Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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The two men gave him their wraps and crossed the room to the fire. What a ride! commented a tall, well-built man, and his pleasant face was lit by a smile as he regarded his friend. Oh, what a rough road ! I ' ll be as stiff as a poker tomorrow. Never mind, Tom, it ' s always an experience. Huh , grunted the other man, obviously the younger of the two, but of a smaller build, with a long thin face and a habit of raising one eyebrow questioningly. In here, gentlemen. Their host ushered them into the adjoining room. When the door closed, Mr, Napier ' s cheerful expression changed to one of grave concern. Well, and how ' s my chief? The Prince hasn ' t been in such good spirits lately, I ' m afraid. The tall man known as Macpherson told his host. Ah dinna think it wull be lang until all this fighting is over. It was a sad day when he came to Scotland. Oh, I ' m not disloyal tae him, mind ye, but it was a hopeless job from the beginning. Ach, what will become of him, ah dinna ken. Then recollecting himself and his duties as host, he called his daughter to bring the punch, and in she came bearing a hot bowl of the steaming beverage. Ah, that ' s the stuff, lass, grinned young Tom, while she was all smiles and would have hung around longer had not her father nodded to her to leave. And so, went on Macpherson as he ate his dinner, the Prince had a green glass goblet, which he prized highly. It ' s very old, supposed to have been stolen from a church, long ago, and it bears a Latin inscription around the lip, which means ' Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid ' . This cup, or chalice, has been stolen and Prince Charles is at his wit ' s end. He thinks that he will lose ' the cause ' because it is gone. I don ' t know just how much there is to that, but the men got wind of it and quite a number refuse to fight until it is found. Things have come to a pretty pass, muttered Tom, Anyway, this cup seems to have cast a spell over him; he won ' t eat; he thinks that it will never be found, and he broods over all the lives lost on our side, — feels he ' s responsible. The Prince is a wiser man than when he came, Mr. Napier said solemnly from a corner. .j It is one week since the three gentlemen met and now Mr. Napier is standing before the fireplace beside Macpherson, who is holding a green glass goblet. Well, well, so ye found it at last. My, won ' t the Prince be glad to see you, now that things have been going poorly. Crash! The goblet fell to the floor as Mr. Napier accidently hit it with his elbow, when reaching for the clock. It was an hour after that, that the Battle of Culloden ended. EPILOGUE A broken cup, a broken cause, said Mr, Napier and he sighed as he rose from lli(- scllle. RosEMAijY Graham, Form IVa, Ross House, |22|

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Oh, Gwandad, you has to guess what Morag has. He laughed and pointed to a little girl standing in front of them. Guess! cried the wee boy impatiently. Mm, an apple? No, laughed Morag. Some crumpets? Wrong . It ' s a — the small boy tried to be helpful. Keep quiet! ordered his sister. It begins with C. The chubby boy whispered into his grandfather ' s ear. Would it be — er — a cup? Oh, Rob, you told! Glaring at her little brother, she brought forth a green glass cup, broken in two. Smiling at her grandfather, she said, See? Mmm, where did you find this? In a drawer of an old chest in the attic. One bit ' s mine, piped up Rob. There are words on it. What do they say? Morag pointed to the rim of the cup, It ' s Latin, muttered her grandfather. Why do you look so strange? What ' s the matter? questioned Morag. Go, go . The old man motioned toward their nurse who had just entered the room and their loud protests faded as they disappeared down the hall. The old man looked off into the distance as if he were thinking of something long ago and far away. -X- It was a rainy night and the Lightning coach had been due at the Thistle and Sword , Kilsyth, Sterling, for over an hour. Inside the small inn a fire burned cheerfully in the large open fireplace, sending a warm orange glow over the room. Through an open door could be seen a fat bald-headed man, dressed in brown homespun breeches, and a well-worn green velvet waistcoat; he was busying himself at a table, laid for two. He came out into the main room and looked around. Margot! Margot! he called. A buxom girl in her late ' teens opened the door. Her frilled cap hung limply around her warm full face. Tell Coll tae bring oop twa bottles o ' wine. They ' re in the left hand corner of the cellar , he added as his daughter let the door swing back. Deary me! he shook his head and wiped his bald spot with a hand- kerchief. Are they no ' here yet? queried Margot from the door. I ' m havin ' an awfu ' hard time keeping the dinner hot . Ye ' ll just hae ' tae do the best ye can , answered her father as he opened the front door and peered into the wet blackness, but he shut it quickly for the damp air rushed in. Tut, ah hop naething ' s wrong . Hoots! Ah hear the beat o ' horses ' hooves. He rushed to the door, and threw it open. Hey there, ho! Coll, the horses! and a boy hurried out from a side door as the coach drew up before the door and two weary travellers stvimbled into the inn. Well, well, ye ' re here at last. Welcome to the ' Thistle and Sword ' , Mr. Napier. The host bowed and rubbed his hands. [21]

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THOUGHTS DURING AN ALGEBRA EXAM. The bell rings loudly. No more talk! And, trembling with fear, to our desks we walk. Have you your pens, girls? I won ' t ask again! Well, I think I have everything, minus a brain. Papers are given, I read mine with fear. Everything I don ' t know seems to be here. Settling down quietly, all start to write. Doesn ' t X = Y, or was X is B, right? On to the next question — consternation! Whoever called this a simple equation! I ' d studied square root till the breaking of dawn. Now here there are factors ! My chances are gone. Question two is a horrible problem, I see. How do you do these things? Oh, dearie me! Can ' t say X is a sheep or Y is a cow. But try as I will I can ' t think how You word it correctly. An hour has passed! Still four more questions until the last. On to the next one! Does A have X dollars? Time out to envy intelligent scholars. Oh, well, I ' m sure to get one at least right. But I ' d like to murder Messrs. Hall and Knight. Three more questions partially finished, And my hopes of passing have slowly diminished. Glance at my watch again; five minutes more. Must try again to get number four — There goes the bell ! Oh, well, trust to fate. At least I can say I could do number eight. Stagger to recess, and feel there ' s a plain Natural space where there once was a brain. Jean Sinnamon, Form IVb, Ross House. [23]