The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-12-18

4
II and only half un
J. !. !. !. !. ]: !.
K - ~ derstOod. Eunic(
| S@R was six; too young
| HAN to grasp the mean
"a NM ing of much that
CXNN% she heard, but ole
81 Me- enough to remem
M ber., ALI 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 iandIady. was under
instructions to look in from time tC
time to see what Eunice was doing
but since Eunice was never doing
anything except playing with heT
dolls the good wOman's 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
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 a discontinued
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
a pair of sheets out of a 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
and unmaterna1. 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 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. ST have an offer of a position
on the star OF the Manhattanite."
Eunice looked up vaguely.
How would you like to celebrate
the occasion with me, chiid?" 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. I'VE are to go, then, to see
Mamma transformed into a 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
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 jaFgon, human inter
est But as for Eunice, she was
in wonderland, and it 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 Ut
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 Motheri How
happy they all werel 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, Eunice2" inquired her father. in
dicating Christmas character
That's Santa Claus"
'Thanta Clauth," repeated Eunic,
happily.
Eyes. He's the spirit of Christmas
He gives everybody everything they
want OF Christmas eve"
Does he live here?" asked Evn!ce
well, for the present. yes" he
father answered Eunice was yer,