The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-12-19

the kind old man guarding the tunnel.
What's your name. little girl?" In.
quired the man Who's your Nam
MAJ"
I'm Eunice. and my Mammals
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 well remembered pas
sage toward 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 we're 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. won
derful being illumined by great
shaft of light from overhead, which
| followed her every movement. The
fairy children had gone. and H''da
Groves bowed finally and withdrew
toward the palace threshold
She had needed all her concenfra-
tion to play successfully that night.
and In spite Of that more than one
OF the newspapers commented die-
paragingly the next day upon her per
Torrance II was unreal. they said.
| and hfeless. Gould they only have
seen her after the curtain fellD To
| Hilda II was agony. The mothers
heart was aching. but she did not
know the cause. or that her child
could cure her malady: she thought
of Eunice only az hateful and repug'
nant duty to which she must return
after her evening task. She turned
and entered through the palace Dor
tails. which gave upon the wings
Now she was only tired woman
again, anxious to divest herself o'
her tinselled trappings But to the
little figure that stood before her che
was an Olympian Eunice stood lost
in amazed admiration ut this wonder
full being who was her mother.
Mamma! Mamma" The arms
were outstretcbed
"Eunice."
The harsh tones broke the erell
The child remembered her last Visit
, and the establishment that followed
It. She clutched at her mother
, gown.
who brought you here? How
, dared you comet You should have
been asleep hours ago"
The little arms were clutching a
the fairy gown frantically and the M
turned face was one OF piteous en-
). treaty.
Don't scold me. Mamma. want
ed Thanta Clauth He gives mos
ANYTHING to good boys and girls
The tragedy In the child's face AZ
!, rested Hi,da The cold crust Of sell
ishuess was breaking
:. u wanted him to make you Tv
= me like the fairy children. Mamma.
Love conquered " only the critic
!. could have seen Hilda now, Sudder
Nv she understood the infinite sorro'
: Of the child's mind. the tragedy @
the little life which she had created
the loneliness the craving for
mother PITY aHo ioNe teaFS euSWS
from her own eyes and mingled wit
e the chil6's as she drew her to he
" breast
The doorkeeper came hurryinc al
D Miss Fay" he cried excitedly. VOW
Is got your little girl Them I though
she was waiting beside me- Jul
~ missed her There's gentleman
'e He gave way TO John Groves Mr.
N Holmes had discovered the empty be
u Eve minutes before. and. frantic wit
IN alarm, had rushed up to the lonely u
e tie room on the third story job
Groves had shrewdly guessed h
daughters objective
You've got her. Hilda Thar
IT. Cod he began. and then stoppe
astonIshed at the look of happine
on his wife's face.
~ She came to End Santa Claus
said Hilda- she wanted somethil
ne OF him. and I guess he's heard h
ne prayer But think II must be San
go sent her to me John. I've foul
lis something tonight that | never kns
s' I'd lost. and I'm going TO keep IL
Eunice-home with me-us-alway,
% ,cepyrisht ey W. a. chsp~sn-D