Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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FOR THOSE WHO FELL On a cold (lark, day in autumn, hen the leaves are whitened with frost. Mourners. lo ingl laden with (lowers [• or the bra e younji man whom the) lost, alk solemnly up to the nuuuunent Kexerently n urmurini; a prayer. To pay jrreat respect to their lo ed ones, W ho sleep in the fields. o er there. Tl»e sleep in a rave ot lory. In a field where poppies jrrow . here the sun beats do vn on llu- face of the earth And the ripplin-r rivers Hov . rhe sleep iii a land ol freedom. Forgotten the terrors of war. Forgotten the black and war-torn nights. Forgotten for e t rmore. oinig men bra el fought for this freedom. Their generous deed was done. 1 he fought to bind nations together. Make the East and the S est as one. Long shall they be remembered. Long the picture of crude crosses stay, in the minds of gratefid people On this. Remembrance Day. Mar J OKIE Cunningham, Form Vb, Barclay House. THE EXERCISE OF THE PURSE (W ith apologies to Mr. Addison) Madam Editor, omen are armed with purses as men w ith canes. To the end, therefore, that ladies may be entire mistresses of the weapon which they bear, I have created an academy for the training of young women in the exercise of the Purse, according to the most fash- ionable airs and motions that are now practised at court. The ladies who carry purses under me are drawn up twice a day in my great hall, where they are exercised by the following words of command: Handle your purse. Open your purse. Search your purse. Close your purse. hen my female regiment is drawn up in array, with everyone her weapon in her hand, upon my giving the word to handle their purses, each one of them shakes her [17]

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The next morning was a beautiful one. The sun made an early appearance and edged the blue hills in gold. Its light was reflected in every dew-drop, and the lake was one great mirror of reflected beauty. The others were already on the old raft for an early dip when 1 proposed the thrilling ascent for that very afternoon. Enthusiastic whoops echoed in agreement, and plans were immediately discussed. The easiest way to settle the parent problem, we decided, was to keep the project to ourselves. Before the blazing sun reached the noon mark overhead, we were well on our way along the difficult trail and had already experienced some of its obstacles. Our chief worry was the faintness of the path, but by hacking away at some old trees in these less distinct spots, we were certain to find our way back. Of course, all of us had done a lot of climbing before, but this was really difficult; nevertheless, we loved every exciting minute of it. On we went — crossing rushing brooks on rotten logs, scaling the vertical face of scratched granite, holding on for dear life to bushes and moss, until we came to a small shaded plateau where violets, trilliums, and even the rare lady ' s slipper grew in profusion. The view was magnificent: there were mountains both near and far surrounding us, countless patches of blue water, and a winding toy railroad stretching interminably below. We resumed our arduous march upwards, and as I was scrambling over a boulder, imagine my surprise when I faced two beady eyes and a flashing red tongue between deadly white fangs. Before the copperhead even coiled up to strike, I was flat on my back at the foot of the rock. In an instant, I was telling the rest of the party about the incident. It was our second snake so far, and each of us found a stout stick for protection against fvirther lurking creatures. Suddenly, we stopped climbing and once again our feet trod on a level, moss- covered stretch. The trees were left behind and I, breathing deeply of the wine-like air, glowed at our achievement. Now we knew what Devil ' s Peak signified — danger and hardship, but after it all, the joy of standing on top of the world. Claudine Laberge, Form Va, Gumming House. [16]

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purse at me with a smile, then gives her right-hand woman a tap on the shoulder, then lets her arm fall in an easy motion, carefully displaying the ornamentations of her purse to all spectators, and stands in readiness to receive the next word of command. The next motion is that of opening the purse . This is seldom learned under a month ' s practice, as there are many types of fasteners, knobs, loops, buckles, clasps, and zippers, all of which must be completely understood by the pupil. Upon my giving the word to search the purse, they make one general dive, and examine the many and various contents of the bags with a worried and urgent frown, or a smiling and sure expectancy. The closing the purse follows. There is the angry closing, the humorous closing, the confused closing, and the merry closing. Not to be tedious, there is scarce any motion of the mind which does not produce a suitable closing. All these graces may be learned in about one half-year. With more time, a lady may learn to fight her way through crowds to the meat counter, and through streetcars and buses. She may also discover how to use her purse to protect her hat and coiffure dur- ing a storm, as well as how to use it to discipline children with a tap on the head without breaking her compact. To conclude my letter, I must acquaint you that I have, from my own observa- tions, compiled a little treatise for the use of my scholars, entitled The Passions of the Purse , which 1 will communicate to you, if you think it may be of use to the public. I shall have a general review on Thursday next, to which you will be very welcome, if you will honour it with your presence. I am, honoured madam, your most humble servant. Dorothy Eadie, Form VI Arts, Fairley House. THE SENTINEL PINE Tall, slender, and smoke-blackened Against the wintry sky It stands, a lonely sentinel Of a forest long gone by. A charred and ruined monarch Against the grey-blue sky. Fire, dread enemy of forests. Raged long upon the hill. The monarch last of all succumbed. Its resined cones hung charred and still. A smouldering pillar of ruin Stood dead upon the hill. Once this pine stood, a king Among all lesser trees. Birds nested on its mighty limbs; Its resined cones swayed in the breeze; A great free lord of the mountain Among all other trees. Now this pine stands a sentinel Upon a snowy knoll Where once stood mighty pine trees. He, monarch of them all. Black now, this pine, and lifeless Upon the snowy knoll. Anne Pattis6n, Form IVa, Ross House. [18]