Astoria High School - Zephyrus Yearbook (Astoria, OR)

Page 23 text:

“When You Want Anything Good go to DUNBAR’S.” - - - THE = ZEPHYRUS A Journal Devoted to Literature, School Notes, Athletics, Etc. VOLUME 2 ASTORIA, OREGON, DEC., 1905. NUMBER 2 A Christmas Surprise. JEANETTE Little “Sonny” sat on a stool near the old rocker Grandma Hust (as the children called her) occupied. “Grandma, can't I go home for Christ¬ mas this year?” “I’m afraid not, for you know mam¬ ma said you were to live with me until she sent for you.” Grandma sighed and tried to sooth the little fellow but all in vain, for she was thinking: ot his parents; wondering how they were getting along and how and where they should spend Christmas. She had not heard from them for six weeks. “Do you think Santa Claus will come and fill my stocking this year?” Tears came to his eyes; for he had lived with Grandma for three years, and each year he had hung his small, home-made stocking in the chimney, of the old farm house that his Grand¬ pa Hurst had built for Grandma when they were young; hut to his sorrow, all the toys he had desired td have and call his own had not yet arrived. He was tired of sweets for that was all he had ever received, with the ex¬ ception of the stockings and mittens Grandma had made. “Perhaps he will.” PETERSON. “But, Grandma, Santa Claus always came on Christmas, when I lived with mamma and papa. Is this too far away? Doesn’t he ever come out here?” Grandma took from the big pocket of her black satin apron, a large hand¬ kerchief bordered with black, and wiped from her eyes two large tears, that forced themselves out from under cover. “Never mind, darling, Sally is in the hall, you must get ready for bed now.” The little fellow without any hes¬ itation, prepared for bed, laying his wearing apparal in its natural order on the big wooden rocker, that stood idle by the fire place where Grandpa had last sat in it a week before he passed away, nearly two years ago. Just before Sail took the little fel¬ low off to his cozy little room, adjoin¬ ing Grandma’s, he knelt at her side and said his prayers: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. God bless mamma and papa and Grandma make me a good

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2 THE ZEPHYRUS boy,” and then he add ed: “Please God tell Santa Claus to come to Grand¬ ma’s.” Grandma sat for hours saying to her¬ self, “Poor little soul, poor little soul, Santy will come, Santy will come.” She went to bed after making the resolution that she would do some¬ thing to make him happy. She would go to town sometime during the next week and get his long desired toys, next week. The days were so long during the next week, especially the day Grand¬ ma went to the city. When she returned she looked so happy, and what a lot of parsels, but “Sonny,” not knowing there was no Santa Claus, supposed that they con¬ tained a store of provisions, otherwise he might have suspected that some of them were for him. Xmas eve he hung up his stocking as he had done for the past three years, but he seemed to have more hope, and a smile lingered on his lips. Why? Nobody knows. On his way to bed, Tabby, the old farm cat, brushed up against him. He coaxed Grandma to let him take her to his room. He went to sleep, hum¬ ming a little tune that his mother had taught him. The next morning he was up bright and early and went pattering to the fireplace, and to his surprise - The little fellow was overjoyed and ran to tell Grandma. “Grandma! Grandma! Wake up; come, quick, for Ganty did come, and my prayers have been answered.” The old lady went to the fireplace with him as quickly as she could hob¬ ble along. “Oh, Grandma! Are all of those for me?” She nodded. “For me? You must have writen a letter to Santy Claus.” Granny controlled herself as long as possible, and then she folded the little fellow in her arms and cried for joy to think that she had made him so happy. Why had she not done this before? But it had been so long since there had been any small children in the house that she had become quite selfish, and thought that they could be happy without toys. That very same day, while he was playing with his toys at the big win¬ dow, at the front of the house, that looked out upon the meadows, and where he could see the road from town, he saw, approaching in the dis¬ tance, a large, black object. He paid very little attention to it, till he heard the rattle of the heavy wagon. It — yes, it — stopped at the foot of the path that led to the front of the house. Not stopping an instant, he ran in search of Grandma, but had not far to go, for she was in the hall, and by the time they had opened the door, the two occupants were on their way up the path. “Grandma, w'ho is it? Is it mamma? It is. It is. I know itt.is, and away he flew. He almost smothered his dear parents in kisses, and then came Grandma’s turn. After they had a warm lunch, and had all become well acquainted again, they went to the sitting-room. “Now, mamma, you must tell me where you have been all the time, while I have been staying with Grand¬ ma.” Well, to begin with, you were sent here to stay with Grandma, for papa had lost all of his possessions and we had to make a living some way. I could not help him. with you to be looked after. Papa worked at odd jobs here and there, while I went out. and did wash¬ ing for the neighbors. We scarcely could pay for our rent and get enough to eat. Besides, some of t he time your father was idle for days and weeks.