Albany High School - Prisms Yearbook (Albany, NY)

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20 THE GARNET AND GRAY Won't you come in? asked Grace. From another room a masculine voice called, Is that the landlord? No, it is a visitor, replied Grace. The door from the other room opened and in walked a tall lad, about twenty. He seemed quite a delicate boy and the lines about his face were marks of pain and worry. He walked in with a slow, limping step. Why-hello, he said. How did you get up here, did the landlord send you up? No, said Mrs. Dickson, he didn't. If you will listen I will tell you how I happen to be heref' She then told him about her meeting with his sister. john listened and soon something like pain marked his face. I-Ie looked at his sister, who was tidying up her room. I know, he said, how my sister wanted to make Christmas a happy day for me. Johnf' said Mrs. Dickson, may I please speak to you after she has gone to bed? There is something I want to say to you. Grace went to bed that night with a. happy feeling. After she was sound asleep Mrs. Dickson told john of her sorrow. It was last New Year's eve when my little Grace passed away. She was just the age of Grace. I filled the stockings of an angel on the eve before Christmas last year, and I will H11 the stockings of another to-night, she said, pointing to the empty stockings of Grace. You don't mean it, said John. Mrs. Dickson arose and said, I will be back in a half hour. It seemed like hours but at last she came, carrying an evergreen tree, with different size packages. They were soon busy fixing up things. When all was finished Mrs. Dickson left, saying she would call to-morrow and take them to a Christmas dinner. ' The next morning Grace arose. When she opened the door she stood amazed, to see the wonderful sight. Merry Christmas, Grace! called a voice behind the tree, and her brother stepped forth. Hurry, he said, Mrs. Dickson is coming to take us to a Christmas dinner. 'Grace swallowed her breakfast and could not wait until she would be dressed. It was twelve o'clock and John and Grace were riding to Mrs. Dick- son's. Mrs. Dickson and her husband met them at the door. Grace and john took a great liking to Mr. Dickson. The dinner was the best that Grace ever tasted. Sometime after dinner john was called into the drawing room, while Grace was playing with her new friends. john, said Mr. Dickson, last night my wife had told you about our sorrows. The presence of your sister in the house makes us more happy. If you took your sister away, we will go back to the sorrows of the past.

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THE GARNET AND GRAY 19 THE CHRISTMAS GIFT lt was the evening before Christmas when Mrs. Dickson stepped from her limousine, in front of a large apartment store on Fifth Avenue. She seemed not to notice the happy people about her. As she passed the toy window, she hesitated, and something like a sob seemed to come from her. In front of the window a small girl of about nine years, stood gazing at the beautiful dolls. She was dressed very poorly. Her hands wereyblue from cold, but she was so engaged looking at the dolls, that she did not mind it. Frequently her eyes rested on a coin she held carefully in her hand. Mrs. Dickson passed the child and walked into the store. mer shopping done Mrs. Dickson was about to leave the store, when a group of people seemed to attract her attention. As she neared, she found that the people were gathered about a small girl and the store detective. She recognized having seen the girl before. The child frightened, and almost in tears was clutching a necktie in her hand. NVhere did you get that tie? asked the detective. I bought it for my sick brother for a Christmas present, was the answer. A' No, you didn'tg you took it. N-o, I didn'tg I bought it with my fifty cents. This tie cost no fifty cents, therefore that is a proof you took it. They were about to take the child away, when Mrs. Dickson stepped forth. Stop, you beast! she said. I saw this girl enter the store with a fifty cent piece in her hand. I should think that you know the prices of articles, she said, pointing to a sign which read, n Closing Christmas Bargains Neckties SOC. each. The detective was very much surprised. The necktie was quickly handed back to the child and the people began to clear away. Vtfhat is your name? asked Mrs. Dickson. Oh, Grace Stark, replied the child. What are you doing here all alone? Where is your mother? Oh, my mo-ther, she-she is in heaven with my father. L' XVhere is this brother I heard you speak about? He is home sick. He could not go to work and he lost his job. And he says that he don't think there is going to be much of a Christmas for us. But I saved my money and I bought this necktie for him. XVhere do you live? I live on -1 Street. L' May I take you home? Wotild you like to show me where you live? Oh yes, ma'am, thank you. ' They both entered the car and were soon on a dingy looking street. They stopped in front of a small house. Grace led the way up a pair of broken stairs and opened a door of a small room. as

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THE GARNET AND GRAY 21 Therefore I would like to adopt your sister as our own daughter. There is a job open for you at the ofhce. You could make this house your home. John could not believe his ears, but with a nod of his head, Mr. Dick- son understood. That evening Grace was told the happy news. At first she could not utter a sound, but then she ran to Mrs. Dickson and called, Mother! She held her child closely to her bosom. Her own, all hers. That night when Grace said her prayers she thanked God for everything he did. . And especially, she said, my Christmas present from You, my new motherf' . ANNA SCHER A BEDTIME STORY Once upon a time, children dear, there was a school who almost always had championship teams in football, basketball, track and baseball. In fact, the school was too good to be true and so, children dear, the inevitable flaw was found. The team's Moral Support were everywhere but at the games and when they did come around to cheer, it sounded like a solo rendered by the cheer leader. Not even the cheer leader's white trousers that he borrowed from dad would make them cheer. They could beat the Sphinx to a fare-ye-well. And one day they were brought into chapel and fearfully scolded for the loss of their vocal chords. They then tried to make a come-back. Even then, the cheer leader's soprano was heard above the other 749 voices. Some of them looked like fish out of their H2O. Most of the girls and some of the boys seemed to have a bad case of lock- jaw. Some forgot the middle but tried to finish up strong. All things, children dear, must have a reason and therefore, the cheer leader who was slightly superstitious, went to a Crystal Gazer to find the reason for the death of the Moral Support. After telling his name to the Gazer who immediately guessed his dad's last name, he was told to keep his eyes peeled on the florists' silver ball. After looking at his image for a few minutes the cheer leader saw the answer to his puzzle. No, children dear, it wasn't his face that kept the moral support from cheering, there actually was a deeper reason. Not long afterward there was a consultation with the coach. Now, children dear, comes the best part. The gym was filled to capacity at the Big Game. The other team brought down the town to see them win. Most of the cheering came from the Other Town and made it sound like an amalgamation of the Navy and Marine bands with our Moral Support like a piccolo accompaniment. Then, children dear, the Other Town began to razz the Moral Support, the Team, the School, etc. Then the Best Team on Earth began to get cold feet. Yes, children dear, it certainly was strange, seeing as how they had been razzed before without losing their nerve.. The Moral Support kept getting madder and madder but they never let out a real organized