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

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14 Vox Fluuminis machine. Two of these peasants were driving a team of oxen. The voice of one of them might be heard expressing the hate of the whole nation for the cruel oppressors: I have given my possessions to these pigs, now I must give my labor also, that these gluttons may be filled. My wife has been sent to work in a muni- tions factory in Germany, and my two sons have been forced vto fight for this new order which we all abhor. My farm and all my lands are now charred ruins, and my cattle hang in German storehouses. But why do you not speak, my friend? You are .surely not an ally of these beasts? The other peasant quickly shook his head, and drawing from his vest a pad and pencil, wrote: My tongue has been cut out because I have already said too much. A mud-spattered boy in the blue uniform of the English airforce clam- bered over the stone wall of a small French garden. Wearily he staggered up to the door and knocked upon it. A little old lady answered his knock, and, at his broken request for help, she gently led him into the house and laid him on a bed. After he had rested and had supper, he told her that he was an English 'flier whose plane had been shot down in the fields. It is very good of you to help me, said the boy gratefully, but why are you so kind? Because I have a son fighting for freedom. He is in the Free French Forces, and although my body is in my conquered land, my heart is with those peoples everywhere who are fighting against German enslaveryf' Joan and Michael thought such things could never happen in Canada, but someday they would know differently, unless they, and all the other freedom loving people, set their hearts, hands, and minds to the winning of this war against evil. ' Nancy Complin, Grade X, Douglas Hall. LE PORT DE MER Je suis un petit chien noir, et je m'appelle Chico. Je suis le chien du capitaine d'un cargo, et une fois par semaine nous debarquons a Marseilles avec notre cargaison. Pendant que le navire est dans le port, je suis assis sur le quai et regarde les paquebots, les navires de guerre, et les barques qui sont aussi dans le port. Les matelots m'aiment beaucoup, et ils me mettent sur leurs bateaux. Je fais une prome- nade sur les ponts, et souvent l'homme qui fait la cuisine me donne un os. Quel- quefois quand il fait du soleil je me couche sur le sable, ou je joue avec un petit enfant. Quand nous sommes sur la haute mer,- je me couche sur une cou- chette dans la cabine du capitaine. Je n'ai pas mal a l'estomac, et j'aime la mer beaucoup. Nancy Complin, Grade X, Douglas Hall. -l1ilT,.. LE LAPIN Je suis un lapin. Mon nom est Marie. Je suis blanc et j'ai les yeux roses. Je demeure dans une maison brune. J'ai une soeur. Elle est brune et tres jolie. Elle s'appelle Bun. Nous jouons sur l'herbe dans le jar- din. Nous mangeons l'herbe. J'aime l'herbe. Je vois un chien. Je n'aime pas le chien. Il est grand et noir. Je vois un chat. Le chat est joli. J'aime le chat. J'ai une mere. Ma mere est grande et blanche. Elle a la queue brune. Mon pere est brun. Ma mere et mon pere sont jolis. J'ai une queue grise. Je suis tres heureux. Sheila Smith, Grade VI, Garry Hall. li. DANS LE RESTAURANT Beaucoup de monde est entre dans le restaurant, dimanclhe apires-midi. D'abord monsieur Bonenfant est arrive avec son petit garcon, Jean et Marie sa fille. Ils sont alles at une table dans un coin du restaurant et Monsieur Bonen- fant a commande un bon diner, les cetelettes de mouton et des petits pois et des pommes de terre pour les enfants,

