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

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. STRATFORD, ONT. Prize Sfmfiey OUT OF THE GLOOM Senior Prize Story By Jessie Holmes, l,A. Darkness was just beginning to fall through the small door of the chemist's shop. Mr. Chandler reached for the cord of the light. There, he murmured, that's better! and looking at his watch he said, Just about six but I guess I'd better stay for a few minutes. For fifteen years Mr. Chandler had owned a little drug store on St. James Street in Mont- real. He had bristling grey hair, deep, grey eyes, a broad face and a firm, wide mouth. He was not too short and not too tall, but just the right height to reach the third shelf, behind the counter. Mr. Chandler took a newspaper from under- neath the counter. Taking his glasses from his pocket, he perched himself on a high stool and began to read. The tiny bell, above the door, tinkled and a tall, young man walked in. He was wearing a shabby brown overcoat. Under his brown fedora and turned up collar, Mr. Chandler saw the fine features of a boy, not yet out of his twenties. Mr. Chandler dropped his paper and jumped up, knocking over the stool in his haste. Good day, sir, he said, and what can I do for you? It's lucky you came in just now, I was thinking of going home. The boy looked up and said, rather gruffly, I'd like two drams of vitriolf' Oh! yes, yes, said Mr. Chandler. He took down the big gallon jar and care- fully and slowly poured the liquid, through a funnel into a small blue bottle. He put a label on the bottle marked, Sulphuric Acid. All the while, he talked to the young man. Weather's not too good, is it? Those March winds certainly take the breath out of you. But if you keep bundled up and tie down your hat, you'll hold out. The young man said nothing. He just stood, staring into space. But, continued the druggist, I guess you young people never notice the weather in your rush. You've got so much on your minds. You're always on the go. Still the young man said nothing, but he did Page Thirty-two look at the man and try to show a little more interest. Say, said Mr. Chandler, I was just read- ing in to-night's paper, where a young man went home from work with a present for his wife's' birthday. When he got there, wasn't his wife dead! She had been electrocuted, when she touched a light plug with wet hands. Left three little children too. Seems a pity, but I guess things like that just have to be. By this time the young man was getting a little impatient. He said sharply, I wish you'd hurry. After all, I know what the weather is like and I do read the paper occasionally. Sorry, sir, said Mr. Chandler, I was just trying to be friendly, seeing that you're my last customer for the day. Here's the bottle. You'd better handle it pretty carefully. You have to sign for that sort of thing. Kind of dangerous, you know. Just put your name here, he said, indicating the line on a large book. The young man signed the book and paid him. He nodded and walked toward the door. Just a minute, said Mr. Chandler, I might as well walk down the street with you. Wait until I lock up! The young man, not wishing to appear im- polite again, waited patiently by the door, while the druggist put on his coat and hat and turned out the lights. Mr. Chandler locked the door and together, they walked down the windy street. It's just supper time. I'll bet you're near- ly starved, said the druggist. Come on down to Tony's, the little place on the corner, three blocks down. I go there every night alone, but I like company. The young man mumbled something about not being hungry, but he continued to Walk along, beside Mr. Chandler. He seemed to realize it was getting him no where, being un- friendly with this over friendly man. He began to talk a little, but only when he was asked a question. At last, the druggist said. with much dif- ficulty, Son, if I were you, I wouldn't do that. It's a coward's trick. You've still got a large portion of life ahead of you. Keep on living the life that has been given to you. The young man lowered his eyes' and said

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. Leonardo da Vinci, famous Italian painter who lived and died at Amboise in 1519. Part of the chateau proper is used as a home for des- cendants of the servants of the royal family who once lived here. In one of the upper storeys is that grim hall of death where many of the Huguenots were condemned to death, after which they were marched outside to the balcony and hanged from its iron railings, several hundred feet above the roofs of the buildings in the lower town. You may enter the moss-covered tower through a tiny door and follow the descending, spiral road to fin- ally arrive at one of the main streets of Am- boise. There are two such towers with interior winding roads. Then there is the famous Peace Palace, at Versailles, with its magnifi- cent fountains and beautiful parks. The long central hall is lined with life-size statues of the famous men and women of France as well as members of the royal family. Upstairs we saw rooms filled with huge oil-paintings, por- traying important military and naval battles. The personal suite of Louis XIV is truly grand. The walls are covered with finely worked tapestries or oil paintings, as are the chairs and stools. The bed in which this monarch slept is very large and has a huge silk-and-gold tapestry canopy and spread. The suite of Marie Antoinette, his ill-fated queen, is even more beautiful. The famous hall of mirrors is the most beautiful of the various ballrooms as its walls are in reality huge mirrors, divided into sections, which can be opened by releas- ing a hidden spring. The crystal chandeliers reflect the sunshine, producing a rainbow effect. This palace also houses the table on which the world-famous Peace Treaty was signed, at the close of the Great War. A trip to France would not be complete without a visit to Rouen, and the ancient site of Joan of Arc's tragic martyrdom. In the market square, where she was put to death, a white marble monument has been erected, showing her, a cross in her hands tied to the stake, with the flames curling up around her. One of the oldest Rouen cathedrals, begun in 1500, is named by its tower-the Butter Tower. It was so named because at that time butter was a luxury and could be purchased only from priests. The church tower was built from the proceeds of the sale of butter. Inside, this church contains the remains of seven English kings, one of them being Rich- ard, Coeur de Lion. Another magnificent church has, in its tower, a huge mellow bell called the Jeanne d'Arc. The front door of STRATFORD, ONT. this church, finished in 1785, is of solid oak carved with millions of tiny heads. During the strife with the Huguenots, they cut the noses off of all these statues, believing that they could thus inflict injury on the persons represented by the figures. It is an old established custom to joke about the tightness of the Scotch people, but certainly the average Frenchman exceeds the Scotch in thriftiness. A French farmer will produce as much on his tiny farm as a Cana- dian would produce on his acres of farm land. They never waste anything which can be used, and, in the former war area, many farmers have used old scraps of sheet metal salvaged from the ruins of billets and also barbed wire used on the battlefields. We found it difficult to follow the French method of telling the time as the clock goes from one to twenty-four o'clock. After twelve noon, the time, instead of being one o'clock, is thirteen o'clock, and so on. The stores are very modern, many of them having variously coloured sheets of cel- lophane inside of the glass window. The French monetary system is easily Lmderstood, but everything is quite expensive. In the large railway stations, in Paris, the incoming and outgoing trains are announced in both French and English, through a loud-speaker, a great aid to travellers. Many of the trains leaving Paris are highly stream-lined, much faster, and much cleaner than our trains. Evidence of general prosperity is apparent both in France and in England, and in spite of the rumors of war that we hear, the people seem to be happy and industrious. TWILIGHT By Doris Lane, CIA. When twilight passes slowly by, And little birds homeward fly, Children tucked in their cosy bed, Soon to them the world is dead. Silently o'er the sleeping earth The large moon crept Lighting the tiny berth Wherein two children slept. Guardian angels o'er them watch Until the morn draws nigh When the sun shall rise and take The moon's place in the sky. Page Thirty-one

