Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 22 text:

ESCAPE TEFAN MULLER swayed from side to s ide uh his |)aia(lnjlc lloal i down. : was v somewliere over En[j;land, lie liad no idea where. He had h -en in a fifilitcr | lane escorting some bombers to the norlh of England, when his plane was hit by anti-airerafi fire. He knew the engines had been hit, and turned back, but the engines soon failed, and he had to jump. He landed witli a bump and was draggcnl a few yards before he managed to stop and free himself from the parachute. He folded it and hid it behind a bush: then looked about him. It was hilly country: the small hills looked large in the dark. He glanced at his watch — twenty past eleven. He decided to look for a house to get some food and clothes. As a good citizen of the Reich it was, of course, his duty to try to escape. He would make for the south coast. Luckily he could tell his direction from the stars, and even better, he could speak English with hardly a trace of accent. He walked along for a few minutes and soon saw a one story house nearby. He walked around it and saw two windows open. He stood outside one and, holding his breath, listened in silence. He thought he heard someone breathing, so he went to the other. All seemed silent. He climbed in noiselessly. His eyes are getting accustomed to the dark, and he could see that he was in a combination sitting and dining room. Two doors led off it. He opened one and saw that it led to the kitchen. That could be left till later. The other led into the hall, and in one corner he saw something that made his eyes gleam with delight — an overcoat. He slipped it on over his uniform, and was turning to go when he kicked something. He waited uneasily for a moment before he moved, then looking down he saw some boots. Of course, his army boots would give him away. He carried them out to the kitchen and put them on. Then he opened the icebox, and was amazed at what he saw — milk, butter, even a little cheese. He took a long drink of milk, stuffed the cheese in his pocket, and finding the breadbox, he took a loaf of bread. Then he climbed out of the window again. As he walked down the road he estimated his chances. His luck had held well so far. With something over his uniform he had a good chance of getting to the coast, anyway. He walked along for hours. At four-thirty it began to get light, so seeing some woods nearby, Miiller made for them. He found some natural cover, where some bushes overhung a stream. He took a drink of water and some bread and cheese, and lay down to sleep through the day. M was awakened toward noon. He lay still for a minute, hardly knowing where he was. Then he heard hoys ' voices, and two boys about ten years old came into sight, paddling in tin; slream. I 20 I

Page 21 text:

When we arrived in Canada it was Summer and the heat was terrific; we had never felt anything; like it hefore, hut we were tohl that it wouhl only be for a day or two. When it lasted for tliree or four weeks we heard that such a long spell was Exceptional . Tiien the Winter came; our friends told us that there were great blizzards and the pavements were piled so high with snow that you could not see over ihem. The first Winter seemed to us very mild and we were disappointed that there was not more snow. Again we were told that the Winter had been Exceptional . The next Summer was Exceptionally dry and there were many forest fires due to the dryness. This Winter has been very cold with lots of snow, and then they tell us that this is the worst Winter for forty years! Through all the year it seems that Exceptional weather continues — hot periods, cold, wet, dry until we are just longing to see a plain Canadian day, — if there is such a thing. On looking back, 1 remember some lovely holidays we spent in the country both in the Summer and the Winter — days when the sky would be blue and the air clear and we would walk or ski through the beautiful wooded trails passing perhaps a picturesque lake either frozen or deep blue. These might have been the typical Canadian days — but there was no one there to tell us. Denise Craig, Form IIIa., Ross House. THE SHEPHERD ' S PIPE 1 I saw a sky of cloudless blue, A grassy hill of joy, And ' midst the flowers of glorious hue. Amidst the sheep all wet with dew, I saw the shepherd boy. .3 1 say a wand because it made The mountain disappear, The sunny scene began to fade, I saw a coal-black Congo maid, A forest deep and drear. 5 I travelled, while the music sang. To covmtries west and east; Saw peaceful lands where church bells rang. Followed by China ' s mystic clang. And then the music ceased. 2 He sat upon a jutting rock, A crook was in his hand, But this he laid beside his flock, His pipe he took, he made it talk. And it became a wand. 4 The music changed and took me to A happy ballroom floor. The merry waltzers past me flew, Until the music wilder grew. And led me into war. 6 I saw again the cloudless blue. But on the grassy hill. The flowers wilted where they grew. The sheep were gone, the shepherd too, And all was deep and still. Barbara Brooics, Form Va, Fairley House. [19]

Page 23 text:

I ' m goiiifr on shore now. I ' ve crossed the channel and I ' m going to land in France , and one of the boys made for Miiller ' s liideout. Then the boy caught sight of him. Hello. Hello, said Midler. Hey, Freddy, come here, I ' ve got a German prisoner! Midler gave a gasp and was about to run, when the boy smiled. We ' re pretending to he commandos, he said. You don ' t mind being our prisoner, do you? Midler was so relieved that he agreed. He watched the two as they played together, and wondered liow they could be so ignorant of war. A seven-year-old in his country would know more. He liad to walk alongside the boys, as Freddy was keeping hold of him. Suddenly they came to a clearing where a man and woman were sitting. The boys ran forward. Mvnn, Dad, this is our prisoner! Miiller hung back, hut tlie boys ' mother laughed and said, I ' m sorry our boys have been bothering you. We ' re just going to have a picnic lunch. Won ' t you join us? We have plenty. Miiller agreed to stay. He gave his name as Stephen Miller and said that he was on a tramping holiday. After lunch the man said, We ' d be pleased if you would come to our house for supper. There ' s to be a debate in the village this evening about tlie attitude of the government to the war. You might be interested in hearing it. Miiller thanked him, but said he must be on liis way. As he stood up he heard the two boys arguing. You can ' t be Churchill, said Freddy. You ' re too handsome. Churchill ' s fat like me. Miiller waited for their mother to scold them for speaking like that of their leader, but she just smiled tolerantly and wished him good luck. As he walked through the woods he compared England and Germany. The differ- ence in the civilians ' food here, their happiness, their kindness, their liberty to say what they liked about their government — all made him realize the complete contrast. He wondered why he was trying to escape. Escape? He was giving up liberty for bondage. Suddenly he understood the feelings of people who had wanted to get out of Germany and go to England when war broke out. He had a feeling that he had been sent to England for a purpose, and suddenly he determined that if he could get to Germany he would he lp others to escape. He had quite a high position, and some opportunity for helping them. Yes, he would help them to escape to a free country, to England, so they could aid in making Germany free, a country from which no one would need to, or want to, escape. Lois Tyndale, Form VIa., Fairley House. [21]