Grimsley High School - Whirligig Yearbook (Greensboro, NC)

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THE SAGE 15 “Why, good morning my little man!” the conductor said, as he helped a little boy with a huge basket into the car. “Going down to attend to business this morning, are you ?” The little boy grinned as he handed him the seven pennies, “Bet yer life!” Two business men came in and were greeted with a cheery word. They sat down together and began talking. “Tom, the old man said, “just watch that conductor greet¬ ing everyone. Quite an improvement over the regular car grouch, eh?” “H’m, well, I don’t know,” Tom replied. “Don’t know? Man, doesn’t it make you glad to see some one say and mean ‘Merry Christmas’ in these busy holidays—of rush—while—and the ‘cold eye.’ Just look at that.” Tom was looking. He saw the conductor help the lit¬ tle woman off the car. “Merry Christmas, ma’am,” he call¬ ed. And the woman looked up with a grateful smile as he handed her the package. An old man came in just then. The conductor steadied him while he walked to a seat, for his steps were feeble and halting. A tiny girl with her brother were the next to be seat¬ ed. The conductor gave her a sprig of holly from the lapel of his coat. “Just the color of your cheeks and such a Christmasy look;” the two listening men heard him say. “But Dick,” Tom said, “of course, that may help, but he is using up his time and giving it to people who don’t give a hang. He ' s not doing what he’s paid for! It’s not his business.” (This in an argumentative tone.) Tom al¬ ways managed to get on the other side of the fence.) Dick chuckled. “Hell, I say you can be the biggest— not attending to his business, eh? That’s rich. Why, man, that conductor used to be a small boy like that one sitting across the aisle. He has worked on this road for years. He

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14 THE SAGE Lie asleep; but tbe leaves in all tbeir beauty Are doing now tbeir poyous duty Making tbe world fair. ’Tis Winter— Tbe fields are clothed in spotless white, And the wind, chill and shrill in the night Blows; but around the fire the children sing, And no one feels the wind’s sharp sting, Save the poor beggar. But Christmas comes— When no one is ever grieved or sad, And even joyful, blithe, and glad, The beggar; so let the merry bells all ring, The story of Christmas cheer to bring To all the world! ELIZABETH JONES, ’20. OLD MERRY CHRISTMAS. “Pretty baby, ma’am,’ ’the old conductor said, as he helped a pale little woman, who held a tiny baby in one arm and a big package in the other, into the street car. “Here’s a good comfortable seat,” he said, showing her a seat at the back of the car. “Thank you,” the little woman replied, as she settled down comfortably in the seat. She handed a nickel and two pennies to him as she said: “It’s so kind of you. So warm in here!” But the shiver and sigh as she finished seemed to speak of the cold outside, and how miserable it made her feel. So penetrating.

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16 THE SAGE has a name—and the initials are M. C. He is called by that because everyone loves him so! He knows that a grouch on a car does not work, because in just that way has he become the President of this company. But—do’nt gasp. Yes, he comes here every Christmas and takes up his old job because he wants to enjoy his Christmas and put a bit of Merry Christmas in everyone else’s holidays.” Tom said nothing, but with a new light in his eyes, he saw the conductor hand the small boy his huge basket. “Goodbye, Merry Christmas!” the boy called back. “See you on my go-round toward home.” Tom sees now how the gray-haired conductor earned his name “Old Merry Christmas.” KATHERINE GRANTHAM, ’22. TRIPS Jessie Brandt met “Winnie” Cobb In front of school one day, They started talking of thrilling trips In a most familiar way. Said “Winnie” Cobb to Jessie Brandt; “Alas, how happy as I;” Said Jessie Brandt to “Winnie” Cobb: “I know the reason why.” Now Winnie gave her head a twist— And commenced to use her mouth, “Upon a wild, wild trip I’ve been, And now I’m heading South.”