South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-13

office.
Fine, That will do for today.
I Vow. run along and doll M for our
/ party. What's your address and be
sure TO get ready on time,
Betty hurried home or winged
4 feet and there in the boarding house
a fairy godmother. in the person Of
a sweet young singer from the south
changed the drab little stenographer
into thing OF beauty and a JOY
/ forever.
My blue satin fits YOU as if il
had been made for you. child. Why
! haven't YOU piled your lovely hair
( on ton Of your head before You're
! a real beauty, Now, wait until
get my velvet coat, Don't say
word, I'm enjoying this as much as
, you are" cried the generous south
erner. I'm going to take you in
hand. child. What possibilities YOU
( have"
And then while she was still
dazed with the wonder of all of il.
Betty found herself in a gray lined
limousine. gliding down the crowd
ed thoroughfare Of the city's great
white way She felt as if she her
self were acting a part i'm a play
when they went into a theater The
/ music, the soft lights, the merry
groups Of handsomely gowned wom-
en-. the sudden surprised happiness
I'm the eyes OF the man beside her
acted as a stimulus 10 the girl who
! seemed. 10 have slipped, by chance,
into Paradise for the span of a few
brief hours.
Later. in the gay restaurant. trans
/ formed into q veritable fairyland.
Betty looked about her with eager.
child like eyes of wonder The cell
! ings were festooned with artistic
arrangements Of colOred papers that
soon were 10 open mysteriously' and
| spill a wealth of flowers. confetti
and tiny souvenirs on the riOtOus
crowds below Little boughs Of mis-
/ tletOe. suspended over each softly
/ lighted table. swung slowly back
and forth. Restraint had been
/ thrown aside and men. awkward as
young boys at their first New Years
| party. tried to catch their ladies' fair
under the magic bough OF green.
i
across the little table with its mound
Of crimson roses. You're giving me
a lovely evening"" she said, softly
I'1 am almost selfish enough TO be
/ glad that somebody else could not
come"
Martin looked at a nearby table
where that somebody else. with too
4 red lips and over bright eyes. was
1 trying to lure him over 10 make
peace. Then he smiled back at the
slender innocent young girl opposite
him
1T was the best luck I ever had, -
he declared heartily. Il think you've
been a princess in disguise" There
was no installing the admiration in
his eyes He looked at her softly
curving red lips and then up at the
/ slowly swaying bough Of mistletoe.
Already. New Years resolution
was forming i'm his heart and mind.
He would live differently hereafter
so that some time. not far distant
he would dare
The Hawaiian players began dol
/ licking tune and out on the floor,
two by two, went the merry, care
free crowd. As Betty danced her
heart was as light as her feet. Was
it only that afternoon she had worn
a plain blue serge frock and taken
dictation by the hour from a man
who regarded her as piece OF Of
flee furniture? For weeks she had
secretly wondered what she would
say il some dav. by chance. he saw
| that she was a young, healthy girl.
who wanted to play a little in the
gay world Of which he had only
dreamed. She looked up and found
his disconcerting brown eyes on her
Tomorrow" he said. ma sterfully.
"is a holiday. you know. I'm going
10 take YOU out TO mothers place
on Long Island. 1t will be a great
trip through the snow-just you
and T."
Midnight-such a din Of bells and
whistles. laughter and sons, From
overhead came a shower of flowers
and tiny birds that fluttered as if
they had life And through it all. a
rain Of confetti that poured down
like vari-colored Jewels and lodged,
picturesquely. in the girls fluffy hair
Betty laughed aloud with the JOY
that was hers and TO Martin Heis-
kelTs ears. it rang with freshness
and purity. like some vagrant little
wind among the trees far away from
the carnival scene of the gilded res
taurant old ideals. half forgotten.
old dreams stirred gain at the
1.-THE young body He found himself
laughing with her. like a boy But
Iabove the exciting din, clear like a
clarion call, the new resolution
formed into something tangible
something real
ooh girl. Betty" he said. huskily
as he placed the borrowed velvet
coat around her white shoulders. 81
am going 10 make myself worthy of
YOU 50 that next year when the
magic bough Of mistletoe hangs
over your pretty head. may have
the right TO stamp you--as my
own"
.