Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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Capri K TRIP in Italy is incomplete without visiting Capri, an island situated off the coast of Sorrento, near Naples. One day we set out in a small steamer from Sorrento, where we had been staying, to visit it. On landing, we mounted by a steep funicular to the little village huddled on the summit. Arriving there, we beheld a very quaint village which overlooked the entire island. The view from there was in itself grand enough to justify our visit to Capri. We saw the huge rocks where the old Roman villas stood; the famous Leap of Tiberius, from where, according to tradition, this successor of Augustus used to have his victims hurled to the rocks below. The view of the mainland from Capri is superb; in the distance we glimpsed the coast line of Sorrento, the grim smoking Vesuvius, and the circular bay of Naples, as well as the wide expanse of the Tyrrhenian Sea. After we had visited all the little nooks m the village, we descended by the funicular and took the steamer again to go to the famous Blue Grotto — although we strained our eyes, we could not see its entrance among the rocks. When the steamer stopped, small rowboats approached us, in which we were to visit the Blue Grotto, two passengers in each boat. We were fortunate to have as our oarsman the old man of the Grotto. He was a very interesting character, with a long white beard and white hair, and wearing a red suit and a little red cap. As he rowed us to the entrance, he told us in broken English to lie flat on the bottom of the boat; we experienced an odd sensation as he skillfully guided the boat through the natural aperture of the Blue Grotto. We had not expected to see such a fairyland. The walls, roof, and water had suddenly as ' sumed a beautiful indescribable hue of silvery blue. Our hands, when placed in the water were silvery. The bottom shone through the glimmering water; fishermen, diving for coins which visitors threw in the water, appeared as strange silver statues. We wanted to stay for hours and find out the cause of this strange reflection; but we were told that the wind arises quickly there, and it is impossible to leave the Grotto then for many hours. So we reluctantly were rowed back to the steamer by our interest ' ing guide, who on the way told us many little anecdotes. When all the visitors had returned to the steamer, we at last started back to Naples. On the way, as we saw the island gradu ' ally disappearing from view, we discussed the wonders we had seen there, and considered our trip to Capri well worth the time it took. Margaret Dodds, Form Upper V. 1 8 1

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As Ichabod rode home that night And passed the haunted spot, A mighty rushing sound he heard And he grew cold and hot. When passing by the church, he turned To see whence came this sound. And as he turned, something was hurled, Which knocked him to the ground. Next morn a straying horse was seen, A pumpkin on the sod, A saddle near the church was found, But not poor Ichabod. Brenda Taylor, Form IVb. ) The Strongest Thing in the World O MOTHER, doesn ' t that massive piece of rock over there look Hke a large buffalo? said Helene, rising in her saddle. Let ' s go nearer to get a better look, and she spurred her horse up the side of the cliff. Yes, dear, it does, her mother answered, following her daughter, the path up the cliff being too narrow for more than one horse at once. ' Tis, grunted Tiscoquam their Indian guide. How do you know? Is there a legend about it? asked Helene. Umm, the Indian nodded. Do tell us, said Helene. Long ago when Indian was ruler here, and he waved his hand over the vast plain below them, Chief Sumatheek he grow old, he has no son; so he call young braves and say, ' The one who brings me strongest thing in the world, he shall be my heir. ' Young braves start off to find strongest thing in the world. One brave named Black Hawk start off with bow and arrow, Indians have no horses then, so he walk till he come to a hut. He ask for something to eat cause he heap hungry. Beautiful girl give him bread. He love her and ask her to go with him; she love him, so she go. They walk for long time, when he see heap big animal move. They come nearer and he see big, big buffalo. He say to girl, ' This is the strongest thing in the world, ' and they follow buffalo for many days. One day young girl fall, she no get up again. Black Hawk still follow buffalo but his heart ache. Soon he can no stand it. He say to buffalo, ' Goodbye, you strongest thing, I go back to her I love. ' He go back to girl, she no hurt at all. He kiss her and say, ' Let strongest thing go. I love you. ' Then girl say, ' I show you strongest thing in the world. See; ' and she point to buffalo. All of sudden. It stand still. It stand still ' cause little bird, sing him love songs, and he stop still and bird build her nest in his side, he turn to stone and live forever. Then Black Hawk understand and he take his beautiful girl to old chief and say, ' I have found strongest thing in the world. It is love. ' The old chief say, ' You and your children shall be chiefs. I know love and so I die. ' That ' s one of the nicest legends I ' ve ever heard, said Helene. Umm, grunted Tiscoquam. Lorraine Mowat, Form Ills.

