The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-12-19

and curiously un.
Ia stable; pitch
fTG, work Of things
m lI\Nl2-, heard and seen
III IL k and only half I'M
u @ 81 derstood. Eunlce
!. !. !. !. !. !. !.
Ny%1~ & " was six; too young
MANA. to grasp the mean
"a kWM Ing Of much that
CdXNxT she heard, but old
q Ms enough TO reinem-
ny her. All day she
" played happily
with her dolls In the shabby furnished
room which was her mothers bed
room The door was locked, and
Mrs. Holmes, the lnndlady, was under
Instructions TO look in from time to
time TO see what Eunlce was doing
but since Eunlce was never doing
anything except playing with her
dolls the good womans visits became
less and less frequent.
"She's the most contented little
body In the world. ma'am," said the
old Scotch woman to Hilda Groves,
Eunices mother. Mrs. Groves was
also called Marian Fay. but that was
when she stood behind the footllghtS
and enraptured her audience with her
glrllsh charm and lngenue manner. BY
day she was Hllda Groves. wife OF
John Groves. an unsuccessful writer,
and the charming ingenue was a very
tired woman with discontinued
droop to her mouth.
'I'm glad she's keeping out Of mis-
chief" answered Eunice's mother
coldIy.
tits wonder" sollloquized Mrs.
Holmes. pausing in the act OF taking
pair of sheets out of closet and
looking at the closed door. its a
wonder that sort of parents has them
kind OF children"
The good woman disspproved OF
Mrs Groves, whom she thought hard
and unmaternal. As for John Groves.
Eunice's father, who worked all day.
humping upon his typewriter In the
little half empty back room. two
stories up, whenever he met Eunlce
he experienced a curious sense OF en-
barrassment and shame.
When her mother entered the room
Eunice would experience much the
same feeling of embarrassment that
she occasioned her father. Though
she had never been told that moth
ers ought TO love and caress their
children. Eunice wondered dimly at the
cold formality OF her mothers kiss,
and felt chilled and repressed.
One snowy night in late December
John Groves came slowly downstairs
and dismissed Mrs Holmes. who was
making Eunice ready for bed,
Congratulate me. daughter" he
said. II have an offer of a position
on the stan of the Manhattanite."
Eunice looked up vaguely.
How would you like to celebrate
the occasion with me. child?" inquired
her father, addressing Eunice banter
inEly, because he did not quite know
what TO say to her,
"'Es," said Eunice, slipping her
chubby hand into his own.
THE motion is carried" said John
Groves. I'VE are to go, then, to see
Mamma transformed into a beneficent
fairy AS you are doubtless aware.
she takes the part OF the Fairy God
mother in the Christmas play now
running at the Hudsonian."
That was the first time John Groves
and Eunice had ever been out to.
gether. except for an occasional stroll
round the block to the newspaper
man or the corner grocery, To
Groves the sensation was as aston
fishing as II was unexpected Here he
had been creating his dream men and
women all his life, while there was a
live child, his own, waiting to be
discovered. and full OF the most amaz-
ing touches OF what he would have
called, IN his iargon, human inter.
est" But as for Eunice, she was
In wonderland, and II far transcribed
dollland. She had never imagined
anything so heavenly as the lights.
the people. and then the mystery OF
the tunnellike approach TO the thea.
ter, the gloomy aisle. and the wall
behind the row OF little lamps that
went up into the roof and disclosed
Mother!
"O-oh!" cried Eunice. leaping up
out OF her chair. And nobody scolded
or even frowned, because this was a
Christmas play and the spirit OF
Christmas was upon everyone.
There was her Mamma, all colors
and shining things, standing in the
fairy garden, while her god.children
grouped themselves around her. And
such a transformed Mother How
happy they all were! She was laugh
Ing as Eunice had never heard her
laugh in Mrs. Holmes boarding
house, and she kissed the children
and gave them the most wonderful
toys.
do you know who that old fellow
is, Euniee?" inquired her father, in.
dlcating Christmas character
That's Santa Claus"
arpban4o rIanft ranaatad uH,,.Euz