The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-12-11


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 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
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 discontinued
droOp to her mouth.
''I'm glad she's keeping out of mis-
chief" answered Eunices mother
coldly.
Its a wonder" soliloquized Mrs.
Holmes. pausing In the act of taking
a 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 disapproved of
Mrs. Groves, whom she thought hard
Eunice's 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. II 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.
"'Es," 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 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
ishing as it 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 jargon, human inter-
est" But as for Eunice, she was
in wonderland, and ii far transcribed
doll-land. She had never imagined
anything SO heavenly as the lights,
the people, and then the mystery Of
the tunnel-like 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
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, Eunice?" inquired her father, in
dicating Christmas character.
That's Santa Claus"
"Tbonta Ciauth rapoofad E,tpfca
happily.
yes. He's the spirit Of Christmas.
He gives everybody everything they
want on Christmas eve."
Does he live here?" asked Eunice
well, for the present. yes" her
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