We have swept through the trees, and they gave forth our song, "Ahoy! ahoy! We are strong! we are strong!" The dark land had yielded and sung forth our power; We were masters of all, and the whole world did cower. THE WINDS OF MARCH BY JEAN HARPER (AGE 17) (Gold Badge. Silver Badge won October, 1919) By the hand of the wind-king I've mounted the blast, And on his charger ridden far and fast. The spring was not come, and the land yet was brown; The dark of the night was on meadow and down. The joy of the hunter ran swift through my veins, And we urged on the charger and threw loose the reins; O'er mountain and valley, o'er land and o'er sea! And I felt a wild joy, irresistibly free. We spoke to the weathercocks; they screamed at the sound, And on their rods swung round and round. The ship of the sailor trembled and fled, Like a white-shrouded ghost to the land of the dead. By the hand of the wind-king, I stepped from the blast A GOOD EXCUSE (Silver Badge) "I WONDER which of us will be chosen for the queen to wear at the wedding,” said Rose, as she nodded and swayed in the breeze, to tall White Lily. "Why, Rose, you will, of course. You are her favorite flower," exclaimed Lily. “But I do not wish to be worn and admired by the queen and all her ladies," sighed Rose. “What excuse have you?" exclaimed Lily. “Because—" and Rose hung her head. Suddenly, the high-pitched voice of Jack-inthe-Pulpit arose from somewhere near by. “Here, here! None of this. It is very rude to answer questions like that. We want a good excuse. Now in my day 1—" but he was interrupted by a chorus of voices, “Hush! Stop your preaching!" Just then the bluebells tinkled a warning, for up the winding path_the queen was leisurely strolling. Coming to Wild Rose, she whispered, "I think the head gardener overheard a little conversation between you and White Lily. What is this about not wishing to be taken from the garden?” "I was very rude to say such things," Rose hesitated. "I'm sure you will forgive me.” "But come, what is your excuse?” "Because I want to remain just what I am, a free, gay, happy, little wild rose.” For a minute the queen looked tenderly down at her, and then whispered: “Your wish is fulfilled, little one. Yours is indeed a good excuse. You shall not be made proud and vain by your ad mirers. You shall stay here, laughing and dancing in the breeze and be my own sweet little Wild Rose." The voice of the lakes rose high at our word; stirred. the arms of our might, And laughed at the leaves as they whirled out of sight. T BY ETHEL DURBIN, AGE 14 "ADMIRATION” THE WINDS OF MARCH BY ELIZABETH BRAINERD (AGE 8) HARK! is it a bird, A bird of early spring? Hear them whistling. And blow the remaining leaves away, That new ones in their place may come Some early April day. So come, let us dance with the winds, And the little brown leaves too, Over the fields that begin to be green And over the hills of blue. A GOOD REASON (Honor Member) It was the last day of March, and the North Wind came dancing over the hills in great glee, for he meant to sweep the country-side and make the spring flowers shiver in their beds. He was also planning to spread a blanket of snow over the fields and meadows. As he tripped gaily through the woods, he suddenly stopped, and a look of great surprise spread over his face. There before him, in a bank of moss, were two wee violets, peeping at him through the leaves. He was very much disgusted, and he blew a shrill blast at them as he passed. Before he had gone far, however, he spied a cluster of pink arbutus looking up at him with a smile. Tiny green leaves were sprouting on the bushes, and as he passed the swamp he found, to his amazement, that the pussy-willow bushes were covered with soft, downy kittens. When he came to the brook, he saw that the layer of ice which he had made so carefully only a week ago was broken, and the brook was babbling over the pebbles and singing a joyous song at being free again. In the apple orchard, he caught a glimpse WHEN MARCH WINDS BLOW (Silver Badge) THE WINDS OF MARCH BY ANNE MARIE HOMER (AGE 14) As