Woonsocket High School - Quiver Yearbook (Woonsocket, RI)

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12 THE QUIVER V. The Storm’s Story For a certain number of days each year I rule the ocean, the thunder, the lightning, and the winds; and a very jolly reign I have, too. I like excitement and contests of strength. To please me, therefore, the wind, the ocean, the lightning, and the thunder matched their strength against one another. You sea-men do not enjoy it as much as I, do you? You are afraid for your worthless old vessels, for the people on board, and, some of you, even for yourselves. What weak creatures you mortal men are! RUTH SCHLIVEK. T8. ; ♦ NIGHTFALL The sun is setting in the west; The tiny birds are in their nest; The world begins to think of rest. i The gentle breeze whispers a song, With accent soft, but feeling strong, Which makes the heart for home-folks long. The leaves a hushed conference take; Scarcely a rustle do they make, Lest they the soothing silence break. On us the twilight soft doth steal; The nearest objects seem unreal; A restful peace we now do feel, For hushed the sounds of joyous day. On speeds the night without delay, While purple shadows pave its way. In the trees o’erhead the soft wind dies. In slumber wrapt the old world lies, Thus to remain until sunrise. O countless days! O nights untold! Still ever as you do unfold, For us enchantment weird you hold. HELEN THAYER. ’18.

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THE QUIVER A STORM AT SEA 11 I. A Young Lady's Account of It. On our fourth day at sea, I came on deck, feeling rather cross and uncomfortable, without any apparent reason. I soon found cause enough for being uncomfortable. The air became so chill and the wind so strong that I drew my steamer-rug more closely about me. The gulls out on the water seemed to be screaming right into my ear. The sky grew gradually blacker and blacker. The ocean beat against the vessel with a great roar. The white crests of the waves glared out of the blackness of the surrounding sky and water. It seemed to me as if some unseen being were closing a great black sheet about my head to muffle my screams; and then, when it had almost enveloped me, a great peal of thunder, followed by a terrible flash of lightning, awoke me from my stupor. Mingling my cries with the noise of the elements, I fled to my cabin. II. Her Brother's Account You wish me to tell you about that storm we had? There really isn't very much to tell. It was rather a bad storm, but that made it the more interesting. It seemed to me as if the thunder and lightning and sea were having a family quarrel. They certainly did fight well! I cheered for old Mother Ocean, but she was making so much noise that I don’t believe she heard me. If you wish a clear account of what happened, I should advise you to ask the captain. As you see, my strong point is not talking. III. Extract from Captain Smith's Diary November 24, 1914. Bad storm at two o’clock. The lightning seemed to run from the sky into the water, burning its path through the air. I have never seen it do that before. We had no trouble with the ship. Think I shall arrange for Tekon’s promotion. He does good, faithful work. IV. The Sea-gull's Story My mate had to fly about with the other gulls to warn everyone of the coming storm. I stayed under a little rock to wait for him. The good ocean is very kind to us, and I was sorry to see it in such an excited state, with the angry thunder rumbling at it, and the lightning flashing its hateful tongue at it.

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THE QUIVER 13 OUR PERMANENT BENEFITS FROM THE WAR IN EUROPE Although it sounds absurd to say that any country can be benefited by the present European war, this war has been an aid to the United States in one way. The enormous war orders, which have brought millions of dollars into this country and have given employment to thousands of American workmen, cannot really be regarded as a benefit; for, in the first place, it is only temporary, being an abnormal condition which will disappear when the war ends. Besides this, any gain made in this way is counteracted by the loss in trade of many other articles caused by England’s blockade and the lack of merchant vessels. But this war has awakened the American scientists and inventors, who were overlooking many opportunities. Beforj the war, Germany was the leader of the world in scientific research and manufacture. Any problem of manufacture that seemed too difficult for the manufacturers of other countries would be solved by the Germans, although sometimes they had harder natural difficulties to overcome than the people of other countries. Many of the manufacturers in the United States were content to pay exorbitant prices for certain materials, which, with a little research and ingenuity, could have been produced right here in America at a far less price. One example of this is manganese. Manganese is used extensively in the manufacture of dry batteries for electric torches. All the raw materials are found here for making manganese, but no one thought enough about it to attempt its production. All that was used was bought from the Germans at from thirty to forty cents a pound. Then the war came and the delivery of manganese was stopped. One manufacturer needed a large amount of it, as he had secured a contract to supply torches to the armies of the Allies. He called his experts together and told them that they must find a way to make it. At first they said it was impossible, as the Germans had a patent on their process; but at last they succeeded, and found that they could make a better quality for a cent and a half a pound than the German manganese, which cost from thirty to forty cents a pound. Quartz glass was another instance. This glass is heat and acid proof, and is used as a substitute for platinum in crucibles, retorts, and test-tubes used in chemical laboratories. If the supply of this glass stopped, the laboratories would have to suspend operations, as ordinary glass will not stand up under the extreme conditions of heat to which this apparatus is subjected. The sand for this glass can be found only in Nebraska; but the Americans, instead of taking advantage of this