Woonsocket High School - Quiver Yearbook (Woonsocket, RI)

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THE QUIVER 19 When, some time later, the train drew out, it left a group of happier children, whose bodies had been strengthened and warmed by food. Among the group stood Olga and little Ivan. Olga bent gentl} over her baby brother and whispered happily, “Oh, Ivan, don t you feel better now?” And they turned and disappeared, a pathetic picture to the eyes of inanv an older person. MADELEINE ROSWEI.L. WHEN OUR GRANDPARENTS WERE YOUNG I. When Grandfather was a boy, he had a pet canary. One day it was found badly mangled on the floor. Both he and his sister, Florence, or Fudge, as she was called, blamed the little kitten; but there were two kittens, and so the youngsters decided that both must be executed immediately. Each took a kitten and started off for the mill-pond, about a mile away. It was very shallow, really a mud-hole. The kittens were thrown in, but naturally they ran right out again. The children procured long sticks and tried to hold them down, but it was of no use. The youngsters fought for nearly an hour without resting, until the cats were nearly dead. Their little faces were so pitiful and their eyes were so wide with terror that at last Fudge s heart would not allow her to see them drown. In an instant she picked them up and ran home with them. My grandfather was terribly angry and said it was “just like a girl; they always backed out!” But when he reached home, he was finally made to realize that it had been the right thing to do, because one of the kittens was innocent II. My grandfather was sent to school at the age of eight, with his cousin, John, who lived next door. They always walked to and from school together. Every day they stopped at their grandmother’s for something to eat. . One day John was sick and could not go to school. My grandfather stopped as usual on his way home. After learning that John was sick, his grandmother gave him two oranges and said. “Keep one for yourself and take the other to John.” On the way he ate one of the oranges and put the other into his pocket. When he reached John’s, he went in to tell him the news. John listened with interest

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18 THE QUIVER WHEN THE TRAIN COMES IN WITH FOOD FROM AMERICA Little Olga tightly held the ragged black shawl around her shoulders with one small, dirty hand, and with the other she dragged her three-year-old brother through the crowds of children already gathered to meet the incoming train of the American Relief Administration. Now she could see it approaching in the distance, winding along like a serpent and occasionally giving a shriek to announce its coming to the eager, half-starved children. It was moving very rapidly, but to little Olga and Ivan it seemed to creep along like a snail. Would it never come ? It was pitiful to see the thousand children collected there. They stood so very quietly, not at all like normal children, and watched the train with their big, expressive eyes. Olga felt as though she no longer had strength to cling to Ivan’s hand and she thought it was slowly slipping from her grasp. Looking at him. she wondered vaguely at his hollow cheeks and his thin body; but if she had looked around her at the other children, she would have seen that Ivan was by no means the only starving child. The small, pinched look was stamped on all those pale young faces. Indeed, if she had gazed into a mirror, she would have seen the face of any one of those children reflected in her own countenance. She was aroused from her stupor by the hoarse shouts of the others and by Ivan’s tugging at her hand. The train had. at last, reached the station. It was bringing food, she told Ivan, as she pointed out the Red Cross to him. Olga found herself in the midst of a rushing crowd. Everyone had seemed to gain life in an instant. Each of them knew that he would soon have food, and all were prepared to give the “American Relief lady” the best smile they could summon to their dry lips. For an hour Olga waited for the food tickets, standing with the others near the great train. She waited patiently, for she knew that there were a thousand other starving ones who must also have food. While she watied, Olga watched the women and men from the train rushing hither and thither, some distributing tickets, others going about numerous other duties. One Russian officer reminded her of her father, who had fallen during the war in the service of Russia. Finally she was sent with two tickets into one of the restaurant cars, where she and Ivan were seated at a small table and were given two bowls of hot, nourishing broth. Never did food taste better to hungry children! Ivan’s eyes shone as he devoured his portion.

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20 THE QUIVER and asked, “Where is my orange? My grandfather quickly replied, “It was your orange that I ate. The other is mine.” John was very angry and for many days afterward he would not speak to his chum. They soon made up, however, and were always great friends. Even today, when they happen to meet, John will ask, “Where’s my orange ?” MAURICE BACHAND. 111. When my grandmother was about nine years old, she went with her parents to live on a farm in New Hampshire. Everything about the place was new and strange to her. One day she went with her brother, Ernest, to collect the eggs. Some of the eggs were light brown and the others were white. When she saw her brother taking a white egg out of the nest, sne became very much excited and wanted him to leave it there. “But why, Elizabeth?” asked Ernest. “Because it isn’t cooked yet. It should be brown, like the others,” replied Elizabeth, knowingly. KATHRYN DELAND. IV. When my grandmother was five years old, she went to spend the night with a neighbor. The next morning at breakfast her hostess put some condensed milk into a little tea for her. Grandma decided that she did not care for any tea. Upon her return home, while relating her experiences to her mother, she said that she had enjoyed her visit very much, but that she did not like white paint in her tea. GENEVEIVE QUINN.