Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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0 woe, Tve left poor Persia out! 1 quite forgot what came about. Now let me think, when Darius died Alexander came, there to abide. And next the Roman troubles came, And then the world went on again. June Davis, Form IIIa. The Spectator Club of the Twentieth Century ' HERE are many members of our club who are dignified, but of all our august assembly the most dignified is Mr. Roger Moreland. He is very tall and thin, with white hair brushed back from a lofty intelligent forehead. But it is his hands that really stamp him for what he is, for they are very long white hands with sensitive fingers tapering at the ends, while the dead white moons stand out on the almond shaped nails, proclaiming noiselessly that their owner is an aristocrat in every sense of the word. The Morelands are a very old family who were given grants of land in practically every country in the British Empire. They always were wealthy, and although there is a rumour that that wealth has flown, I do not think that our fellow member, who is the last of this honourable house, will ever come to want. He lives in a huge lonesome house on the top of the mountain, and although it is forbidding from the outside, yet inside there is an invaluable library to which the present owner has greatly contributed, for he is a connoisseur in books. Then there is the picture gallery with generations of Morelands, and throughout all the rooms and corridors are wonderful paintings and vases that have been culled from all corners of the earth by the present Mr. Moreland. As for his treatment of others, he is an aristocrat and never forgets it, and although he says very little or nothing when there is an accident or a mistake is made, the waiters in the club are terrified of him. No one has ever seen him smile or betray any emotion, but I have heard that once a week he goes to the Crippled Children ' s Hospital and is a loving, sympathetic father to all of them. Captain Sidney is without doubt the most handsome of us. He is tall, with a commanding military carriage, fair hair that is going grey at the temples and, above his well ' Cut stubborn mouth, a little fair moustache. He is at his best in the conventional dinner jacket, with his fair hair and tanned skin, and his medals and ribbons, and with his delightful speaking voice. Everyone that does not know him is very impressed. But judging him by ordinary standards, he is a failure. For one thing he is a parasite, leaning on his elder brother for support, and the brother is not at all wealthy but he is very generous. Captain Sidney drinks heavily and this can be seen in the lines in his face and the dark bags under his eyes. He also gambles, but this and his many other faults are forgiven him because he is a war ' wreck; he did most certainly have a bad time overseas, having been gassed twice, and finally a piece of shrapnel piercing his cheek went up past his eye and is lodged in the base of the brain. He was a very nervous, highstrung youth before he went to the war and the sights he saw there have just burned themselves on his memory, and the only way he can get relief from these sights is by drowning them in drink, which he does regularly every night. We all feel sorry for him because he has such a pleasing personality and would have been a brilliant diplomat, if only he had not allowed the war to conquer him. Other men went through the same baptism of fire and it nearly drove them mad also, but they fought down the feeling and are now self ' respecting citizens and doubly ' ' men. It is to be regretted that Captain Sidney was too weak to fight anC conquer the same thing. One of the most successful business men is Mr. Langton. He is fairly tall, inclined to plump- ness, with a bald head and a fat, merry face. Success is written all over him, as it well might be, for he is head of one of the largest iron factories in the country and he started in the iron business as a puddler, working his way up to his present position. He married when he was still a poor man and the only child of this marriage is a tall young man who is just a younger reproduction of his father — in looks. I say in looks, because Mr. Langton is giving his son every advantage, good [ 22 ]

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The telephone rang and Araminta ' s voice came over the wire. She ordered him to come down to the Httle shop they had been trying to sell for so long. She had made a sale. He went. Behind the counter stood Araminta in a blue smock. The sides of the store were covered with shelves on which many books had already appeared. Contented customers came and went. Araminta was at last in the atmosphere she had longed for. Araminta, her uncle said weakly, the Spmdkton Success Betty McCrory, Form IIIa. A Dream I had a dream the other night. When everything was still. How I look ' d out and there I saw Caesar upon a hill. I went right up and spoke to him And asked him what he thought. Then he in the insanest way Replied: Forget me not. And what of Farther Gaul? I said. Thinking he ' d speak to me. But all he did was look surprised And climb right up a tree. Just then I realized, of course, ' Twas Latin I must speak. But in some most unlucky way All I could say was, Die. With this he turn ' d to me and smifd And said, Dixisti male; And with another smile he left. Saying sweetly, Vale. I sorrowed much to see him go And said, This io no joke; But as I did so — lo, behold, I suddenly awoke. Nancy Murray, Form Upper V2. Ancient History The first thing that I think I learnt, Was when the town of Athens burnt. And secondly when Sparta led And soldiers fought and then they bled. The rise of Thebes came next, I think. But then that soon began to sink. And now strong Macedon arose And kept the nation on its toes. But Macedon was soon to fall. For one man cannot rule o ' er all. [ 21 ]

