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

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16 Vox Fluminis THESE ENGLISH . . . . . And the Prince Kharama of Kashmir said unto his chief minister, Samaar: Go to this land as an envoy of our people. Listen and learn of these English that we may know more of these strangers who come to our land to trade, and hope to conquer. And Samaar boarded a ship and came unto the strange land, saw and learned of the English, and wrote thus: July 4, 1723.-These English are a strange people, their land is a strange land, and their ways are strange ways. When I arrived at Dover, I was thoroughly inspected and searched in a most complicated and unnecessary manner. When this process was fin- ished, I continued on my way to Lon- don, their capital city, by a most in- convenient mode of travel - stage- coach. When I arrived I enrolled at a species of hotel called an 'innf This inn, like the many others found on this street called 'High,' is a small place. The inn-keeper is a typical Englishman. To give a picture of his class I describe him: He is an enormously fat man with a fiat head and an extremely ruddy corn- plexion. He spends a great deal of his time at the bar of his inn consuming large quantities of an alcoholic drink, very strong, which does not seem to affect him in the least. The rest of his time is spent chatting with his cus- tomers. Often, the name of Sir Robert Wal- pole, the Prime Minister, is mentioned. I have seen this man and I know that the country treats him unjustly. He is a good, useful gentleman but because of numerous riotings, and unhappy gos- siping, the people have not a clear picture of the man. The rumors are instigated by a party called Jacobites who wish to restore the Stuart line of kings to the throne. The present king is entirely Ger- man-he speaks no English, and he has brought a swarm of German women and German attendants to the English court. A tarnish has crept over the land with his coming. The common people seem to be either beggars or highwaymen. One cannot travel safely in this land be- cause of the latter's constant robbing and murdering. The members of the nobility, how- ever, are absolutely different. Having taken their cue from their fat king, they show no outward enthusiasm for anything. They all attend operas and plays and read the new books by mod- ern writers, foremost among these be- ing Oliver Goldsmith, Jane Austen, Daniel Defoe, and Jonathan Swift. A strange man called John Wesley is travelling throughout the country in an endeavour to reform religion-which is already foolish and fantastic. These English are a strange and marvellous people. They are imperious yet sympathetic, uninteresting yet bril- liant. We are against a strong foe.- Please Budda, we shall be at peace! Pat Bernard, Grade X, Douglas Hall. , SPRINGTIME There is a valley that I know Where the wild sweet breezes blow, And the daffodils nod.to and fro In Springtime. X And the wee purple violets are always peeping, And the pussy willows are always weeping, I And there the first primrose is seen a'sleeping In Springtime. And the fluffy-white, new-born lambs: there play, And the sun shines through the trees all day, And the cherry-blossoms softly sway In Springtime. Yes! There's a valley that I know Where it will never, never snow, And there you and I will some day go, For there it's always Springtime. P. Hodgson, Grade XI, York Hall.

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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.

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Vox Fluminis 17 SHOULD YOU? Should you eat a radish in your hand or with a fork? Should you send out little cards an- nouncing Mr. Stork? Is it proper to confront a departing guest with, Please, Mrs. Brown, meet Mrs. Smith? Does it make them feel at ease? Should you wear a flowing train upon your bridal gown? Should you send a kind hello when a stranger comes to town? Is it in the best of form to serve cocktails before dinner, To tell a woman, O my dear, that dress makes you look thinner? Should you pass the album when your friends have come to call? Should you have the girls in for a game of bridge-that's all? Are you sure by all the rules your table top is set? Do you know the answers? Well, you should. -It's Etiquette. Betty Dowler, Grade XI, Douglas Hall. MY KIDDY CAR I have a little kiddy car It is painted red and black One day I ran into a pail of tar And I thought my heart would crack. I cried myself to sleep that night And hugged my teddy bears But soon I saw a tiny light A-coming up the stairs. It was the fairies bright and gay They asked me why I was sad. I hurt my kiddy car today. Said they, T'hat's certainly too bad. And then I asked them if by chance They could wash it with the dew, So they washed and washed as around they danced Until it looked like new. Moyra Smith, Grade III, Nelson Hall. JUDY Sliding down the bannisters, knocking o'er the chairs, Licking out the jam pots, stealing all the pears, Who's the little rascal in the flower bed Tearing up the blossoms with the puppy, Ned? Now he's in the kitchen begging for a tart, Now she's at the playhouse in the dolly's cart, Now she's in the basement riding on her byke, Cleaning out the coal chute, the busy little type! Naughty little ragamuffin, at the close of day Thinking of the fun she's had while putting toys away. Who's the little angel kneeling at her prayers? She's my little sister, quite absolved of cares. Betty Jean Adamson, Grade XI, Douglas Hall. -1- OH! Oh for the sight of the tiny, The fields of rye and corn, Oh for the sight of the sloping hills And the place where I was born. Oh to be back there home once more By the side of the rambling stream, To lie on its muddy banks and watch It glitter in sunlight's gleam. ' Oh for the sight of the blooms in spring And the feel of the dewy grass, Oh for the smell of the primrose flower And a sight of the old footpaths. Oh to be back there, home once more, Back to the fields of corn, Back to the land where I belong, To the place where I was born. P. Auld, Grade IX, Garry Hall.