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. quietly, I wish you were me. You don't know how hard it is. Well, son, said the druggist, I know a man, who found life that way. It all began, when he was just twenty-four, not much young- er than yourself. He was struggling to be- come an artist but the money was hard to find. He met with all kinds of misfortune. He fell madly in love with a wealthy girl. She found out that he was just a struggling artist and she jilted him for a 'mother's boy' with too much money. This hurt him so, that he de- cided to end it all. He Went to just such a drug store as mine and bought that fatal acid. He took it home and drank it. It was not enough to kill him out right, but it injured him for life. It trickled slowly down his throat, burning and eating the flesh, as it went. Down, down, it went. He lay writhing with pain, as it ate away the lining of his stomach. He was discovered by the landlady lying in his room, moaning and shrieking in agony. From that day to this, he has never had a square meal. For the rest of his life, he has to live on warm milk and coddled egg. Never again, will he enjoy his wholesome, three meals a day. What wouldn't he give for just one slice of roast beef and one scoop of mashed potatoes and one spoonful of rich, brown gravy. How, he wishes that he had never tried to end his life. By this time, they had reached Tony's place on the corner. The young man clutched the bottle closer to him and swallowed the big lump, which had risen in his throat. They walked into the restaurant and sat down at the soda counter. Goode daya, Meester Chandler, said Tony, She esse purty windy outa, eh! It certainly is, Tony, it certainly is, answered the druggist. And how is your little Johnny's broken arm, eh '? Oha he eesa comin' alonge, replied Tony. What will you have? asked Mr. Chandler turning to the young man. The young man said very hesitatingly, Well-Well- How about fixing him up some good ham and eggs, coffee and all the rest, Tony? I'll have the same as usual. This is on me, lad, so eat plenty, while it lasts. Tony disappeared through a curtained door- way and in a few minutes returned with the STRATFORD, ONT. steaming food. He set the young man's food in front of him and in front of Mr. Chandler, he placed a mug of milk, covered with a thin scum and on a plate a mass of coddled egg. The young man, startled, looked up at the druggist, when he saw his food, and said, Gee! I'm very sorry, Sir. I didn't realize at the time, what you were telling me. That's- that's awful. I'm so glad that you told me. I've been a perfect fool-a fool. I couldn't stand anything like that to happen to me. Well, lad, I figured you would be sorry and I didn't know how to warn you. You're just a young fellow, healthy and strong. You have a place to fill in this world. Stick to it, son. I can see that you have the independence and 'stick-to-it' quality, which a man of this gen- eration requires. All you need is a little en- couragement. Take another try at it, I'm sure you will succeed. The druggist watched the young man gobble down the good wholesome food, while he slow- ly swallowed his soft food. There was a new light in the boy's eyes. He noticed Mr. Chand- ler watching him and smiled for the first time and said: I know what you're thinking- 'And he said that he wasn't hungry-.' He finished eating and putting his hand deep in his pocket, he said, I've only got a dime, but if you pay the rest, I'll come around to your store soon and return the money. Remember, said Mr. Chandler, I said this was on me and I meant it. The boy took the druggist's hand and shook it vigorously. Gee! thanks for everything. You've got me thinking. I'm sure that I can make a go of it. I never want to be in your predicament and have to eat that soft mush. Giving his hand another good shake, the young man got up and went out of the door of the restaurant. There, sitting on the counter, was the pack- age, which the young man had been carrying. Mr. Chandler sat looking at it, until he heard the door shut. Then, he and Tony burst out laughing. Take this goolosh away, Tony, laughed Mr. Chandler, and bring me a nice, juicy steak, with lots of onions and a couple of pieces of your date pie. Wella, I declara, Meester Chandler, laughed Tony, if there isn't anudder one, thata you havea saved froma keeling heeself. You oughta beea given a meedal! Page Thirty-three