the mighty wind sweeps through the wood And o'er the tossing sea, it bodes no good, No good to the giant pine in the west, Which it bends to the ground with furious zest, No good to the tossing ship on the sea, Which is no longer mighty, no longer free, But is wrecked by the cruel wind, wrecked as the tree. A GOOD REASON BY MADELINE BLOSSOM (AGE 10) SNOWDROP was a spoiled and petted cat. She was one of the most important members of the Smith family, and for two weeks not a sign of Snowdrop could the anxious Smiths see. At last, Mary said to Uncle Harry, "I think Snowdrop is a very ungrateful cat to run away." Uncle Harry smiled. "Do you really think Snowdrop could have had the heart to run away?” he asked. "I believe she has," was Mary's tearful reply. They were standing in the hall and Uncle Harry pushed open the door of a closet, remarking, “I think there is a good reason for it." And there, curled up beside Snowdrop, were four good little reasons, all fast asleep. And Snowdrop licked Mary's hand as if to say, “I am not an ungrateful cat, little mistress." "IN THE OPEN." BY MARIE RUBEN, AGE 14 THE WINDS OF MARCH (Silver Badge) And the sky is azure blue, Oh, 't is then I dream of you! And your smile is like the sun, When the day has just begun. And the sparks are dancing high, A GOOD REASON BY HELENE SPOONER (AGE 11) DURING the World War a young soldier at Camp Dixen, whose name was Bob Collingwood, desired a furlough to go home and see his parents. As his troop expected to be called across the sea any day the general would not permit Bob a furlough of even twenty-four hours. One day when the soldiers were having targetpractice, Bob saw one of them standing right in the way of an on-coming bullet. Not a minute was to be wasted or else the soldier might have been seriously hurt. Bob sprang forward and dragged the soldier out of the way and pulled him back just as the bullet whizzed past him. It went through Bob's leg and he fell down. When the other soldiers saw what had happened they ran up and carried Bob to his tent, where he recovered, after several weeks. He was given a gold medal for bravery. But best of all he was allowed a three-day furlough. A better reason could not be found for this great privilege. SPECIAL MENTION Ena L. Hourwich Asire Elease Weinas Louise H. Baker Hetty Burlingame Constance M. Evelyn Frost Beatty O'Hara Catherine Crook Edith Ě. Hatfield Helen Louise Gunn Dorothy Buck Ellen L. Carpenter Ruth Foster Rankin Nancy Parker Dorothy Dell Irene Renk PHOTOGRAPHS Charles E. Wilkins Alden K. Sibley James B. R. White Rose Zimmerman Mary Phillips Lucille Breeding Herma J. Neeland Martha Duncan Mary Chase Madelaine Karpeles Philip D. Eastman Ruth Wilkinson Julie Nicoll Theodore H. Morris Elizabeth Swayze Julia Carlie Brewster Morris Dorothy M. Jones Helen Simpson Mary Louise Libby Laurence Firestone Margaret Bessy A. Rascovar Josephine M. Miller MackPrang Hilda Sobe Fanny C. Curtis Margaret A. Nichols Farquhar Margaret Lane Hope Hamilton Mildred M. Harris Virginia K. Lucy Bush Josephine Fraley Clayburgh Ida Ahrens Marjorie Whitney Theodora Gott Lulita C. Pritchett Louise Ward Margaret H. Collins Elizabeth McKinney Caroline M. Ashton DRAWINGS Anne Weld Alfred S. Lazarus Katharine Adams Francis J. B. Mary Clarton Robert Campbell Kennard Galbraith Dorothy L. Rowell Richardson Marie Peyré Katherine Harris Emily L. Brandt Mary E. Marjorie E. Florence F. Johnson Stonebarger St. Pierre Leila E. Jones Holman Don Hoover Martha Peters Margaret Redington Josephine R. Howell Fotheringham Marjorie E. Root Mabel Saunders Laura L. Canfield Natalie Henry Abigail Hazen Phyllis Hodges Mariette E. Paine Peggy Davidson Evelyn Renk Justina Klebsattel Helen F. Corson Lois Mills Katherine E. Mark Harding Julia F. Harrison Theresa Lindsay Vander Veer Daisy May Henrietta North Phebe Lemon Clara Beardslee Carol Marshall ROLL OF HONOR A list of those whose contributions were deserving of high praise: PROSE Isabel C. George Wunderlich, Arthur Carson Bosworth Jr. Frances K. Ann Sommerich Jane H. Campbell Beckwith Katharine Hinckley Sarah K. Stafford