Evening star., 1920-01-04


sight was ready for Christmas
but
Tia" woman had no eyes for either
shops or trees. What she saw was
desert to the skyline, with sandy
road crossed by snake trails and
parched hill that steamed like
kettle forever on The boil Down the
sandy road stood pole that fOated
Il white rag. The rag meant water
hole. And by the water hole stood an
ancient squaw who mplored in senile
gibhcrish that the white woman
would buy the red and yellow beads
she held out in stringy hand that
looked like stringy claw. If you
know about ancient. blinded Mahalas
cast off by their young. you will
know that a string of beads may he
the difference between bread and
starvation.
Along came the car. and back came
the woman to the trees and Christ
massy shops and to the consciousness
that it was string of red and yellow
beads on the coat of a girl who had
also been waiting for the car that had
flashed her thoughts back to Nevada.
When they were aboard and anchored
to twin straps they began to confab.
as women will when Christmas Is in
the air. What the woman said isn't
worth repeating. but girls are always
worth hearing:
II love a white Christmas. though.
Of course. don't take stock in that
old saying about a green one. wish
everybody could be happy and get
lot of gifts. butt just saw the pitt
fullest sight. An old woman stood
outside of Bianks store and tried to
sell iron-hoiders. But. OF course. no
one wants holders these times-I felt
SO sorry for her. She looked SO old
and SO areadfully shabby. Think of
going to wherever she lives with
maybe no fire and nothing to eat.
while others are feasting. I'd loved
to have bought holder, but. my
goodness. it takes all one can rake
and scraPe to get presents with--and
no one wants an iron holder. 1t must
be awful to be poor like that
There must be some compelling
magic in red and yellow beads. for
the woman got off that car and went
to Blanks store not because she
wanted to. but for the reason that It
seemed to her that the irOn-holder
woman was as truly turned out in the
world to suffer as the old Mahala who
was making her last stand at the
water hole. And didn't somebody by
the name of Kipling say that we are
all sisters under the skin?
And that's all there was to it, except
that
1t shows what beads can do-when
they are red and yellow.
* 4 * &
CHE was chiffonny young person
= with cinnamon buns over her ears,
and satin slippers that showed quite
considerable outlay Of silk stockings,>
reinforced at the heels.
Also. she stood in the doorway Of a
cafe. and as she held a paint brush ia
one jeweled hand. the inference was
that she belonged to some cult Of hare
headed artists who were engaged in
outdoor siletchins ana had dropped I'm
for bite. And, to be real honest she
couldn't possibly have made any pic
ture prettier than herself. >.
Having stared enjoyabiy up and down
the street as if on the lookout for
types and things that artists are ad-
dicted to. she stepped out in front Of
the window of the big cafe and using
the glass for a canvas. painted with the
abandon Of the true professional:
Turkey dinner today"
CONSIDER Santa:
If you suppose that tubby old
saint person IL ia conspiracy with
you grown-ups to provide a happy
mystery for childhood. you need to go
for information to any youngster old
enough to button Its 4hoes-say.
Eleanor. for one.
She is three years old going on four,
and her mother took. her to ali the big
toy shops to find out what she would
like Santa Claus to bring her. Natur-
ally. she wanted everything in sight,
but her preference centered in a large
doll with brown curls and a blue hat
with feather in it.
She talked about that doll ever hour
OF every day befo Oh hriafm~a nm,