Port Huron High School - Student Yearbook (Port Huron, MI)

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in little curls and tendrils about her eager, appealing face, colored rosy pink by her exertion and the refreshing wind. The distributor listened compassionately to her pathetic tale and with a motherly glance and a reassuring word she filled her arms brim full of things both for comfort and pleasure. What all there was Mrs. Atkins did not surmise, but with ar- dent thanks expressed both by word of mouth and by the deep blue eyes she turned and almost fied. So great was her haste that she arrived home shortly, completely out of breath. Leaving her bundles with an old lady in the same tene- ment. she hastened up the stairs. The children met her joy- fully at the door. The anticipation of the morning had stayed with the children and in accordance with it they had decorat- ed the little home with some old time tinsel and holly dug out from mother’s trunk which made it particularly attractive looking. They listened with beaming faces to the mother’s enraptured exclamations of surprise as she discovered each improvement. She rewarded the thoughtful young people by implanting a hearty kiss on their rosy mouths. After supper they finished the decorating together and tired, yet so unexpectedly happy, the mother put the children in their little white beds. For the first time in weeks she en- joyed a satisfied and easy feeling, especially when Tommy ut- tered his final prayer to Santa Claus at her side as a finale to his evening prayer. Soon the children were sleeping soundly, but sleep would not come to the mother’s excited eyes. Lying there, she heard the even breathing of the children, and notic- ing that Jenny’s breathing was interrupted ever and anon by a little stifled sob, she rose and comfortingly kissed the sleep- ing child, while she thanked God for the Christmas ship which would bring such a glad surprise to her patient and faithful little girl. Early the next morning she was awake. Quickly getting her bundles from down stairs, she hastily built a fire and busily untied and arranged the various articles, which were as great a surprise to her as she knew they would be to the children. She retired again, and feigning sleep waited developments. 29

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for Christmas Day, which they had decided was to be a real gala day for them, in spite of the lack of the usual Christmas festivities, had entirely disappeared by the time the whistle blew. It was with weary dragging feet and a heavy, discour- aged heart that she pinned her thin coat closely around the neck and fastened her old-fashioned hat firmly to her heavy brown braids. The snapping frosty air partially revived her and she started to walk briskly toward home. It was just about fifteen minutes before the time when the street lights would be turned on, and people of all classes were hurrying to and fro on their individual business. A great many seemed to be going in a direction opposite to our little mother, and this was observed by her shortly. They were all talking ex- citedly about something, too. A scrap of conversation of a couple of children she had just passed floated to her on the wind. It was just a few words, but they caused her hopes to take one mad bound. She paused for one second, then wheeled around and retraced her steps, her speed increasing to almost a run. In a few moments she arrived at her destination, which was the wharf. Sure enough she had heard rightly for there was a great white ship, with the American stars and stripes floating ma- jestically above it, lying peacefully in the harbor. All was bustle and confusion about it. The wharf was lined with peo- ple, mostly poor women and children in the same hard straits as she, all with anxious, expectant and interested faces. She easily ascertained from the drift of the conversation that it was an American ship, carrying on board a cargo of good things for the stricken and impoverished families, in charge of a peace party come to do as much good for the poor and needy homes as possible. All day the massive steamer had been unloading its cargo into the hands of little children and grateful women. Our anxious mother fell in line and it was not long before her turn approached. She presented a very remarkable as well as attractive appearance to the benevolent looking lady distributor. Her hair had become loosened and was floating 28

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Tommy was the first to waken and after rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and carefully noting that his mother and sister were still sleeping, he quietly and very cautiously, for lie did not want them to know that he was expecting and hop- ing for a better Christmas than they had anticipated, stole out of bed. One survey of the living room, then one triumphant yell and one bound toward the table piled high with joyous things, on which was standing a straight little tree bidding him a very Merry Christmas, were the result. Seizing a horse, hitched to a little red wagon to which was tied a card with “For Tommy,” and tumbling all over himself for joy he ex- citedly rushed into his mother’s room. Awakened by his noise, both Jenny and her mother were sitting up in bed, Jenny wide-eyed and wondering. “There, didn ' t I just tell you Santy wouldn’t forget me, when I had been so good. I knew him, I did. Just see my horse. It ' s got a mane and tail and its legs will move and it ' s got a harness and a little wagon and and ” Tommy stopped for lack of breath. While the mother, with apparently very great surprise was examining the horse for one second, for that was all the time Tommy could be parted from it. Jenny quietly slipped out of bed and entered the other room. Alt ho her surprise and joy were as great as Tommy ' s they were not so noisy. Clasping her hands fer- vently, she surveyed the whole. Her quick eyes soon found the object of her desires and with careful fingers she picked up a box containing a minia- ture set of dishes and ran to her mother. Her deep joy could not be expressed in mere words. After breakfast everything was inspected and they found that besides the toys and some nuts and cookies there were mittens and stockings and warm scarfs as well as other use- ful things to gladden their hearts. Among the packages, a little card was found bearing the words, “From the American Christmas Ship.” Then mother explained how she had heard that a Christmas ship was to take St. Nick’s place this year and that was the reason they were having such a very merry 30