The spectator., 1919-12-12

the kind old man guarding the tunnel
 Whats your name, little girl?' in quired the man Who's your Nam. ma?"
 I'm Eunice and my Mammas a fairy godmother."
 Miss Pays 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 sbost-like faces stretching away into the distance were the au, dence. and 10 her the setting of the stage was reality Her eyes were fixed upon the beautiful woman who stood and bowed and smiled. won derful being illumined by great shaft of light from overhead. which followed her every movement The fairy children had gone. and Htlda Groves bowed finally and withdrew toward the palace threshold
 She had needed all her concentra tion to play successfully that night and in spite of that more than one of the newspapers commented dls para gingly the next day upon her per formance Ii was unreal. they said, and lifeless Gould they only have seen her after the curtain fellD To Hilda it was agony The mother g heart was aching. but she did not know the cause. or that her child could cure her malady; she thought of Eunice only as hateful and repug. pant duty to which she must return after her evening task She turned and entered through the palace DOT tals. which gave upon the wings. Now she was only tired woman again, anxious to divest herself of her tnselled trappings, But to the little figure that stood before her she was an Olvmpian, Eunice stood lost in amazed admiration at this wonder ful being who was her mother.
 Mamma! Mammal" The arms were outstretched
 ''Eunice,"
 The harsh tones broke the spell The child remembered her last visit and the disillusionment that followed It. She clutched at her mothers gown.
 Who brought you here? How dared you come? You should have been asleep hours ago"
 The little arms were clutching al the fairy gown frantically and the up. turned face was one of piteous en' treaty.
 Don't scold me Mamma. want. ed Thanta Clauth He gives most anything to good boys and girls"
 The tragedy in the childs face ar rested Hilda. The cold crust of self ishness was breaking
 'I wanted him to make you love me like the fairy children. Mamma
 Love conquered. If only the critics could have seen Hilda now! Sudden ly she understood the infinite sorrow of the child's mind, the tragedy of the little life which she had created the loneliness the craving for a mothers pity and love Tears gushed from her own eyes and mingled with the child's as she drew her to her breast.
 The doorkeeper came hurrying up Miss Fay" he cried excitedly, you've got your little girl then? though, she was waiting beside mel just missed her There's gentleman
 He gave way to John Groves. Mrs Holmes had discovered the empty bed five minutes before and, frantic with alarm, had rushed up to the lonely lit. tie room on the third story. John Groves had shrewdly guessed his daughters objective
 You've got her. Hilda. Thank Godl" he began. and then stopped astonished at the look of happiness on his wite's face.
 She came to find Santa Claus, said Hida She wanted something of him and l guess he's heard her prayer. But think 1t must be Santa sent her to me. John. I've found something tonight that l never knew I'd lost. and I'm going to keep it- Eunice-home with me-us-always
 Copyright by W. e. ChapmanJ