Scituate High School - Chimes Yearbook (Scituate, MA)

Page 14 text:

12 THE CHIMES the city authorities, use the pavements as their canvas and in this way earn what little money they can from enthusiastic tourists, like myself, or the kind Fjii lish folk who so generously give their six- pences and pennies to needy ones. Hurrying past, I started toward the north entrance of the Abbey, luit I stopped to pick up two feathers that had dropped from one of the Westminster pigeons who make their homes on the crest of the massive walls. Having left the hurried people and the sunshine, I stepi-ed into the vaulted heights of the Abbey. Prisms of light peep- ed through the glorious rose window, filtered through the duski- ness of the atmosphere, and scattered kaleidoscopic sunbeams on the hollowed stone floor and in the carved crevices of the walls. Many, many people were there, but not a sound could be heard above the soft chords of the organ which was playing the postlude of the morn- ing service. yiy eyes were not accustomed to the dimness of the Abbey, but soon as I, in amazement, glanced from one seemingly intangible sta- tue to another, they all seemed to be beckoning me. I first answered the call of the poets ' corner where there are monuments to Burns, Chaucer, Tennyson, Browning, Shakespeare, Dickens, and many others. But then, an old wooden gallery aroused my curiosity. Upon mounting its well-worn stairs I saw the coronation chair on which kings for hundreds of years have received their oath and crown. On this famous chair, the next king of England will be crowned. On the day of tlie coronation it will be moved to the altar where Princess Marina and Prince George were married re- cently — an alter of red velvet and intricate wood carving. Then there was the small tomi) and statue of Queen ictoria — sixty years a queen. Having explored a few of the separate chapels, I entered the nave. The work on this |)ortion of the Abbey was begun in 376 ])ut was not finished entirely until 130 years later. In the center of the western end of the nave, there is a memorial to the ' ' Unknown ' arrior. ' ' In the grave is French soil; on it is a slate of black Belgian marl)le: by its side hangs the Congressional Medal of Amer- ica : above it is the Padre ' s Flag, a Union Jack used at ' imy Bridge. Having spent almost a day in this glorious shrine and not having see n half of the Al)bey. I reluctantly made my way to the entrance. I left its hallowed walls with an insistent desire to return again to its quietness, solitude, and holiness.

Page 13 text:

THE CHIMES 11 fun to live in the woods an ' chase squirrels. There ' s that funny lookin ' poodle in the window across th ' street. Huh ! what a lazy animal he is. And stuck up too. Wonder if he does anythin ' l)ut sleep an ' eat. I ' m kinda sleepy myself. Gee, though, I haven ' t done anythin ' this mornin ' hut sleep an eat. Ho! Hum! Guess I ' ll crawl under the porch where it ' s quiet an ' have a few ' winks. Ho ! Hum! It ' s a dog ' s life hut a pretty good one, at that. A DAY IN LONDON Betty Bartington, ' 35 At last that day of days had arrived when I would he ahle to see London, a place of dreams to me, a fairy city, a Christmas-card town of small buildings and picturesque side streets. The train, a queer little toy but surprisingly comfortable, blew its tiny whistle at the last station, Waterloo, which finally loomed in front of my compartment window. Then out I stepped into the hurry and scurry of the station, which, like all other stations the world over, was dirty and smoky, and filled with human beings scampering like deer before the hound. After leaving Waterloo Station, I went to Westminster Bridge which spans the historical Thames. Though it is a miniature river, it has seen more of the romance of history than almost any place of its kind in the world. From the l:)rink of the bridge there could be seen to the left the stately and delicately-graceful Houses of Par- liament, and Big Ben. The former is of light-colored stone, darken- ed by the elements, with many slender minarets which are adorned with intricate masonry giving an air of stability and of l)cauty. Big Ben smiles down upon these, with an accurate and much loved smile that has placed this time-piece among the best known l)uildings of the world. On the right was tlie Victoria einl)ankment with the Thames ' boats moored to its sul stantial sides, and the roads leading to the heart of London. Behind Big Ben there soared the huge tapering- tower of Westminster Al)1 ey. I was anxious to enter this famous resting place of kings, cpieens, and honored people of every nation. I walked along l}riskly l]ut suddenly sto])]:)ed, looked down, and saw, drawn on the sidewalk, a picture of a sunset in the hills — - probably in Scotland. Who could foolisli enough to leave so beautiful a piece of workmansliip where it would soon l)e ruined l)v the foot-steps of hundreds of jieople? At last 1 fcnmd cmt that some of the poor artists of London, liaving attained |)ermission from

Page 15 text:

THE CHIMES 13 Again in the sunshine I reflected upon the dimness of the building — the memorial — from which I had just departed. Once, those thousands buried in the Al)bey were walking in the sunshine as I. They, too, had had some of their fondest dreams come true, as I had; they had made something of their lives, as I hope to do. With these thoughts and many others as my companions, I made my way around the well-trodden streets of London. It was like any city, any huge metropolis; and, probably some people w ho had such air-castles as I, would have been thoroughly disappointed with modern London. But every stone, every blade of withered or green grass, every par- ticle of dust in the air spelled romance and fulfilled dreams for me. THE CAPTURE Joseph Curran, ' 36 Behind the wheel of a big sedan, going over the highway at a good rate of speed was Bill Johnson. He was captain of the Louisville College squad which had just dropped its second match of the year. He was going back to college with four of his team mates : Art Merritt, Johnny Smith, Jackie Butler and Jim Smith. The radio in the car, wdiich had been going full blast all the way, was suddenly cut off, and over it came a police broadcast. Calling all cars ! Attention, please ! All state and county police officers. Bank robbers shot night watchman at the Bridgewater Savings Bank. Watch all roads within a hundred miles of Bridge- water for a large black sedan, number plates 5433 L Calling all cars Well, what do you think of that? said Bill to his companions. We ' ll soon be in that vicinity and we are riding in a black sedan. I hope we don ' t get picked up as bank rol)l)ers. What a riding the fellows would give us when we got l3ack to college if we did. After a few miles they came to a narrow bridge where it was pos- sible for only one car to pass at a time. The car on the other side of the bridge stopped as if to let them go over first, but as soon as they were a quarter of the way over the bridge, the other car put on speed, stopped on the l ridge, and blocked their way. Hey, what ' s the big idea? ' ' yelled Jim. Their headlights flashed on the other car for a second. It was a black sedan bearing the license number 5433 L