exclusive fur shop in London. Little did I expect such elegance as when I stepped into a prominent fur shop in Bond Street. The haughty clerk passed a remark about another of these rich Americans. came over to me and proceeded to try and be diplomatic. O-n leaving the shop I was minus ten thousand dollars, spent recklessly on a coat of Russian sables. but well on my way to spending the eighty thousand dollars. On walking in a residential district in London I noticed a sign read- ing, Auction Sale. Mr. G. C. Lorry, auctioneerf' and being curious. flike most trayellersl I entered. Following the crowd through the room-s I perceived what appeared to be a genuine Chippendale desk. Although quite small. it had an appeal- ing air about it. ' Next thi-ng I realized was a huge woman with repulsive features evidently determined to be the next possessor of the desk. Feeling as though I could not let a thing -of beauty, quality and an- tiquity be owned by its opposite. I decided to purchase it myself. She opened the bid at one 'hundred and I raised her by the same amoufntg two other parties entered at a slight raise. When the bid reached a thousand dollars, the other two -bidders dropped out and the bid became a battle between us. Other spectators watched us curiously and all noticed how Mrs. Phelps CI shall call her that for the purpose of referring to herj hugged her pug-nosed Pomerania-n closer as if in disgust. When the bid reached two thousand dollars, proposed by myself, she faced me, looked me over from head to toe. slowly turned her back and left with an exaggerated swagger. The crowd tittered. and seeing my rival van- quished promptly lost all interest and settled back to await the next fight. VVell, that was twelve thousand disposed of. fLater, I found the desk was a fraud alnd worth probably about twenty dollars.j The clerk was saying in her most gushing tone. -was just imported. It is one of Patouis ni-ost successful models. would you care to try it on? I am sure Madame would look charming. Being somewhat amused and mostly bored. I told her I'd. take it and others in such a matter-of-fact tone that she gave me a bewildered look and hurried away to do my bidding.

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Page Fifteen VOX FLUMINIS As the time passed, great black clouds began to form in the sky. Sud- denly he felt a drop -of rain and then another and another. Light-ning began to flash, the sky seemed to open, and he heard a great peal of thunder. T-his was dreadful-whatever was he going to do. He got a great splash of dirty water on his nice clean yellow feathers. He had to find shelter somewhere. As he flew dowln to the ground, he felt that the wind would tear his wings apart. He struggled along, and finally was so exhausted that he fell into a dead faint. . A VVhen he awoke a pale m-oon was shining overhead, which formed queer shadows on the ground. VVhat was that hoot? An owl, of course, but as he listened to it, it seemed to say, You've lost your way. you're all alone. Then he began to cry, and as he was about to pick up a leaf to dry his eyes with, he saw a grey shadow on the ground. What ever was it? As he looked again he saw that i-t was a cat, a cat with fierce whiskers, a sweeping tail. straight ears. and a l-ong grey body. VVhen he looked at it, it seemed to be smacking its lips. He tried to raise himself from the ground, but was not able to. His wings were still wet from the rain.. He took big leaps along the ground, a-nd at every jump he took, the cat seemed to take a b.igger one. Goodness, he thought, fthe cat nearly had me in hi-s mouth. The ca-t gave Amos a big cuff with his paw but just in the nick of time a little gust of wind seemed to take him up from the ground. and he was saved for that second. Then the cat began to chase him again, but -this time with more determination. Then suddenly he saw before him the cottage where he livedg was he ever to live there again? Perhaps after this he would live inside of the ca't's stomach. His wings were nearly dry by this time, and hnally he raised himself from the ground and flew -for all he was worth to the cottage on the hill. As he flew in the window he could still see the cat behind him. He flew into his cage and shut the door. Then he saw the cat outside the window looking at him. As he looked up at the fireplace he saw a picture and on it was painted, Home Sweet Home. After all, the violets were no different here than elsewhere. And as he tucked his head beneath his wings, he still saw before him Horne, Sweet Home. CVVith apologies to VValt Disney's Silly Symp'honie. j -Maria Kipp, Grade VII., York Hall. A DREAM ONG after Mary had departed, I sat pondering over our strange conversation. VVould it be easy or difficult to dispose of a large sum of money in a short time? The fire was burning brightly and my chair was delightfully comfort- ableg I began to get sleepy and presently I dozed. A hand was tugging at my shoulder and Mary was endeavoring to make me become sufficiently awake to listen to what she had to say. It

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Page Seventeen V O X FL U MINI S To date. thirteen thousand-a good lump sum could be spent on a car, so off to the shops I went. The big imported cars were such a terrific price. I felt I couldn't possibly keep it in oil a-nd gas-after what was left of the eighty thousand had g-one. After spending a lot -of time in indecision, I finally 'bought a Daimler, selling at four thousand. To spend the remaining sixty-two thousa-nd seemed to be an impos- sible task, and to make it worse I only had two and a half hours in which to do it. . I had heard several days previous to this, that the world-famed library containing many original manuscripts and portfolios of tfhe late Sir James M. Kerry, was being offered for sale, the proceeds of which were to go to charity. On some vague intuition I went up to the Kerry estate and made the representative ain offer. I became the next owner of the library for a m-ere song fthat is, a mere song for such a famous collectionj- sixty-two thousand dollars. just then- Gwen, wake up. You're already fifteen minutes late for your music lessonf, And did I tear! -Gwen Ramsay, Grade X., Garry Hall. GRADE X. COOKING