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high school and college education, improved and polished by travel, advantages which he never had. He is passionately fond of the boy, and keeps reading good hooks and improving himself as much as possible, so that the younger will never have any cause to be ashamed of his father. He is every inch a man, lust to those under him and kind, a great giver to charities, quick to make a decision, a born leader of men, and with an unfailing sense ot humour. He is perhaps the most popular man of the club, being liked and respected by the members, and trankly adored by the servants. I now come to Sir Henry Morton. He has a cold, hard face and is the hardest man for a business deal that I know ot. He is president of a famous railway company, and has for years filled his own pockets, lived on the company ' s money and robbed those under him. His sense of humour is only aroused when he tells a joke, which he does every time he comes; and because his morals are not very high, his jokes are sometimes a little too strong. He likes to have people pay him deference, but none of us do; so his visits are very infrequent, for which we are all heartily thank- ful. He IS a successful business man; but how different from Mr. Langton! Younger than the rest of us is Gilbert Martin. His father was a very successful commercial lawyer and therefore he expects his son to be a success in law also, bu t I am afraid he is doomed to disappointment. Gilbert would be sensational either as an actor or a playwright, because his talents lie in this direction, and he has produced several amazingly good plays at college, but his father will not realise this. The boy has quite a free time around town because his family live just outside the city, and so he knows all the Bohemian set, chumming with the young authors, painters and pianists, and we at the club relish the little tales he tells about them. He does not come very often, but his visits are like a fresh spring breeze, and he is obviously a great favourite with the ladies from the little things he says, though they are not said with any intention of giving this impression. Gilbert seems to be constantly laughing and his gaiety is infectious, we find; he never seems to take anything seriously, but there have been chance occasions on which I have seen a very different Gilbert from the usual laughing, joking, young blood. After one ot his visits we old cronies sit back with a sigh, but I wonder if the sigh is for our past youth, or for the peace that comes when youth is gone? Aubrey Leach, Form Upper VI. Night in Country and City ' I HE sun slowly sinks below the horizon, leaving only a fading splash of colour in the western sky. The wind dies down, and a sense of quiet peacefulness pervades the meadows. Now and then the call of a sleepy bird or fowl shatters the silence. As the light fades, bats dart to and fro, and an ov ' l hoots in the distance. Gradually darkness falls; one by one the stars appear — and twinkle merrily at one another. In the little creek, giant bull-frogs serenade their mates. Then suddenly, from out of a silver sea, comes the moon, big and red, and smiles softly down on the sleeping countryside, and tries to look her best for the benefit of the insignificant human being, who gazes on her splendour, in awe and reverence. Thus, one sits quietly all evening, watching the common, but always inspiring, phenomena of night ! Night in the country never fails to make one glad to be alive, and to forget the worries and heartaches of the day. Night in the city is an altogether different thing! The sun goes down behind tall severe buildings, half obscured in mist and smoke. The lights are turned on in the streets. Office build- ings open their doors to let out a boisterous, noisy crowd of humanity, all looking forward to a night of amusement. One little star peaks out from behind a big cloud, but hastily retires as if frightened by the bright glare of the electric light. The smell of thousands of suppers cooking, and the laughing and grumbling of their owners, are met with everywhere. A little later, the streets become packed with people; motor cars honk and roar over the roads; theatres swallow thousandi of poor defenceless mortals; hotels entice people to come and make merry in their numerous halls of pleasure. This frivolity continues until early morning; then everybody goes home, and imagines that he has had a good time, and looks forward to doing the same thing the next night. So the world goes on, and the moon looks down pityingly on the poor things, who do not know what beauty and peacefulness is ! Peggy Kaufmann, Form IVa. I 23 ]