December 1953 School Magazine
Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine
Dec~mber. 1953
December. 19S:J
Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine
READER'S CHOICE Once upon a time, in a far-away land there lived a prince, a charming, handsome, gallant and wealthy young prince, the hope of every young lady in the land and the despair of their elder sisters. - In the land of the prince was a thick, dark forest. where the branches twined overhead to form a rich canopy in all but one place, and that was the open circle in the very heart where lived a band of wicked robbers, led by a very beautiful, no-less wicked, robber princess, dark, slender, crim- son-lipped and passionate. In the usual fashion, the prince, by accident becoming· sep- arated from his hunting party, fell into the clutches of the robber band and was dragged to their notorious hide-away, stripped of his jewels and thrown into prison. Under such circumstances, it was quite inevitable that the robber princess should fall violently in love with him. This particular band of robbers had evolved a set formula for dealing with the unwanted persons of noble victims, whose blue blood tL ey did not want on their hands. On a day when all the band was assembled in the clearing, at midday they would seat themselves in a grim circle on the grass in the hot sun, and the victim, heavily guarded, would be led by the princess into the centre. Here, she would offer him the choice of joining the band or opening a small box which she would give him. This treatment being accorded only to noble prisoners, the first offer was usually refused with the most utter contempt. This meant that on the following day there would be a second assembly when the offer would be repeated, and if still refused, the box, chosen and presented by the prin- cess, would be opened. Now, there were two boxes, beautifully carved and inlaid little things; but, by far their most interesting features were their contents. When one was opened, a tiny white mouse scampered out, and the prisoner to whom the prin- cess was disposed to be lenient, was escorted home. But the other contained three large and altogether revolting sco1;pions, who swiftly and vindictively emphasized the princess's opinion of that victim. So the prince, whose courage and fortitude had by now for ced the unwilling admiration of the robbers, faced the first assembly. But the princess's offer came this time with a differ- ence-you r emember she had fallen in love with him-and all her passionate adoration was laid bare as she knelt and begged him to join the band and, as her husband, become their leader. But the prince, conscious always that a hero must remain 39
TO SPRING The· Spring is singing in my heart, The Spring of joy, the Spring of Youth; The Spring of which I am a part, The Spring of happiness and t1·uth. 0 season, born of hope and ci1·efree gladness, Of promise, and the bursting of the spray, You banish all that is akin to sadness, Ancl with your sweetness haunt each blessed clay. Then linger 0 thou Springticl.e of my youth, That I may' not grow old awhile as yet, That I may fincl sincerity ancl truth, Ancl know both in my heart e'er deeply set. The Spring is singing in my heart, A Spring that will of glory ever sing, Yet wait awhile, 0 Spring; clo not depart, Too late !-my heart has taken wing.
-ANN WRIGHT, III.A.
A TRIP UP THE SUEZ CANAL \Ve entered the Suez Canal about midday, having left behind u s, with no regrets, that barren, rocky mound called Aden. It was mid-summer and the heat was so great that the majority of the passengers lay prostJ;ated in deck chairs in whatever shade they could find , consuming innumerable glasses of iced drinks. Our progress was slow, for at one of the larger lakes we had to anchor to allow another ship to pass in the oth er direction. The sides of the narrow channel were of large stone slabs , and abov e, on the banks, were palm trees; a tough variety of grass, struggling for existence in the sand and helping to prevent erosion; and rolls of barbed wire, for there was still trouble in the area. There were also a few flat-roofed unimpressive houses, but other than that, there was little to see, and the hard, bright glare did not add to the· beauty of the scene. In the evening, however, in that softer light and comparative cool , everything seemed more enchanting and rather mysterious, this impression gaining strength as we passed an old man, standing erect and silent on the edge of the canal , holding three· camels. Suddenly ont of the dusk came an army truck filled with soldiers, who waved and shouted to us , shattering the calm which had hitherto been broken only by the throb of our engines. Soon afterwards we emerged, and although seven years have passed since we sailed up the Suez Canal, the memory has not dimmed. -D. HYLAND, V.A.
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