The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-12-13

EINM0 she heard, but old
ON enough to remem-
IVY Der. All day she
" pla yed happily
with her dolls in the shabby furnished
room which was her mothers bed
room. The door was locked, and
Mrs. Holmes, the landlady, was under
instructions to look in from time to
time to see what Eunice was doing;
but since Eunice was never doing
anything except playing with her
dolls the good woman's visits became
less and less frequent.
shes the most cO1tented little
body In the world, ma'am," said the
old Scotch woman to Hilda Groves,
Eunice's mother. Mrs. Groves was
also called Marian Fay, but that was
when she stood behind the footlights
and enraptured her audience with her
girllsh charm and ingenue manner. BY
day she was Hilda Groves. wife of
John Groves, an unsuccessful writer,
and the charming 1ngenue was a very
tired woman with discontinued
droOp to her mouth.
"I'm glad she's keeping out of mis-
chief" answered Eunices mother
cOldly.
ITS wonder" soliloquized Mrs.
Holmes, pausing in the act of taking
a pair of sheets out of closet and
looking at the closed door, tits a
wonder that sort of parents has them
kind of children"
The good woman disapproved 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 Euntce
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 depressed.
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. 81 have an offer of a position
on the staff of the Manhattanite."
Eunice looked up vaguely.
How would you like to celebrate
the occasion with me, child?" inquired
her father, addressing Eunice banter
ingly, because he did not quite know
what to say to her.
"Es," said Bunice, slipping hel
chubby hand into his own.
"The motion is carried" said JONI
Groves. I'VE are to CO. then, to SEA
Mamma transformed into a beneticen
fairy. AS you are doubtless aware
she takes the part of the Fairy God
mother in the Christmas play nov
running at the Hudsonian."
That was the first time John Grove
and Eunice had ever been out te
gether, except for an occasional sfrol
round the block to the neWspape
man or the corner grocery, 4,
Groves the sensation was as aston
ishing as it was unexpected Here b
had been creating his dream men an
women all his life, while there was
live child, his own, waiting to D
discovered, and full Of the most amai
ing touches of what he would nav
called, in his jargon, human intel
est" But as for Eunice, she wa
in wonderland, and it far transcende
doll.land. She had never imagine
anything so heavenly as the lights
the people, and then the mystery 9
the tunnellike approach to the the;
ter. the gloomy aisle, and the wa
behind the row of little lamps tina
went I'D into the roof and disclose
Mother!
"O.oh!" cried Eunice, leaping u
ont of her chair. And nobody scolde
mr. even frowned, because this was
Christmas play and the spirit
Christmas was upon everyone.
There was her Mamma, all color
! and shining things, standing in tn
fairy garden, while her god-childre
: grouped themselves around her. An
such a transformed Mother! Ho
happy they all were! She was laugl
ing as Eunice had never heard he
laugh in Mrs. Holmes boardin
house. and she kissed the childre
and gave them the most wonderf'
:. toys.
. "Do you know who that old fello
Is, Eunice?" inquired her father, i
dicating Christmas characte
3 "That's Santa Claus"
/ "Thanta CIauth," repeated Eunit
happily.
Eyes. He's the spirit of Christina
He gives everybody everything the
want on Christmas eve"
Does he live here?" asked Eunic
well, for the present, yes" h
father answered. Eunice was vel