The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-12-13

I
y
silent. But when the curtain fell at
last her little form was trembling
with fearful Joy, and she chung &C.
statically to her father.
Now we are going round to Nam
mas dressing ROOM" said her father
and before Eunice knew where she
was she had passed through the tun'
mel again, and through second tun
mel, longer and gloomier, into a queer
little room, in which her mother sat
before a mirror. Her shining dress
lay over chair, and she was deadly
tired, and her face was all red and
white and streaky. Eunice looked at
her and her heart was full of helpless
misery. She burst into sudden soos'
"The child's tired to death. Jack, "
said Hilda Groves petulantly. She
ought to have been in bed long ago.
What made you bring her here?"
Eunice behaved uncommonly badly
She cried and cried, and the more
her mother scolded her the more I'M
comfortable became her sobs. So that
at last she had to be carried out IN
the arms Of the dressing woman and
put into a taxicab, with very cross
mother and a very subdued father
and after that she found herself IN
! bed.
1t must have been all a dream!
Eunice was old enough to be able
to distinguish dreams from reality
Dreams were things that happened to
you when you were asleep, and she
had been asleep: but she was wide
awake now, wondering why it>Was sc
dark in the room, and looking through
the crack of the door at the streak Of
light that came from the room ad
joining.
Her parents were talking: sh'
heard her mothers Detulant voice
I'm sure | don't know what We
will do with that child when she get'
older john" HildaAGroves was say
ing. "Of course the profession is no
to be thought of for her."
But if take that position on thu
Manhattanite we can have home 0
Our own" answered her father.
"And have me- give UP my worl
just when l am beginning to attrac
the attention of the managers" an
swered his wife sarcastically. "Afte
ten years of drudgery, to be rrobbe
of the reward of it all! No, than
you, my dear"
"But l, too, will have to make tn
sacrifice" answered her husband
Frankly, Hilda, 1 am not thinking Q
you in this matter, nor of myself
am thinking of Eunice."
"Eunice!" repeated his wife bite
ly. 1.-THE child is quite happy wit
her dolls, and Mrs. Holmes will TAX
all the care of her that may be net
essary. It is only when you take he
; away from them and try to anus
her that she becomes trouhlesom
I, sometimes wish we had no chill
J to be burden to us"
Eunice understood, and all ne
world seemed to tumble into fathon
less abyss. Her mother did not wal
her, then.
John Groves accepted the offer, bl
. Hilda went on with her work. B
tween them they could live comfor
ably and save money, but there coul
be no home for Eunice. If Hilda lie
the stage their means would be strai
I ened. The disagreement betwee
them on this subject bred rance
which brought suffering to the chill
/ flunice's mother could hardly bear
! look at her, and Mrs. Holmes BEGAN
more and more indignant.
} "Tll wager there'll be no San
| Claus for you, my lamb" she sa
/ despondently, as she put the child
( bed two days before Christmas. "B
you'll hang up your stockings" 81
3 continued angrily, giving the pillow
) shake. 'T'll fill 'em. mean, I'll tt
/ Santa to do so. Tell me, dearie, VIII
/ would you like Santa Claus to bril-
' you?"
: "Thanta Clauth," repeated Eunic
r and her eyes frightened. Civ
2 everybody everything they want"
a yes" said Mrs. Holmes. Go
| little boys and girls like you can g
most anything. What would you Iii
' most in the world, dearie?"
!. 81 want my Mamma to love I
!. like the fairy children" Eunice q
swered.
q Mrs. Holmes understood and hi
ried out of the room to give vent
her tears. She approached Hill
y Groves that evening on the matter.
Wont you be telling Eunice
hang up her stockings tomorrt
r night, ma'am?" she inquired.
Y 81 certainly will not teach her tn
II 49,,