Astoria High School - Zephyrus Yearbook (Astoria, OR)

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4 THE ZEPHYRUS her present slowly, as if enjoying the suspense, and then a startled, but happy “Oh,” brought a flock of chil¬ dren over to inspect the present. El¬ iza was a little waiting maid of Mrs. Whitmore’s, and Virginia had obtain¬ ed permission from Mrs. Whitmore for Eliza to come to the Mission, only after frequent urgings, as Mrs. Whit¬ more asserted that Eliza would come back full of fancy notions that had no business to be in a darkey’s brain; but Virginia had finally won. Now Virginia watched Eliza with interest, as the group of curly heads bent over her wonderful gift. Present¬ ly the whole class was grouped about Eliza, who was plainly sensible of her popularity; for she had adopted a lit¬ tle patronizing air, and was warning the “chilluns” not to touch it with their grimy fingers. “What did I give that child, any¬ how, that could cause such excite¬ ment?” thought Virginia. “Let me see. Wasn’t it a box of those awful shades of ribbon that I got at the bar¬ gain counter? Yes I’m sure it was,” she continued. “Anyhow, it seems to have made a great hit, and I’ll have to tell the teachers about it for next Christmas.” After wishing them all a “Merry Christmas,” Virginia and her mother got into their carriage and drove home. Christmas morning, Mrs. Whitmore sat at her desk opening the dainty packages with which it was covered. “I’ll open Virginia Hilliard’s present first,” she said to herself, “for al¬ though I do not approve of a great many things that that girl does, still I must admit that she always sends me lovely presents.” She untied the ribbon, took off the tissue paper, and saw a plain white box which gave no hint as to what it contained. She lift¬ ed the lid gingerly, gave one look and sank back with an exclamation of horror. The box contained an assort¬ ment of colored ribbons, the brightest, most intense, and strangest shades the elegant Mrs. Whit more had ever laid eyes on. The colors ranged from bright orange to a deep purple with glaring yellow polka dots, and a few striped ribbons which made one’s eyes ache. “What can it mean?” gasped Mrs. Whitmore weakly, as she involuntar¬ ily shaded her eyes with ther hand. Then she caught sight of a card amongst the ribbons, and hastily picked it up. “Wishing you a merry Christmas. FromVirginia Hilliard, who hopes she may often see you wearing these.” “The audacity of that girl! ’’cried Mrs. Whitmore. “I remember now that she once asked me why I never wore any color but steel grey, and I suppose she has sent me these to brighten up my costumes. She’ll soon find, however, her little scheme has failed! The idea! I can hardly be¬ lieve my eyes, (which, by the way, are very much dazzled by those awful things)”, and Mrs. Whitmore glanced with a great shudder at the motley pile. “I’ll just write her a little note and tell her what I think of a trick like this.” and Mrs. Whitmore caught up a pen and wrote furiously for a few minutes. Then she rang for Eliza to take the note over to Mrs. Hilliard’s. Eliza came in, looking very con¬ scious, with a white satin box clasped tightly in her grimy hands. “See, Mrs. Whitmore, what Miss Virginny done guv me at the Chiss- muss tree las’ night.” Eliza care¬ fully pressed the spring, and the lid flew open, displaying to the aston¬ ished lady a dainty necklace of pearls. “Eliza!” gasped Mrs. Whitmore, “did my niece give you that?” “She sho’ly did, ma’am.”

