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

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. STRATFORD, ONT. AT THE PALACE July 29th came around, full of sunshine and cheer, and we set out for Buckingham Palace. We entered by the main gates which were very high and made of iron with gold decora- tions on the top. On either side there were smart guards in bright red, some with high, black fur hats, and others with shining brass helmets. We were requested to show either our pass- ports or invitations. After looking about the front yards for a while we were organized into parties, and taken into the palace. The chief rooms of interest were the writ- ing-room, the cloak-rooms, and the ball-room. The ball-room was a magnificent place. The floor was carpeted with rich wine rugs. Gold trimmings and white adorned the beautifully upholstered chairs, couches and carved stair- case. The walls were hung with huge pic- tures of former royalty in gilt frames. Where the walls and ceiling joined, there was a border of solid gold, carved in flowery designs. From the ceiling, hung large delicate chandeliers, composed of thousands of crystal prisms, hiding the lights. After satisfying our hungry eyes, we entered the back gardens through the French windows to satisfy our hungry stomachs. Stretching the length of the gardens were marquees covered with striped canvas. Under these were long tables, covered with a fine white linen, engraved with the royal mono- grams. Standing about two feet high were large silver stands, carved in angelic figures. These were filled with bright red carnations. On silver cake stands were delicious cakes, small and large, with coloured icing and fancy de- signs. There were thin white sandwiches of sandwich spread and cheese. Raspberries and whipped-cream were the chief favourites, while strawberry ice-cream ranked high also. In order to quench our thirst, orangeade, lem- onade, tea and liquors were served. The fortunate ones who were fast secured glass-topped tables set on the lawns. All had servants from the kitchen, dressed in the white aprons and caps trimmed with black, to wait upon them. There was no limit to the amount of goodies and everyone ate his fill, and more. Of course the day would not be completely English, without a shower, and just when most of us were finished, it came. There was a scramble for the palace and marquees. Many however remained outside. These were fortunate in getting a very close view of Ed- ward, as he was out with us at the time. However, a few minutes later someone ap- peared at the windows and beckoned him to go back inside, as it was time to give his speech. He took his time, but soon appeared on the balcony, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Patricia, Lady Astor and many others whom I did not know. Queen Mary appeared at one of the windows, but did not come out. Edward gave a very touching speech with a little added humour. The story would not be right without a short description of him. He is a small man, with light hair which is quite naturally wavy. He reminded me more of a school boy about sixteen than a man in his forties. His speech was followed by hearty applause and deafening cheers. There were six thous- and people present, and spread over a Wide area. One half started singing God Save the King and when near the end the rest joined in. I can describe it only, as being a series of melodious discords. Edward certainly showed his bravery by standing at attention, all through it, but the look on his face was a mixture of humiliation, disgust, amusement and surprise. However, I think he enjoyed it. More cheers followed, after which we left the grounds. Throngs of Londoners were outside the gates, eyes green with envy. Before returning to our Hotel we stopped to see the changing of the Guards. Page Thirty-seven

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. smock from which the slovenly washer- woman, Long Usage, had removed most of the gaudy red and blue. And while in the wash, the top of his pointed hat had disappeared. But this did not bother him, and he still held the hoop through which the little black poodle stubbornly refused to jump, and he had his usual idiotic smile on his thin face. Above him, occupying the supreme place on top of the clock, was a little porcelain, ballet- dancer. She was dressed in a white satin cos- tume that just touched her dainty knees, and one of her exquisite feet was posed in an arabesque as light and subtle as a summer breeze. Her golden curls were swung back from her pure white forehead, and in her right hand she held a blood-red rose. But the old Grandfather clock was uncon- cerned, and ticked on and on. Half-past ten. Eleven. Half-past eleven. A quarter to twelve. And then, the brass gong within its sonorously boomed out twelve. Slowly the little ballet-dancer raised her pretty hand to her eyes and rubbed them soft- ly. Then she turned her head, first to one side, next to the other, and then, with the lightness of a white dove, she rose on her toes, put her hand on the side of the clock, and floated down to the floor. Faintly, and from the old music box that stood on the worm- eaten table, came the tinkling strains of an old sonata, and the ballet-dancer began to move through the movements of her dance. The little clown was aware of something strange as soon as he had yawned noisily and had stretched his arms out and above his awkward head. At first, he did not notice what it was, but presently he raised his eyes to the accustomed place of the porcelain lady. Even then, he was not very surprised-it is hard for walnut wood to be surprised-so he just moved his clumsy feet this way and that, and made his back hump up in the middle, and thought how silly the little poodle looked. But the strain of the music box caught his ugly ears, and, glancing down to the floor, he saw the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The tiny porcelain figure was twirling on her toes, and casting coquettish glances at a hand- some tin soldier, who was vainly curling his black moustache and trying to appear disinter- ested. The music seemed to steal over the ballet- dancer and hold her in its rhythmic sway, for Page Thirty-six STRATFORD, ONT. she was almost a part of it. She turned and bent like a fair, white flower that awakens as the first rays of the morning sun shine upon it. Her tiny body was light as thistle-down and as graceful as a swan, as she rose on her toes and fell again like the shimmering white foam on the waves of the ocean. Then her tempo quickened, and she flew across the floor, whirling, leaping, twirling madly as summer lightning. Then she seemed to go slower and slower, until the music-box tune changed to a waltz .... And all this time the little clown looked on, and he felt a strange wild joy leap up in his walnut wood heart. For he knew that the iittle porcelain ballet-dancer was Very lovely. So he came down from his place on the clock -the little poodle following-and with a jump, reached the floor. But the dancer did not even see him. She was still smiling at the handsome tin soldier. The clown could only hop-for walnut wood is very stiff-and as he crossed the floor, his feet made a queer ticking sound like that of the clock. The handsome soldier noticed him first. He even stopped curling his moustache to laugh out loudly. Then the porcelain lady turned, just as the poor ugly clown bent down on one knee to declare to her his adoration. For a moment she looked at him bewildered, but soon her light laughter rose as the tinkling of thousands of silver bells, or the soft gurg- ling of low water over stones at midnight. The clown hung his wooden head in sorrow and shame, and the little black poodle, creep- ing closer, began to lick his master's hand, and felt sorry that he had not jumped through the hoop. When the clown raised his eyes, the lady of his worship was gone. Suddenly, the pendulum of the Grandfather clock began to vibrate. The little porcelain ballet-dancer looked frightened, and ran as quickly as she could to her place. The hand- some tin soldier began to stiffen. The clown, rising slowly, climbed to his usual place with the little poodle following, and held up his hoop. The mice scurried away. And the Grandfather clock struck one. It was morning in the novelty-shop, and the Old Shopkeeper entered, with the cold air of the morning all around him, and the bright sunlight of the morning on his' head. First he swept the shop. Next, he took the white sheets off the bird-cages. Then, he moved the tContinucd on Page 611

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COLLEGIAN, 1937. ,, FIVE B THREE COMM. Page Thirty-eight STRATFORD, ONT. FIVE A SPEC. COMM. PM Ni fm.: 4 Mg., M ,jg W 353