The spectator., 1919-12-12

" Der. All udS NllS
 V played happily with her dolls in the shabby furnished room which was her mothers bed 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 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 foodights 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 discontented 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 closet and looking at the closed door. its wonder that sort of parents has them kind of children"
 The good woman disapproved of Mrs. Groves, whom she thought hard and unmaternal. 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 em- 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 CTS ought to love and caress their children. Eunice wondered dmly 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. T 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 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 it far transcended 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 a Christmas play and the spirit of Christmas was upon everyone.
 There was her Mamma. all coIors and shining things. standing in the fairy garden, while her god-childreu grouped themselves around her And such 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 1aracter That's Santa Claus"
 "Thanta Clauth." repeated Eunice 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 father answered. Eunice was very