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THE ZEPHYRUS 3 All the time we knew that our home and property had been taken from us unjustly, making it much Harder for us. But after two years of toil, things began to pick up, and your father got a good position. Scarcely before the third year had passed away we had all of our rights back. And now we have come after our dear little boy to take him home.” “Mamma, can’t Grandma go, too, for I want her to be with me?” “She certainly shall go, too; for she has been faithful for three long years.” “And I am going to take Sally and the old farm cat, too.” That night there was a Christmas tree, and “Sony” received many more pretty toys. A Christmas Story. With a sigh of relief, Virginia Hil¬ liard opened the door of her room and threw an armful of packages on the bed. It had been a tiresome day, and although it was Christmas Eve, she was too tired to take any interest in the preparations for the next day. All afternoon she had been down town buying Christmas presents for the tree that the colored mission was to have that night. Virginia was an ar¬ dent worker for the Mission, although her aunt had declared that “it was perfect nonsense for a rich girl like Vriginia to waste her time on a lot of ‘niggers,’ when she might be hav¬ ing a good time. But Virginia did not care what her aunt’s opinion might be, for her mother was also much interested in the Mission. She had always felt it her duty to give a present each year to this aunt, Mrs. Whitmore, although there was no love lost between them, and it had always been a hard problem to find a present that would suit the fastidious tastes of that wealthy lady. This year had been no exception to the rule, and Virginia had been unable to find a suitable present for her aunt until this afternoon. After buying the lit¬ tle gifts for the Mission tree, she had ransacked the shops until she had found what she wanted for her aunt. It was a beautiful necklace of pearls, of a delicate pink shade. It was an exquisite present, and Virginia smiled with satisfaction as she peeped at it when she tied up her gifts with tis¬ sue paper and ribbon,and a tiny spray of holly or mistletoe on the top. Virginia always believed that no matter whether the gift was worth ten cenis' or ten dollars, it should be done up daintily, so every one of her presents, for the little colored child¬ ren, even, were treated in the same way. Just then the supper bell bell rang, so Virginia hurriedly slipped her card into each present, and gathering up the dainty packages, ran down the stairs and stuffed them into a bas¬ ket, together with candy and nuts, which were all to go to the Mission tree, leaving out her aunt’s package, however, which she sent over that evening. After supper Virginia and her moth¬ er went down to the Christmas tree to take their presents for the children. They waited until the gifts were dis¬ tributed, to watch the children. The wild screams of delight, the long- drawn “Oh’s,” and the merry chatter were worth hearing. Eliza, one of the little girls, opened

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THE ZEPHYRUS 5 “Then all I c n say is that Vriginia Hilliard ought to be locked up where she can’t throw her money away on such worthless nig - !”but the sad face and trembling lips of little Eliza recalled Mrs. Whitmore, and patting Eliza kindly on her drooping head, she gave her the note to carry to Virginia. When Eliza had left the room, Mrs. Whitmore turned back to her gifts, but the glaring pile of ribbons re¬ minded her of her insult. “There, I told you so,” she said, nodding her head vigorously at a wreath on the window.” The idea of giving a lot of niggers pink pearl necklaces at a charity tree! Eliza will be getting so grand she will have to dress suitably for pink pearl neck¬ laces! We shall be simply be over¬ run by these people if we begin by treating the children like that! I let Eliza go the Mission to learn some¬ thing, not to be given baubles that turn the child’s head. This ends it! Eliza has been to the Mission for the last time! When she - ” She stopped abruptly. Thee door was thrown open, and Virginia, her hat in one hand and her hair flying, burst into the room. Eliza was close be¬ hind, a broad grin upon her usually solemn features. “Oh, Aunt Susan,” she gasped, JUST A LITTLE LA TIN. Boyibus kissibus Sweet girlium. Girlibus likibus, Wantie somorum. Popibus hearibus Kissi somorum — Kickibus boyibus Out of the dorum. Darkibus nightibus, No lightiorum; Climibus gateibus — Breechibus torum. dropping into the nearest chair, and laughing till the tears came. “I’ve done the funiest thing!” “Did you get my note?” coldly asked Mrs. Whitmore. “Oh, dear, yes, and that was the first thing I knew about it, until Eliza began to thank me for the pearl neck lace, poor child, she didn’t seem very happy over it, either, until I told her that the ribbons were really hers and the necklace yours.” “What is the child talking about?” gasped Mrs. Whitmore. “Why, don’t you see, Aunt Susan, I was in such a hury that I got your present and Eliza’s mixed up. The necklace is yours ! ” “Oh!” said Mrs. Whitmore, the light beginning to dawn on her, and then the funny side of the situation pre¬ sented itself, and she joined Virginia and Eliza in a hearty laugh. When Virginia could control herself, she gathered up the ribbons and thrust them into Eliza’s hands. “Here, take them,” she cried, “I can’t stand them any longer.” “Oh, Mis’ Virginia,” cried the now radiant Eliza, “I think these are jes’ be-au-ti-ful.” “And I think this necklace is “jes’ be-au-ti-ful,” cried Mrs. Whitmore. “I'll cast my bread upon the wat¬ ers,” said the young wife. “Have you no feeling for the poor fish?” chuckled the brutal husband. Inquirer (to farmer’s son) — “Where can 1 find your father, son?” “He is in the pig pen. You will know him, because he has a hat on.” —Ex. A Query. ..He asked a miss what was a kiss, gramatically defined. “It’s a conjunction, sir” she said, “and hence can’t be declined.”