The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-12-19

the kind old man guarding the tunnel
What's your name, little girl?" IN
CURED the man. Who's your Nam
| mar"
I'm Eunice, and my Mammals a
fairy godmother."
Miss Fay's child" said the man.
She told you to come for her, eh?"
Eunice did not know what she an
swered. for she was running down the
tunnel along a we'll remembered pas
sage toward a star of light that shone
| IN the distance. And then there
| burst upon her eyes the dazzling spec
tacle of the Christmas play
She did not understand that those
rows of ghost-like faces stretching
away into the distance were the au-
dience, and to her the setting of the
stage was reality. Her eyes were
fixed upon the beautiful woman who
stood and bowed and smiled, a won
derful being illumined by a great
shaft of light from overhead, which
followed her every movement. The
fairy children had gone. and Hilda
Groves bowed finally and withdrew
toward the palace threshold
She had needed all her concentra-
ton to play successfully that night
and in spite of that more than one
OF the newspapers commented dis
paragingly the next day upon her per
Torrance. II was unreal. they said.
and Hfeless. Gould they only have
seen her after the curtain felli) To
Hilda it was agony. The mothers
heart was aching. but she did not
know the cause or that her child
could cure her malady; she thought
nant duty to which she must return |
after her evening task. She turned |
and entered through the palace por- |
tails, which gave upon the wings. |
Now she was only a tired woman
again, anxious to divest herself OF |
her tinselled trappings. But to the
little figure that stood before her she
was an Olympian. Eunice stood lost
n amazed admiration at this wonder.
'ul being who was her mother.
Mammal Mammal" The arms
we're outstretched.
"EuDice!"
The harsh tones broke the spell.
The child remembered her last visit
nd the establishment that followed
t. She clutched at her mothers
own. I,
who brought you here? How ;
AIRED you come? You should have !
een asleep hours ago." +
The little arms were clutching at .
be fairy gown frantically and the up /
urned face was one of piteous en- 4
-eaty. j,
Don't scold me. Mamma. ! want
d Tbanta Clauth. He gives most
nything to good boys and girls
The tragedy in the child's face ar
,sted Hilda. The cold crust of self e
hness was breaking. In
81 wanted him to make you love Il
e like the fairy children, Mamma" r,
Love conquered If only the critics
,uld have seen Hilda now! Sudden.
she understood the infinite sorrow |
the child's mind. the tragedy of
e little life which she had created. h
e loneliness. the craving for a 70
others pity and love. Tears gushed +,
om her own eyes and mingled with =,
e child's as she drew her to her j
east.
The doorkeeper came hurrying up s.
Iiss Fay" he cried excitedly, you've Z
your little girl then? thought :,
e was waiting beside mel just !.
ssed her. There's gentleman -
He gave way to John Groves Mrs -
lines had discovered the empty bed 80
e minutes before, and. frantic with U
rm. had rushed up to the lonely lit
room on the third story. John
,ves had shrewdly guessed his
lighters objective. In
You've got her, Hilda Thank on
d." he began. and then stopped. es1
onished at the look OF happiness tic
his wife's face. AZ
She came to find Santa Claus" en-
Hilda "She wanted something us
him. and ] guess he's heard her RAJ
yer But think 1t must be- Santa alt
( her to me- John, I've found the
aething tonight that ! never knew Re
lost and I'm going to keep it, car
iicshome with me--us- always ma
ts:opyrixht BY y. Q. chap.nAn)