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

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30 Vox Fluminis Exit Gabrielle. Mother: Well now perhaps I'll get some work done--I hope! Curtain. Scene II takes place in the same stateroom but trunks and suitcases are neatly piled against L wall. Gabrielle and her mother sit on couch. Gabrielle rises as her mother says: Mother: Gabrielle, don't you think that was lovely of the Captain to put us at his table. I just adore his mustache, the way it curls around his ears. He reminds me of your dear, sweet father Csniif, sniifb. I miss him so. 6She dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief! Gabrielle: Mothah, I'm going to dance this evening with Count de Bussy. He's a connoisseur of art, you know. So refined and worldly. He's going to show me his reviews and etchings tomorrow. Mother: Oh, how nice. Is he any relation to the Long Island De Bussy's? Gabrielle: 'CI wouldn't be a bit sur- prised. He has a beautiful ring set with a large diamond. He said that someday, I might be wearing it. Did you see that Marion girl's face when the Count asked me to dance? CKnock at the door. Enter D.R. a large swarthy man, well-dressed and having a long black beard.J D Gabrielle: M o t h e r1Count De Bussy. Count: Charmed, Madame! CHe kisses her hand.D ' Mother: Oh, isn't that nice! Now run along children. As they say in France 'Bun jur!' CEnter Junior from R. with two ships' officers and they restrain Count De Bussy.D First Officer: He's the man we want all right! Take off that beard, Casey, your caught in your own little trap. Count: I beg your pardon! You must be mistaken. I am the Count De Bussy, heir to the De Bussy estate, grandson of Earl De Bussy, great grandson of- Second Officer: John Dillinger. Come on. We've had notices out for your arrest after you snatched the Delhar necklace but we didn't expect you on this voyage. You probably could have faked the Count' forever, if Junior hadn't been a 'Junior G-man' and seen you catch your false beard in the state- room door. We have a nice little suite down in the hold for you, so let's go to it. ' First Officer: Mrs. Jones, the Cap- tain requests your presence and that of all your family at a party in the salon in honour of Junior Jones. Junior, 'hero of the S.S. Harmonic. There will be chicken, vegetables and a dessert of ice-cream, if it is all right with Master Jones. Junior: Momma, I don't feel so good. My stomach is running around on the ceiling and my ears feel as though they were scraping the ground. Momma, I'm sick. Curtain. Marylyn Carey, Grade XI, Nelson Hall. fha-' 9... G' HIGH SOARS THE PIGEON A MUFFLED chug, a ripple of water, and the low barge churned on through the murky darkness. The moon, uncovering its face for a moment, mocked the tense, little group huddled on the bottom of the scow. Its war light glimmered faintly on steel bayonets and the blades of daggers- Commando daggers! One khaki-clad figure stirred silghtly, sighed, and took off his camouflaged helmet. The dark curls underneath were dark with perspiration. How goes the time, Derry? came a muffled whisper. The young soldier raised his arm. The faint light sil- houetted a square chin and prominent nose, and was swallowed up in his dark eyes. A slight frown creased the high forehead, drawing together heavy black brows. A little after one, came the reply. We should reach Jever in a few minutes. Keep low in the boat and

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Vox Fluminis 29 1 . IT HAPPENED T0 THE JONES' The scene is a stateroom aboard the S.S. Harmonic, crossing the Atlantic. There is a door D.R., but it is practi- cally obscured by a huge trunk. U.L. are two bunks piled with hat boxes and suitcases. A couch, loaded with coats is placed U.C. against the wall. Num- erous suitcases are placed U.C., D-.C., U.L., D.R. At the rise of the curtain, Mrs. Jones, a rather flighty, utterly feminine woman of middle age, is standing on a suitcase with three hat boxes in her arms. Mrs. Jones: Now let's see! That's four suitcases, eight hat boxes, and a trunk! Gabrielle! Do come over here and help Mother unpack. Gabrielle Ca voice from D.R. behind the trunkl: Mother, I can't. I'm wedged in between the wall, the trunk and the bunk. Mother: Oh, you poor thing! What will I do? I know I'll put every- thing in the hall and then Junior can carry it all back in. Where is Junior? Have you seen him Gabrielle? Gabrielle: Really, Mothah! From this point all I can see is 'The Elexir of Life' on the back of this trunk. Mother: Well, just a moment. Illl get you outf' CMother crosses D.R. and pulls trunk away, with one hand still balancing the hat boxes. Gabrielle emerges. She is a tiny, sophisticated young lady about eighteen years. Her voice shows a heavy, English accent. She carries a large white hat, which, due to the course of events, has assumed pancake style.J Mother C going D.R. to the doorlr Junior! Junior! Wherels Mamma's little boy? ' A boy of about ten years runs in from D.R. and jumps on his mother, scattering the hat boxes in every direction. Junior: Momma, I wanna ice-cream cone! Can I have an ice-cream cone? Can I? Huh? Can I? Mother Cstripping Junior from her neckl: Now Junior, don't be disagree- able. You know we're out at sea and little fishes just don't fly around with ice-cream cones! Junior: Wa--ah! I wanna ice- cream cone now! Gabrielle: Really, Junior, old boy, I say, let's not be unreasonable. Come on. We'll go out on deck and--- Junior: No, I don't wanna. All you wanna do is make eyes at all those sailors. I seen you when you came on board. Smilin' at that guy that held your hand when you got on. Gabrielle: Momma, make him stop it! He ought to be spanked. CGabrielle speaks without her accent.D Mother: KNOW children, stop it, at once. CGabrielle weeps on Mother's shoul- der and Junior climbs up on the trunk, then on the couch U.C. and sticks his head out the port-hole.D Junior: Ah----ah! Mother: What on earth has happen- ed? Junior, stop crying this minute and tell Momma what happened to her itsy-bitsy darlin' boy. Junior Cdripping wetlz I put-put my head out that--that hole and some- one threw some water right in my face. Gabrielle Claughingb: That was con- venient. We're right under the galley. Mother: Oh dear, oh dear! Now Gabrielle, stay here with me and- Junior! Stop crying. You can help me unpack. Junior, you can carry all those boxes out into the hall. Gabrielle: But Mother! I promised I'd be on deck at three. Mother: Now Gabrielle, do as you're told and help Mother. , Gabrielle: But Mother-J' Mother: Gabrielle! Not another word. Junior, get down from that chandelier and help Sister unpack. Junior: I don' wanna. I'm going out on deck. Goodbye! CJunior crawls out over luggage at D.R. and the door slams? Exit Junior. Mother Cas door slams and Junior disappearsbz I forbid it! . Gabrielle: Goodbye, Mother, I've got to keep that date! CShe stumbles over suitcases, etc., and slams door D.R.D

