July 1953 School Magazine

July, 1953

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1953

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

implored him to turn back, but he was quite cheerful-"Oh! no, we'll make it yet". We went on, icy fingers clutching at our hearts every time the utility showed any inclination to turn over. After almost four miles, we became bogged. With the help of chains we managed to extricate the utility and to our immense relief, Uncle Tom decided to turn back. About a mile from the homestead, and facing the worst stretch of road, we four girls declined to trust ourselves to the utility any longer and set off on foot. We were wet to the skin and we found it difficult walking along in the mud. Pe riodically we had to stop to clean the mud off our feet so that they would not be too heavy to lift. Nevertheless, we were cheerful, for had we not escaped from the utility? We stumbled on in the driving rain, gaily singing "Singing in the Rain". At length we reached the homestead, wet and bedraggled, to be greeted with the derisive cries of the stockmen-"We knew you'd be back" . -KAY MILLER, IV. B THE KIN'G OF THE BEASTS Numa crouched, like a great bronze statue, with all senses a lert, denoting that he was expecting something. He had not fed for many days for, by a stroke of ill-luck, his game a lways seemed to sense his aproach. Now he was waiting at the ford for some unwary animal which would come, cautiously, to quench its thirst. Soon his patience was rewarded, for Bara, the deer, came into sight. Hesitatingly, Bara, his nose twitching and ears ready to catch the slightest sound, made his uncertain way to the ford . His was a life of constant danger for he was often the prey of many of the carnivorous animals and Bara could afford to take no chances. Numa could scarce contain himself in his excitement. Here was meat at last and soon, he thought confidently, he would feast on his kill. He was a splendid specimen of his kind, a little thin around the ribs but that was the result of h is not having eaten for some time. He was a magnificent lion, well past his prime, ageing about four or five years. His well-shaped head and body marked a higher intelligence than most of his kind. The large, tawny body was strikingly handsome and he trod with a regal air. His black mane was that of an African lion. He struck awe into the superstitious natives who inhabited the surrounding plains . His majes tic roar as he challenged the jungle indicated his rank. 31

DELAYED DEPARTURE We had been spending the Christmas holidays a t Planet Downs, a cattle station in Central Queensland, and for the most part we had had glorious weather. At last the day, when we were to leave by car for Rockhampton on the first stage of our journey home arrived, and, with it came the rain that had been absent for so long. With the advent of the rain we knew that the road to Rock- hampton would be impassable, and decided to make a dash to Springsure, the nearest railhead, sixty miles away. The stockman told us that we would not make it, but we were not discouraged and set off full of hope. The roads were worse than we had expected. We slipped and slithered from one side of the road to the other. Once the utility skidded off the road and swung round in a half circle. The rain, which was pouring down steadily, did not improve the road and we a ll began to imagine the car turning over at any moment. Once we made Uncle Tom stop the car and

JUNE GLOVER, JVC.

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