Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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Buddha of Kyo-Satsuma. Now Dick, besides being a popular and competent Army Officer stationed in one of the most troublesome districts of the Northern Indian boundary, was also deeply interested in the collection of this beautiful type of Chinese art. This piece was unique in that it was of a very small size, since most of this work, because of its intricate nature, is only executed upon large pieces. Therefore Dick stopped suddenly and bent down to look closer. The tribesman, seeing his obvious interest, immediately forsook his religious meditations, and became a merchant,, ready to get as much profit as possible out of a customer who appeared bO be so much struck with his wares. But upon learn- ing which article it was that Dick wished to purchase, he merely uttered the two words no sell , and again lapsed into his meditative silence. Nothing Dick could say, nor any offer he could make, was able to shake out of him anything more than a senseless reiteration of these two words, although the price offered was far in excess of the actual value. Dick turned r:way in disgust and continued his stroll along the road, vaguely wondering why the tribesman, usually like his type so eager for profit, had neglected such an excellent oppor- tunity. But his meditations did not last long. He had not taken five steps before he heard behind him a curious noise. Turning round he was amazed to see that the tribesman was now doubled up over his wares, and that from the middle of his back projected the handle of a heavy knife. It took Dick about five seconds to overcome his natural surprise and to return to the man. He knelt dov n and examined him, and as he did so, almost unconsciously, his hand closed over the Buddha. The next moment it was safely deposited in the top pocket of his uniform, and he was the centre of a crowd of amazed onlookers, of ail colours, but all asking the same questions, and all dis- playing the same curiosity. , The official machine however quick- ly got into action, and after a brief examination Dick, having expressed his willingness to testify at the inquest, was allowed to return home. As he went he was accompanied at a respect- able distance by the pad of naked feet. Unseen eyes were watching him, . eyeij as they had been watching the tribesman and had seen Dick pocket the Buddha. But Dick walked on in ignorance. He still could not quite understand exactly what motive had prompted him to pocket that Buddha. The risk had been enormous, but he believed that it had passed unoticed. $till he would keep it out of sight until things had quieted down, just in case there was any trouble. There must be some- thing strange about it, he thought, for first the tribesman would 12

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He came first in the Bermuda Cadet Corps Shooting Competi- tion, was selected as the Best Senor Cadet, and is now at East- bourne College, with which he informs us he is eminently satis- fied. And if he is still sometimes puzzled to find his left arm swinging with his left leg, that should be no cause for worry. After all, Julius Caesar probably did the same. Then there is Ashton, who is still, no doubt, pursuing the even tenour of his way, at Rothesay in Canada, and putting in a square centre from the wing. He will go through life doing just that sort of thing; and if he still fails to distinguish between ' French and the corrupt Czecho-Slovakian spoken in the Hindoo quarter of Tokio, what of it? As Burns said, a man ' s a man for a ' that! One of the highest fliers was Hallett. If he does not break records in high jump, it will be because he has lost his leg. Rossall should be glad to have a name like Hallett ' s on their roll-call, and will soon realise that for themselves. He is too modest to blow his own trumpet in his letter (a difficult feat in any case), but we are certain to hear of him through other chan- nels, before more water has lapped round the shores of Bermuda. Welch ' s career here was cut off in its prime. He was just beginning to find himself in both work and games when he was lured away by a scholarship at Rossall. He took with him the good will of both staff and boys. Perhaps one of the most loyal members of the school, was Russell. He was a prolific writer for the magazine, and will no doubt one day be a leading poet, dying with the word Saltus scribbled on his writing pad. He is bearing his cross in Mount Allison. And so we bid them farewell, and our memories ' de mortuis ' will be ' nil nisi bonum! ' (This must be metaphorical — he is now playing Rugger Ed.) o The Buddha. By D. Todd. Dick stopped suddenly in the principle street of the North Indian town where he was quartered, and stood looking down at the quaint wares laid out on the ground in front of the passive hill tribesman. It wasn ' t that there was anything extraordinary about them., or that he saw anything for the first time, but it was just that he suddenly became aware that for weeks now he had been unconsciously passing something of immense interest to him. Situated in the middle of the other articles was a little

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not part with it and now he himself had suddenly and almost without thinking stolen it from a dead man murdered within five yards of him. He began to wonder too what secret that tribesman could have divulged, or why he had been so anxious to retain possession of the Buddha, and above all why he had been murdered. It was already late by the time Dick reached his house, a bungalow building on the outskirts of the town, and by the time he had finished his evening meal, the sun had set and night had fallen with all the speed of the Tropics. When his servant had taken away the remains of his meal Dick remained where he was, seated on the verandah. It was a lovely evening, and the soft cool of the night was a welcome relief after the torrid heat of the long summer day. Dick sat thinking. The Buddha still rested in his top pocket, v here he had placed it when he had taken it from in front of the dead tribesman. He now decided that he might as well see if he could find anything peculiar about it to explain its mystery. He took it out and started to examine it. But for the second time that day he was interrupt- ed before he had properly started, and once more it was by a curious sound. This time he heard behind him a soft thud like the noise of bare feet landing on his verandah. In the quiet of the night the sound was easily discernable. Once again it took him little time to overcome his surprise, and having risen swiftly from his chair, to turn round and ascertain the cause of the noise. As he turned some sixth sense warned him to . duck. It was v ell he did so, for even as he ducked a heavy knife flashed past him just missing his head. The next moment he jumped in, and after a brief struggle he overcame the native who had so quietly entered his house and so very nearly ended his life. Meanwhile his servant, hearing the noise, had hurried to see the cause. He found his master sitting on a strange native and holding a re- volver to his head. With the servant ' s help the man was quickly bound up, and a message telephoned to the police for him to be sent for. Sud- denly however Dick noticed that the servant was looking in an amazed fashion at something on the floor beside the chair where he had been sitting. Turning he too received a shock. When he had got up from the chair on hearing the noise he had the Buddha in his hand, and as he lept at the native it had fallen from his hand and broken on the floor. But it was not the broken pieces of china that held the attention of the two men. Amongst the broken pieces lay a tiny glistening sphere, a pearl, and as he saw it Dick began to understand. 13