December 1958 School Magazine

lhisbane Girls' Grammar School Mcrg.azine

December, 1958

December, 1958

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

FISHING A pelican glides towards the water and skims along the surface, coming sharply to a halt with the spray flyinq behind it in a landinq so g raceful that one is left qasping in admira- tion; a weather-beaten fishing boat rolls its way across the bar surrounded by a squawking flight of hunqry seagulls; the tide has not yet begun its swift flow and the water laps gently round a pair of suntanned legs . The drowsy peace of fishing .on a warm August envelopes the standing figure. A sharp jerk--taut line-bamboo bending. The fiqure snaps into action. With jerking rod and straining muscles, man battles fish. With set jaw but eyes gleaming with the thrill of fighting, man slowly gains on his adversary. Inch by inch, dripping, sparkling nylon winds on to the reel. Suc- cess is near. A flash of silver and a hiss of spray brinq a gasp from the swiftly gathering onlookers as the fish leaps- oh, what a fish! Then comes disaster. A black fin cuts the water, a dark body glides menacingly towards its goal, and with a snap of ·those hideous jaws, a fisherman's conquest, a fisherman's dream is lost and a disappointed man turns to bait his hook once more with that dauntless hope and undying patience of the true angler. - R.M., VA .

A FABLE OF JEAN DE LA FONTAINE They showed a painting long ago, In which the artist's paints did stain A mighty lion, a ll laid low, By one lon e man defied and slain. Though viewers spread afar its fame, JA. lion did its truth dispute: "I see," he said, "that, by repute, "To Mankind goes the victor's name; "But the artist did not paint arightl " To me this scene is really quaint- "The human would be vanquished quite " If lions all knew how to paintl "

-M. Vallance, VA.

THE BEAUTY OF FINE GLASS For a long time I have been interested in beautiful glass- ware, and I hope, one day, to possess a fine collection of my own. So far I have two lovely pieces. One is a dainty, life-sized robin, by Lalique of France . The shape, the size, and the play of light through his little bird- body as he bends to pick at a crumb, never cease to delight me. For centuries France has been renowned for its qlass, but Lalique devoted himself to the art from about 1900. He usually borrowed his decorations from nature-fish, deer, flowers and sometimes human figures . We are told that his work aimed at pleasant elegance rather than profundity, and perhaps it is the perfect naturalness and simplicity of my little robin that makes him so admired . My othe r treasure is a vase , about nine inches hiqh, of the clearest and smoothest pale blue crystal qlass . It is thick- walled, swirled and fluted, and looks like moulded ice-blue water. It is from the Swedish factory at Orrefors, where the qenius of two designers, Gate and Hold, has brought a world- wide reputation to all Orrefms productions. The development of Swedish g lass manufacture is remarkable for its rapid growth, the main factory being established as late as 1900. When I am old, I hope I shall be the proud possessor of precious pieces by Daum of France, by the artists of Vienna, England, Bavaria, Czechoslovakia, America and, perhaps, by that time, of Australia. -Lorraine Johnson, VA. 37

-Kay HardcCistle, !VD.

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