Barbara Simison Mary D. Hatch Janet Sonnenstrahl Ada G. Osann PHOTOGRAPHS Jane Cooper Elizabeth Marsh Robert Huse Mary Armstrong Ruth L. Stern Catherine Weitzel Helen M. D. Furst Ernoest O. Knoch Helen Ireland "A HEADING FOR Ivy-Jane Muriel Ward MARCH BY MARY Edmondson Colin Macafee BILLINGS, AGE 14 Laura C. Barrett Henry S. Joseph (SILVER BADGE) Lalia Simison Frances B. Kennedy Anne Wyman Ruth McCutchen Gwynne Daggett Barbara Hastings Boyd D. Lewis Ruth Dimick Marion Haven Marian E. Lumb Dorothy Jenkins Seegar Coleman Brandenburg Loudon PUZZLES Constance Keating Margaret Gott Olga C. Pedersen Elinor G. Welch Auril F. Baker Sylvester Gatewood Rebecca S. Wright Charlotte Millis Bernice Rasmussen VERSE Herbert L. Block Jeannetta R. Pennock Kennedy R. Ludlam Helen L. Hannah Gilman Matilda Bishop Whitehouse Elizabeth Dow Elizabeth Anne L. New Dorothy Townsend McCullough Hilda F. Harris Amy L. Kuhn Howard C. Kroh Nancy Carr Hester M. Laning Alice McMahon Harriet F. Marrack Mary H. Wilde Betty Jane Epley Margaret Leopold Irma Evers Katherine F. Todd Margaret Barbara Coleman Anna Pernt Montgomery Kate C. Lyon Hanna Böhme Elizabeth Brooks Susan Baker Virginia Dove WHAT THE LEAGUE IS THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE is an organization of the readers of the St. NICHOLAS MAGAZINE. THE LEAGUE motto is “Live to learn and learn to live." THE LEAGUE emblem is the "Stars and Stripes." THE LEAGUE membership button bears the LEAGUE name and emblem. THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE organized in November, 1899, became immediately popular with earnest and enlightened young folks, and now is widely recognized as one of the great artistic educational factors in the life of American boys and girls. THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE awards gold and silver badges each month for the best original poems, stories, drawings, photographs, puzzles, and puzzle answers. PRIZE COMPETITION, No. 268 Competition No. 268 will close April 1. All contributions intended for it must be mailed on or before that date. Prize announcements will be made and the selected contributions published in St. NICHOLAS for July. Badges sent one month later. Verse. To contain not more than twenty-four lines. Subject, "From Sea to Sea." Prose. Essay or story of not more than three hundred words. Subject, "My Favorite Recreation." Photograph. Any size, mounted or unmounted; no blue prints or negatives. Young photographers need not print and develop their pictures themselves. Subject, "Taken in a Second.” Drawing. India ink, very black writing-ink, or wash. Subject, “Vacation 's Here!” or “A Vacation Friend,” or "A Heading for July.” Puzzle. Must be accompanied by answer in full. Puzzle Answers. Best and neatest complete set of answers to puzzles in this issue of St. NichOLAS. Must be addressed to THE RIDDLE-Box. No unused contribution can be returned unless it is accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelop of proper size to hold the manuscript or picture. RULES ANY reader of St. NICHOLAS, whether a subscriber or not, is entitled to League membership, and upon application a League badge and leaflet will be sent free. No League member who has reached the age of eighteen years may compete. Every contribution, of whatever kind, must bear the name, age, and address of the sender and be indorsed as "original" by parent, teacher, or guardian, who must be convinced beyond doubt-and must state in writing—that the contribution is not copied, but wholly the work and idea of the sender. If prose, the number of words should also be added. These notes must not be on a separate sheet, but on the contribution itself—if manuscript, on the upper margin; if a picture, on the margin or back. Write in ink on one side of the paper only. A contributor may send but one contribution a month-not one of each kind, but one only; this, however, does not include “competitions” in the advertising pages or “Answers to Puzzles." Address: The St. Nicholas League, The Century Co. |
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