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Vox Fluminis 13 food. Spring was coming, the great snows were melting, and Death per- force had to flee the land. Elizabeth Auld, Grade X, Nelson Hall. - UNDER THE SWASTIKA JOAN and Michael sat before the fire gazing absently at its last glowing embers. Nearby sat their father, the evening paper lying beside him on the floor, while he listened intently to the news broadcast. The announcer's voice broke sharply into their thoughts: Today the Vichy Government an- nounced that fifty more French host- ages had been executed in reprisal for the shooting of a German official. The words rang in Joan's mind and she began to think of her own home in Canada, of the love and security which surrounded her. Oh, but it could never happen here! she exclaimed im- patiently, and banished the unpleasant thought from her mind. In Europe, however, people knew otherwise. It could and had happened there. In a tiny farmhouse in Denmark, an old couple was conversing in low tones over their evening meal. Did you take those cows into the village this afternoon as the German officer ordered you to? inquired the little old lady, as she laid down her serviette after finishing the scanty meal of bread, cheese and milk. All but one, replied her husband. I couldn't bear to part with the large one, Gourm. She has served us faith- fully for many years, and has been almost like a child. But where did you put her? asked the old lady with a frightened cry. You know how angry the Germans will be if they find her! They will not find her. She is pas- tured behind the high stone wall in the garden. At that moment a sharp knock was heard at the door, and, without waiting for a reply, a German officer strode into the cottage. You! cried the ofiicer, jabbing a blunt forefinger at the old man, have disobeyed my orders. We have found a cow tethered in your garden. For your insubordination you shall be sent to a prison camp, where you will do hard labor until you die from exhaustion. At this the old lady covered her face with her hands and sank to the floor. All is gone, she cried with a low moan. The Brahnds were gathered about their dinner table in Vienna: Herr Brahnd, a stout Horid wine merchant of fifty years, his wife, a small, fragile lady: and his fifteen-year old son, Hans. Herr Brahnd was speaking: They are stupid, the Germans. They cannot un- derstand how or where the new Free- dom paper is printed. If they would but search my wine cellars, they would find the answer to their puzzle. They are getting badly beaten in Russia, and when they try to rereat, we in Austria will rise up and kill them in revenge for the hundreds of our countrymen who have suffered at their hands Fraulein Brahnd sat in silence, a glow of hope lighting up her eyes. But this light was not reflected in the eyes of her son, who sat staring down at his plate. The next night a similar sight could be seen in the Brahnd household. This time Fraulein Brahnd was discussing the meat rationing. Suddenly a Ger- man squad car drew up in front of the house, and two members of the Gestapo alighted from it and were shown into the house. Upon rising to greet them, Herr Brahnd was informed that he was under arrest. Please explain, gentlemanf' pro- tester Herr Brahnd. At these words his young son stepped to the officer's side: I have told these men about your newspaper, father. I am an officer in the Hitler Youth Movement, and you are a traitor to the New Regime. The level prairie of Poland extended for many miles before the eyes of the peasants, who were cultivating the fields in order that food might grow to feed the gluttonous German war

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Vox Fluminis 15 mais monsieur Bonenfant qui n'avait pas faim a demande du poisson avec des haricots verts. Il a commande aussi, du lait pour les enfants, des petits pains et du beurre et des glaces. Papa a dit Jean, apres qu'il a mange sa cotelette de mouton, Marie a mange mon petit pain, donnez-moi un autre, s'il vous plaitf' Non dit Monsieur Bonenfant vous avez trop mange, nous commandons notre dessert, puis nous irons a la plage, jouer dans le sable. Merci, merci, papa! ont dit les en- fants ensemble Depechez-vous! Finis- sez votre dessert. Henri ira a la plage avec nous. Ils ont fini leur dessert et ils se sont depeches du restaurant. Alors Madame Blanche et ses amis sont entrees dans le restaurant, elles ont choisi une table pres du centre du restaurant. Le gargron a apporte le menu et les dames ont choisi leurs diners. 'J'aurai du rosbif, des choux-fleurs, des pommes de terre, du cafe noir, et des p6ches a la creme. Que voulez- vous, Madame Blanche? Je choisis du porc avec les choux et des petits pois, une glace pour le des- sert. Les autres dames ont commande leurs diners, et elles ont mange un bon diner. Pendant qu'elles buvaient leur cafe, elles ont parle du nouveau cha- peau de Madame Noir et le salon dans la maison de Madame Bonnard et beau- coup d'autres choses. Alors elles ont paye l'addition, donne un pourboire au gargon et elles sont sorties du restau- rant. Apres cela, beaucoup de monde est entre dans le restaurant, pour manger leurs diners. Valery Rayner, Grade IX, Nelson Hall. . THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CHICKEN AS I begin my story, I am hatching from the egg. I am wet, as all chickens are when they come from the egg. As I look about me, I see I am in a cheesecloth net with some brothers and sisters. I am in a box. The lid is being taken off! There is a kind-faced woman looking in. She takes some bunches of net just like the kind I am in. Now I am being lifted and put in another box. A few days have passed and soon I shall go into a pen in the yard. Here comes the lady again. She's bringing us our breakfast. My! That tastes good. They give good meals here. We are being lifted again. Now I think we shall go into the pen. We are going up some things called stairs, and now down some more. It makes me feel sick because I'm being bumped so much. We are being put down in the pen. I think I shall go inside the coop. There is nothing much, only some straw and perches. I shall like living here play- ing tag with the other chickens. The other chicks are growing fast. I have started to grow a comb on my head. I am the first chick to start one. We will be put into the big chicken house soon with the others. Yes, we are being taken now to the big coop. I have laid my first egg, and a beauty it is! Those other hens are so proud of their eggs that it makes me sick. Why, the one in the nest next to me lays brown eggs. I have a brood of twelve chicks now. The other hens say I'm very puffed up but I haven't noticed it. My babies are beauties. I'm now sitting on a kitchen table waiting to be cooked for someone's Sunday dinner, so, before I lose my head, I think I'll end my story. Betty Cooper, Grade V, Douglas Hall. JINGLE There once was a pony named Dingle Who made such a jolly good jingle, The boys and girls cried, Hey, give me a ride Behind Dingle whose bells will go jingle. Helen Emerson, Grade V, Nelson Hall.