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Vox Fluminis 31 smother those motors. I'll go over your orders. We'll stop the engines about fifty feet from the docks, and you must swim in. Be sure to keep the dynamite dry. Crawl along the docks, keeping in the shelter of the waterfront shacks. The objective is a railway bridge about half-a-mile inside the town. When you've planted the charge, go a hun- dred yards before you press the deton- ator. That's all, but these orders must be carried out! The boats will start out again in thirty minutes. If anyone fails to return by then-he's on his own. Good luck, men. God save the King. He then motioned them to be silent as the dim outline of the town became barely visible. The chugging of the motors slowed and ceased, and the men slipped soundlessly into the sea. One by one, shadowy figures mounted the dock ladders, and crept along the wharves. Shapeless forms skulked through the crooked, cobbled streets of the sleeping town, drawing steadily nearer to their target. Abruptly a tall, dark figure darted into a doorway, and down a flight of rickety, wooden steps to a seemingly deserted cellar. Moments were eternities in the vacuum of silence, and then came a low rumble, swelling to a thunderous roar. The earth shivered, a whistle- blast shattered the night, and the town was jolted into life. Grey-uniformed monsters in high boots clattered through the streets shouting terse commands--searching houses for elusive enemies. The wail of sirens filled the night. Frightened townspeople trembled in their beds. Gruff voices ordered them to unbolt their doors. Noise and confusion were everywhere. Suddenly one of the soldiers plummetted down the stairway into the musty cellar, to come face to face with a stooped old man, tapping his way over the cement with a cane. The intruder clutched at the old fel- low's collar, as if to wrench the coat from his back. Has anyone come here? he barked, shaking his defence- less victim. No one, stammered the old one. Not content with this, the tyrant stamped through the basement knocking over boxes and wine casks. Satisfied that the man was alone, he wheeled about and leaped up the stairway to the street, just as outraged shouts rose from the docks. Spluttering and coughing, the barges had sprung to life and started out to sea, while searchlights stabbed help- lessly at them in the dark. In the moonlight, a mocking smile appeared to flit over the wizened features of the old man, before he disappeared in the doorway. In spite of the Commando attack, the sun rose brightly on the town next morning. But its frightened people did not share the spring-like mood. On the outskirts of Jever, a shabby, grey-haired individual was plodding his way along a hot, pavement road. He would have been tall, had he not had a stoop, and a slight limp, appar- ently obliged him to carry a cane. This he tapped along the road in time to a tune he was humming. Presently a cart pulled by two horses came rattling along. The burly driver drew them to a halt and bellowed, How about a ride? Without raising his head, the old man muttered, 'Tm not going far, thanks, and the cart rattled on. The swish of wind and stinging of tires on pavement heralded the passing of several military vehicles, and then a creaking hayrack approached. A hard, unshaven fellow leaned down to in- quire-- Haven't seen a pigeon, have you? The old man's head turned slowly, and, meeting the farmer's curious gaze evenly with his dark eyes, he asked, A white pigeon? The cane tapped the pavement. That's right. Let me climb up and I'll show you where you can find it. So saying, the old chap slowly got up on the seat be- side the driver, and the rack started off again. They jogged in silence until the outer parts of Varel, a small manufac- turing town, were reached. Then the farmer leaned over and whispered,