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Did You Ever Feel Like This ? HE school door closed behind me, and never a monk, hearing the gates of the monastery- clang behind him condemning him to a life of penance, felt more forlorn or more hopeless than I — a timid newcomer. A vision of long corridors, filled with girls of every age and size, swam before my eyes. Pausing for a moment, like Caesar ere he crossed the Rubicon, I picked out the most friendly looking face, and asked in hollow tones to be shown the office. Fortunately, a smile relieved the strain, and I walked upstairs with a lighter heart. The interview over, I was placed under the care of another uniformed maiden who conducted me to the Assembly Hall. To be friendly, I began chatting pleasantly in the corridors, to be an ' swered only by a Don ' t talk, please. I subsided, scarlet ' with embarrassment, and inwardly resolved to obey the time-honored rule — Speak when you ' re spoken to. Of course, I wa s conscious of many an eye fastened critically upon me, and the very pictures seemed to whisper — New girl — what do you think of her? I experienced a few bad moments when my guide departed for a moment, and I was left the curiosity of the hour — my only chance of revenge, that of staring fixedly at my tormentors, being rendered useless by their numbers. When my guide reappeared, I was ready to greet her as a long-lost brother. The ordeal was by no means over. Then came prayers in the Assembly Hall, and to save myself from making blunders I eyed my companion ' s every movement. Naturally, I innocently sat down when the rest were standing, but that was to be expected. No one can be perfect, I thought, but it ' s so uncomfortable being imperfect! Oh, that first morning! The new mistresses, the girls whom one met, and spent the rest of the morni ng in a futile attempt to remember their names — the fear that I would pronounce their names wrongly — and that terrible dread of blundering. The questions that I patiently answered — that my name was Mary Ellen Ryan, that I came from Nova Scotia, and that I liked Montreal very well, thank you. The dog ' like devotion one felt for the girl who gave you a sandwich and talked to you at recess, and by means of whispered comments saved one so much embarrassment. The agonizing moments that I experienced are still fresh in my memory. The bright scarlet tint of my countenance when I was asked to pronounce some German, and did it exceedingly badly — the moment when I tried to explain my name to the mistress — the despair that enveloped me when I could not understand the French mistress. Over it all brooded a curious feeling of helplessness — as of a fish caught in strange waters. To speak of the trials of a newcomer at drill would be to unfold a tale of direst woe. Left turn — you promptly turned to the right, and wished that angels would snatch you away. Arms upward raise — somehow those arms went sideways. Heels raise and you lost your balance. The marvellous feature of it was that by the aid of friendly pokes and nods you got through it some- how, and felt as though you had won the battle of Marathon. The morning ended at last, and home seemed a welcome word. Books were laid together — coat and hat put on — but no gloves were to be found. A casual remark from my neighbour in- formed me that they might be in pound. To the uninitiated, pound sounds most suggestive, but I found it to be an innocent enough looking cupboard, where stray articles of clothing were boarded at the reasonable rate of one cent. The erring gloves having been recovered, I hastened home, glad that the day was over. Time, since then, has slipped by rapidly, and school has become a welcome place to us. But in our hearts, when we are asked by an old girl our names or our forms, we quote with deep meaning — These are they which came out of great tribulation, even while our outward lips answer politely. Olive Mary Hill, Form Upper VI. II 29 I