Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-12-11

with her dolls in the shabby furnished
room which was her mothers bed
room. The door was locked, ant
Mrs. Holmes, the landlady, was unde
Instructions to look in from time Il
time to see what Eunlce was doing
but since Eunice was never doinE
anything except playing with hel
dolls the good woman's visits became
less and less frequent.
shes the most cOntented 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
girlish charm and ingenue manner. By
day she was Hilda Groves, wife of
John Groves, an unsuccessful writer,
and the charming ingenue was very
tired woman with discontented
droop to her mouth.
I'm glad she's keeping out of mis-
chief" answered Eunice's mother
coldly.
Its a wonder" soliloquized Mrs.
Holmes, pausing In the act of taking
pair of sheets out of closet and
looking at the closed door, tits
wonder that sort of parents has them
kind of children"
The good woman disapproyed of
Mrs Groves, whom she thought hard
and unmaternal. AS for John Groves,
Eunices father, who worked all day,
humping upon his typewriter in the
little half empty back room two
stories up, whenever he met Eunice
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. 81 have an offer of 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.
les" said Eunice, slipping her
chubby hand into his own.
THE motion is carried" said John
Groves. 1--WE are to go, then, to see
Mamma transformed into benefcent
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-
yether, except for an occasional stroll
round the block to the newspaper
man or the corner grocery. To
Groves the. sensation was as aston
shing as it was unexpected. Here he
lad been creating his dream men and
women all his life, while there was a
I've child, his own, waiting to be
and full of the most amaz-
ng touches of what he would have
allied, in his jargon, human inter-
st" But as for Eunice, she was
q wonderland, and it far transcribed {
She had never imagined |
nything so heavenly as the lights, t
he people, and then the mystery OF {
he tunnellike approach to the thea
err the gloomy aisle, and the wall '
ehind the row of little lamps that I
tent up into the roof and disclosed /
Mother! /
"O-oh!" cried Eunice, leaping up
ut of her chair. And nobody scolded {
r even frowned, because this was d
christmas play and the spirit of b
christmas was upon everyone. y
There was her Mamma, all colors C
nd shining things, standing in the s
liry garden, while her god-children S
rouped themselves around her. And "
UGH a transformed Mother! How y
Apply they all were! She was laugh
* as Eunice had never heard her a
ugh in Mrs. Holmes boarding e
ouse, and she kissed the children
I'd gave them the most wonderful Ii
ys. N
DO you know who that old fellow m
Eunice?" inquired her father, in.
eating Christmas character Ii
that's Santa Claus" s,
"Thanta Clauth," repeated Eunlce
Ippily. ri
Yes. He's the spirit of Christmas. b,
Q gives everybody everything they G
mt on Christmas eve"
Does he live here?" asked Eunice, III
We'll. for the present, yes" her nj
Their answered. Euniee was very