Towson University - Tower Echoes Yearbook (Towson, MD)

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THE TOWER LIGHT Beach Storm Waves, pounding on the jetties Foam, suddy, swirling round you. Wind, pulling at your clothing Rain, beating on your face Sand, cold and Wet and stinging Blown by racing wind and rain. People huddled close in corners Or running with the wind Cold rain against wet faces. Foam, white to the horizon. Ocean, twisting, seething, writhing Nature, beauty at its height. LOUISE OGIER, O 0.0 Autumn Autumn is a Gypsy maid, Surely you must know, Don't you see the colors bright? And feel her cool breath blow? The pumpkins glist'ning in the sun, Are gold this maiden gives, The cornstalks stacked up in the Held Are tents in which she lives. See! Her cloak, once new and green, Is now a dingy brown, The leaves now turning red and gold, Are trimmings on her gown. Poor Gypsy maid, she's torn her dress. See the fragments fly? Some drop down upon the earth, The rest whirl toward the sky. Of course you know this maiden, Who comes but once a year! She tells us that there's fun on hand,- For autumn days are here. RIBERO WIL 11 Senior IV LBY, '32,

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THE TOWER LIGHT The Aftermath A HERE had been a storm. The swirling mass of water at my feet bore all too well the evidence of that fact. Above it was the very deepness and brilliancy of the blue, the freshness of the breeze- those things that might cell me what had been. Again I looked at the torrent below me. Even as I gazed, more of the bank at my feet was washed away to join the tangled mass of debris already well started in its mad journey to the bay. Below was the aftermath of three days rain, which, in itself had done little damage, but, collected in the river bed was now devastating and destroying fields of corn, railroads, bridges and at times creeping to the very doors of the houses of men to claim their lives. Above was the cleared sky, resembling the cleared counte- nance of a human, who, having been provoked, had let fall floods of angry words and deeds but immediately after was ready to forget and forgive. The revenger was happy again. The sky, after many days, was clear. Too late! The rain had fallen too long and too hard to be disregarded. Words once uttered, deeds once performed, can be neither unspoken nor undone. The floods must come bringing fear and desola- tion to the bodies and souls of men-after the storm vanished. D. Voms, junior V. O Rainy Street Corner Wet, slippery streets Glittering as lights splutter on, Wink off, and splutter on again. Puddles in the road Splash heedless ankles, ripple and subside. Dripping umbrellas bobbing unsteadily along Occasionally colliding blindly, One end politely tilted, then turned down against the driving rain. Tightly closed sedans and water-soaked flivvers, Held back by a malevolent red eye, Jump forward as the signal changes, Eager to be away, heedless Of wet and somewhat wilted passers-by. Soon everyone is home, and only Wet, slippery streets A Glittering, as lights splutter Uncertainly in the driving rain. H. WEINER, Senior III. 10

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THE TOWER LIGHT Travelers and Stay-at-Homes , HY do we see some plants gathered together in family groups while others wander far from home? You will be able to answer this question if you consider the various ways provided for seed distribution. Then you will know why the dandelion mother's children are scattered far and wide while the pea vine always has hers within call. Some seeds that are heavy have no means provided for their dis- persal other than rollingg among these are the seeds of the various grains and different kinds of nuts. The vessels of some seeds open so that the wind or a passing object may shake them out. The seeds of the evening primrose are exposed by the paltry splitting of the vessel and are shaken out by the slightest contact. A great many garden and wild flowers have mechanical devices that open the pods with such force that the seeds are imme- diately expelled. The lupine and paint brush are good examples of this type. The seeds dispersed in this way never travel far and so you will usually find the children of these plants grouped in families. Some-seeds are formed in such a way that the wind helps to scatter them. It may carry them from a few feet to several miles. Many seeds dispersed by the wind are wasted, for only a few may land on fertile ground. The seeds that depend on the wind as their carrier have some sort of parachute or sail. Nearly all members of the com- posite family have parachutes-the dandelion being a well-known avia- tor. The wind transports the entire plant in some cases, so keep an eye open for mother tumble-weed rolling over and over across a field. Water is an active factor in the distribution of seeds and especially for plants that grow in or near the water. These seeds float along until a ripple, or a sand bar causes them to be lifted to the shore. Seeds carried by the water usually have a hard shell or some kind of protection so they will be able to germinate after they have been in the water for a long time. One of the chief methods of dispersal employs people and animals as agents. This way, more than any other, should be familiar to us. How many times have we ended a tramp through the woods only to find our clothing covered with burrs! EDNA IKENA, Senior I. 12