Stratford Central Secondary School - Collegian Yearbook (Stratford, Ontario Canada)

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COLLEGIAN, I 930 Then about a week ago, I read in the papers, that in recent excava- tions, a mummy had been found, and when opened, a platinum ring was lying on its breast. This ring bore a crest which appeared to be- long to some ancient prince. I knew at last that I had found what I had been seeking, and so I came here to the Louvre yesterday, and begged for a position in the Egyptian room. You saw the rest. That mummy was the girl, the ring contains the liquid by which I shall be able to die, and tonight I go to join my sweetheart. And now I shall show you a door by which you can reach the street. The next day, Dr. Alexander read a notice in the paper which said that a man had been found dead in the Louvre, lying with his arms clasped about a mummy, with a platinum ring in his hand. The particulars were a mystery. Afterwards, Dr. Alexander won- dered if it had all been a dream. THE BETRAYAL By lVIoreen Broad The noonday sun glared with ter- rible red rays upon the dusty squalid little town on the banks of the Sorek. The border sands of the Desert of Shur reflected its white heat. In spite of this, within and outside the walls of the town were active signs of life. By the river several women squatted pounding clothes on the flat rocks, and others were going to and fro through the gates, balancing earth- en jars of water on their heads. In the dirty narrow street naked little savages darted, following with yells and shrieks of derision the laden mule-train passing through. It stopped at the gates, and a swarthy bearded man with glistening shield and spear of bronze stepped for- ward. I-Ie stared at the leader and his lip curled in a sneer. Hlt is you, Lehi. Phah! A dog of an Israelite, and he spat. The aged leader bent his head in reply, I go to Gaza, O Lord, he answered, to trade my humble goods for dyes and wines, I beg you do not hinder me. I must reach Lachish ere night falls. The soldier fingered his dagger and grinned cruelly. HI have a mind -H he said- I would be greatly rewarded by the noble Eshtaol of the Philistines. Then he jerked his hand, Pass on! and the caravan wended its way through the gates and along the dusty highway. Nleanwhile the squat figure of a man moved rapidly along the river bank towards thc town. About his waist was girt the skin of a lion and his long black hair fell to his waist. l-Ie was weaponless, his only defence being those mighty arms and should- ers where the muscles rippled and quivered. On closer approach he slowed his steps and suddenly notic- ing a certain woman Hlling her water jar, he swerved in his path and moved to -the water's edge. On hearing his steps the young woman swung about and faced him. ' 'Samson F You see, Delilah, the man said, I have come back again. The young Philistine maiden's cheeks flushed. A week later Samson held a great feast on his wedding day, but there were several there who held great discontent in their hearts, and who were only feigning joy and happi- ness, Philistines all of them, come to the feast for no other reason than that Delilah was their kinswoman. At the end of the table leaned one whom the others addressed with fawning deference, and eagerly sup- plied his requested needs. His coarse, sensual face was twist- ed with hate, and his eyes glittered -5 3-

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COLLEGIAN, l930 petite. ,Then he rose quickly and opened a drawer containing rings. He took out two or three large pla- tinum ones with large brilliants in the centre, and poured a liquid over them, apparently to test the platin- um. l-le gave a shriek of joy and held one to the light. ln his excite- ment, he knocked the liquid on the floor and it flowed until it reached Dr. Alexander's feet. The Egyptian mopping it up, came face to face with his unseen audience. For a mo- ment, he was utterly dumbfounded, then recovering his composure, he angrily demanded why he was there. Dr. Alexander began to explain as well as he could, then breaking off, he cried: Look at the mummy. The face had fallen in, it was ugly. A few minutes exposure had destroyed the effect of that marvel- lous emblaming, and now the face was like that of other mummies. The Egyptian uttered a low moan, then turning to the man beside him, he said in English: Come with me. Dr. Alexander followed him into an exquisite sitting-room, and the nian began to speak. 'iYou were right, he said, l am an Egyptian, and l am going to tell you the strangest story that you have ever heard. Since you have watched my movements to-night, l shall ex- plain them to you l was born six- them to you. l was born sixteen hundred years before the birth of Christ. You shrink, away from me. Wait, and you will see that l am more to be pitied than feared. My father was a prince, and l was educated by the best priests. They taught me especially the arts of na- ture and science. l was an apt pupil and by the time l was sixteen, I had learned all that they could teach me. After that, l studied Nature myself, keeping all I found a secret. I was deeply interested in the problemof life. lt seemed so short to me, and l wondered why l could not find some mixture which would so fortify the body that it would live for thous- ands of years, l experimented for years, using animals, slaves and my- self. I need not tell you of my re- searches. You would not understand them. It is sufficient to say that l found a substance which, if taken, would preserve the body against di- sease and timeg in short, l have found the Elixir of Life. About this time, l met a very beautiful girl with whom I fell madly in love. l wooed her and she learned to love me. But l had a rival, who like myself, was interested in science. l hold him of my secret sub- stance, and both of us, in the folly of youth, took some of it. Shortly after this, a plague broke out in the city. l worked among the sick, never fearing because l knew l could not die. My sweetheart mar- velled at my daring, so one day l told her of my secret and begged her to take some of my Elixir. But she was afraid, and begged me to wait until the next day. l agreed, but a dull foreboding came over me. The next morning when l went to her home, she was dying. The plague had reached her too. But l saw her before she died and she told me that she would be waiting for me always, l, who had to live for thousands of years. For months l was delirious, but I could not die. One night the prince who had been my rival in love came to me, and joyfully told me that he was going to join my sweetheart. He, a scientist too, had found something to' combat my Elixir, and he could die. l begged him to tell me what it was, but he would not. Only when he was dying, he said that he had left a few drops in his famous platinum ring. Only, he said, you will never find that ring. 'il-le died, and for hundreds and thousands of years, l have looked for that ring, or for something to combat the Elixir, but always I failed. mjz-.

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