Newport News High School - Anchor Yearbook (Newport News, VA)

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100 THE BEACON Nurse — Come, we’ll go inside, and look about. Santa Claus (Aside to Nurse) — If you’ll just take this slip of paper in and ask the clerk to send the things up — (Nurse nods and takes the paper.) The Three Charges — Good-bye, Santy Claus! Santa Claus — Good-bye; Merry Christmas! First Charge — Don’t forget my boxing gloves. Santa Claus — Never fear. (Exeunt.) (Little Girl and Boy come up to Santa Claus) Both — Mr. Santy Claus — Santa Claus (starting slightly when he sees them) — Hello, how are? Little Girl — We’re well, thank you, sir. Little Boy — Fine, thanks. Santa Claus — Well, have you come to tell me what you want? Little Girl — I — I’d love to have that doll in the window. Little Boy — And I want a tool chest and a pair of boxin’ gloves! Santa Claus — Well, well, how big you’re getting! You’ve grown a lot since last year! Little Boy (clearing his throat) — You didn’t bring us much last Christmas. Little Girl (horrified) — Oh, brother, he did! Why, you brought us beautiful presents! You brought me a lovely rag doll, and a red tarn and a book, and brother got a cap pistol and some overshoes and a rain cap, and both of us lots of candy! Santa Claus (huskily) — I know I — treated you pretty bad last year! I’m awful sorry; you see my presents gave out before I got to your house! I’ll try to — to do better this year! Come and look in the window! (They obey) Little Boy — Isn’t that the peach of a sled? I bet it’s fun riding in your sleigh on the house tops, isn’t it Santy Claus? Santa Claus — Lots of fun, but mighty cold, some- times. Little Girl — Did your reindeers ever run away? Santa Claus — Once; but they always mind me now. Little Boy (stroking one of the bright buttons on Santa Claus’ coat) — You got a mighty big stomach, Mr. Santa Claus! Santa Claus — Ought to have! I ate a whole pig for breakfast! Little Girl — A whole pig! Little Boy — Gee whiz! Santa Claus— I ate a cow yesterday! Litt le Girl — Goodness! Little Boy (abruptly) — Have you got on a mask? Little Girl — Oh, brother! Santa Claus — Children, do you want me to take off my mask and let you see my face ? Both (breathlessly) — Yes! (He lifts up the mask and beard) Both — It’s Daddy! Little Girl — Just think! We’ve been livin’ in

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THE BEACON 99 Let’s see, the boy wants electric cars and soldier suit, and — what was it? Oh, I remember (he writes on the pad) and the girl wants a doll with brown hair and a sled and a desk and — and, oh, yes, a bed for her doll and a gold wrist watch (writes them down). And th e little one — I remember about him (he writes on pad). To C. R. Ligget at the Ritz apartments ? Nurse — Yes, that’s it. Santa Claus — It’s cold, isn’t it? Nurse — Bitter cold! And the wind comes ’round this corner like a knife. Santa Claus — I’ll say it does! I’ve been out here all day and I’m nearly froze. Nurse — I should think you would be! I don’t see how you stand it out here! Your business is about the only one that doesn’t have holiday today. Santa Claus — Oh, I get holiday from my regular work. I keep books in one of Mr. Ligget’s offices. But I need some extra money, so I got this job for to- day. Nurse — I see! Santa Claus — The cost of livin’ is so high, you know. And I’ve been having some doctors’ bills, and the landlord’s put the rent up again, so you see I need the money. Nurse — My sister, she keeps house, and she tells me it’s perfectly awful, the prices things are, nowadays! Santa Claus — It is — and then — there are two lit- tle children — a girl and a boy — the sweetest kids in the world — in my house, who won’t have any stocking or tree or anything if I don’t get something extra. So you see it’s just a case of having to make some money. First Charge — Come here and look at this steam- boat! (Santa Claus and Nurse walk over to show window and look in.) First Charge — Look at the guns on it. It’s just what I want! (Enter from the side of a poorly clad little boy and girl.) Little Girl (whispering) — There he is! Looking in that win- dow. Little Boy (whispering) — OOOh, look at the things in that window. Don’t you wish we had a sled like that, and a ’lectric train ? Little Girl- Yes, and look on the other window! Don’t I wish Santa Claus would bring be that great, big, doll! Little Boy — Oh, but hadn’t you rather have a tool chest? Little Girl — No, I don’t think so! But if you had a tool chest you could build me a doll house, couldn’t you Little Boy — Sure! Do you want to go up an’ speak to Santy ? Little Girl — Let’s wait till those other people go! Little Boy — All right. I’m not scared though! Little Girl — I know you’re not, but it would be sort of rude to butt in, wouldn’t it? Little Boy — Maybe so! I guess we’d better wait! Santa Claus (to the Nurse’s Charges) — So you want the boat and the foot ball and the doll’s house ? The Three Charges — Yes, sir!

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THE BEACON 101 the house with Santy Claus all these years and didn’t even know it! Little Boy — I — I thought you lived at the North Pole! Santa Claus — That’s what people think! Little Girl (joyously)— No wonder he couldn’t bring us many things! He has so many peo- ple to visit and we don’t need much — we’ve got him! Little Boy — I’ve got it over those other people! Think he lives at the North Pole! No! No! And that old boy at school said there wasn’t any Santy Claus! Guess I know! I’m his son! Little Girl (hugging Santa Claus) — Oh haven’t we got the Grandest Daddy ? Little Boy — You betcha life! Little Girl — But Daddy! Did you really eat a whole pig and a whole cow ? Santa Claus — Oh, no! That’s a joke! Little Girl — Oh, I see! Santa Claus — Sh-h-h! Somebody’s coming out of the shop! (He slips his mask in place.) (Nurse and her three Charges come out of the store.) Second Charge (aside to Nurse) — Look at that poor little girl and boy! Their coats are so old! (Nurse and Charges wave to Santa Claus.) (Exeunt.) Little Boy — Ain’t we the luckiest things! CURTAIN. J1 Christmas Bell Across the frosty air of night I heard a sound of pure delight; — How clear upon my ear it fell That chime, that joy, that Christmas bell. Ah! so cheerily it rings, What a thought of love it brings, Of the Christ child does it tell; Merry, tinkling, Christmas bell. He was born the world to save, Whose life of love and work He gave, May His strong will ever swell To the music of a Christmas bell. SARAH S. BERKELEY, June, ’21.