The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-12-19

| the kind old man guarding the tunnel.
whats your name, little girl?" in
CURED the man. who's your Nam
MAJ"
I'm Eunice. and my Mammals a
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 well remembered pas.
sage toward a 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 were 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 a great
! shaft of light from overhead, which
followed her every movement. The
fairy children had gone, and IIilda
Groves bowed finally and withdrew
| toward the palace threshold.
She bad needed all her concentra-
ton to play successfully that night.
and in spite OF that more than one
of the newspapers commented dis.
paragingly the next day upon her per.
Torrance. II was unreal. they said.
and lifeless Gould they only have
seen her after the curtain fellD To
Hilda it 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 Euuice only as hateful and repug.
nant duty to which she must return
after her evening task, She turned
and entered through the palace por.
tails. which gave upon the wings.
Now she was only tired woman
again, anxious to divest herself OF
her tinselled trappings. Rut to the
little figure that stood before her she
was an Olympian. Eunice stood lost
in amazed admiration at this wonder,
full being who was her mother.
Mamma! Mammal" The arms
were outstretched
"Eunice!"
The harsh tones broke the spell
The child remembered her last visit
and the disilusionment that followed
It, She clutched at her mothers
gown.
who brought you here? How
dared you come? You should have
been asleep hours ago"
The little arms were clutching nj
the fairy gown frantically and the up.
turned face was one of piteous en-,
treaty.
Don't scold me. Mamma. want.
ed Thanta Clauth. He gives most
anything to good boys and girls"
The tragedy in the chlds face ar
rested Hilda The cold crust of self
ishness was breaking
Il wanted him to make YOU love
me like the fairy children, Mamma i,
Love conquered If only the critics
could have seen Hilda now! Sudden
~ she understood the infinite sorrow
OF the child's mind, the tragedy Of
the little life which she had created
the loneliness, the craving for )
mothers pity and love. Tears sushed
from her own eyes and mingled with
the child's as she drew her to her
breast.
inc doorkeeper came hurryins nm
Miss Fay" he cried excitedly, "you'ys
got your little girl then? thonsb,
she was waiting beside me- irst
missed her, There's a gentleman
he gave way to John Groves. Mrs
Holmes had discovered the empty he'd
hve minutes before, and, frantic with
alarm had rushed up to the lonely M.
tie room on the third story Johr
Groves had shrewdly guessed bis
daughters objective.
You've got her, Hilda Tb.,n
Cod" he began, and then stnnned
astonished at the look of hannines.
on his wifes face.
she came to find Santa c,or,
said Hilda. "She wanted so,oot, is'
of him, and guess he's heard ~,
prayer But think it must be santa
sent her to me. John, I've fonnG
something tonight that | never knan
Ia lost and I'm going to keen a.
Eunlce-home with me--us-aIwor..
copyright by W. a. Chspmanl