Page 37 - 1926 Gleaner

THE GLEANER
running done. When there are only five minutes left, it takes all one's time to go the rest of the way. There is always a grand Tush over the remaining two blocks, a great jump up the two long, tiresome flights of stairs, a snatching off of coats, hats, .scarfs and galoshes, a .slamming -of locker doors and at last, to my great relief, two or three jumps down the hall and I am safely on time.
Once in a while, perhaps two or three times in a while, the jumps are not long enough and slam goes the door leaving me .standing lone and desolate in a dark, dreary hall! The result of this is a trip down to the office to receive an admission slip and in the case of the male student.s, perhaps a chat with the office ~rl. .
Anyone might think being late is not so bad after all, but the worst is yet to come. At four o'clock I hie me in the direc- tion of 2B where for a long half-hour I indulge in writing what in future days may be some of the greatest masterpieces in lit- erature, on such interesting subjects as : "Wisdom is the princi- pal thing, therefore get Wisdom." Some one starts his essay with the following-"Wisdom is what we all want, but few of us have got." With such original thoughts it might be possible to produce something quite truthful and matter of fact.
So there is a reward, as in all things, for being late. Just a half-hour after four, and an opportunity to display one's liter- ary talents. My advice is- "Do not be late." I know the result.
RUTH MacMURCHY. A Night Tragedy
The night is dark. A heavy rain is falling. The street is al- most deserted. The street lamps blink dimly through the falling rain. A night, indeed, which people like to spend by the fire-side. Yet, hardl.y distinguishable, as they move quickly down the sloppy street, is heard the pat, pat of feminine foot-steps.
Step by step, she approaches the long row of doors which mark the entrance to small low cottages, occupied by Chinese and Japanese workmen, who are employed in the near-by earth- enware factory. Yet before she reaches the cottages, the street lights blink and go out. Street and houses alike plunge black in darkness.
Several minutes elapse. The footsteps either die out in the distance or stop. A heavy truck rattling around the corner lights up foT an instant the long. low row of cottages. Yes, there she is standing hesitatingly in front of the cottages. Why does she hesitate? Is it because she is afraid? Impossible in a city
like this.
But nevertheless there she stood for several minutes in si·
lence, as if waiting for the lights to go on. Then, as the dark- ness remains unpenetrated, she noiselessly pushes the door open and steps inside.
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