Evening star., 1921-12-25

61Auo WHO SIO16 LudC hight "
har fathers study and perched
herself high on the arm Of his
chair with her check snuggled close
to his.
"Eather," said Flame, did you ever
IN your life know any one who had
ever spent Christmas just tho way he
wanted to?''
"Why-no, don't know that ever
did" considered her father. when
you're little, Of course, you have to
spend the day the way your elders
want you to! And when you're old
enough to go courting, he sigheo'
'.your lady loves sentiments are out
ragged If you don't spend the day with
her, and your own family are furious
If you don't spend the day with them =:
And after you're married?" he sank
back into his cushions. No. no
one, / suppose, has ever spent Christ-
rnsa just exactly the way he wanted
TOP
SWELL, l." triumphed Flame, nave
the one chance perhaps in h1etlme'
IT would seem! And now mother mas
gone and wished me on Aunt Mlhna
instead, oh, father, dearie!" implored
Flame, couldn't you please persuade
mother that
With a crisp fiutter OF skirts
Flames mother, herself, appeared
abruptly in the door.
why, wherever in the world nave
YOU people been?" she cried. "Didnt
YOU hear the telephone? Couldn't you
even hear me calling? Your Uncle
wally is worse! That is. he's oetter'
hut he thinks he's worse! And tney
want us to come at once! It's some
thing about a new will! They've sent
an automobile for US! 1t will be here
auy minute! But whatever IN the
world shall we do about Flame?" she
cried distractedly. You know no"
Uncle WalIy feels about having young
people in the house! And she can't
possibly go to Aunt Minna's till to-
morrow! And"
NpUT. you see. I'm not going to
- Aunt Minna's." announced Flame
quite sedately. Father says I don't
it with your mouth" admitted Flame.
but you felt it,"
Not go to your Aunt Minna's?"
gasped her mother. What do you
want to do?"
II want to make a Christmas for
myself! Oh, of course. I know per-
fectly WELL" Flame agreed. that I
could go to a dozen places in the
parish. and be cry-babied over. But
If I made Christmas OF my own
everything about 1t would be brand
new and unassociated"
"Honk-honk!" screamed the motor
at the door.
''Oh, dear me, whatever In the
world shall I do?" cried Flames mo-
ther. I'm almost distracted! I'm"
when in doubt" suggested Flames
father genially. choose the most
doubtful doubt on the docket and
Flames got a pretty level head" he
interrupted himself.
NO young girl has a level heart"
asserted Flames mother. I'm SO wor-
ried about the Lay Reader"
Lay Reader?" murmured her
father. "Why, yes. Just what kind
of a Christmas is 1t, Flame, that you
want to maker" He turned at the
moment to force his Wife's arms into
the sleeves of her fur coat.
II want to make a Surprise for
Miss Flora" Flame confided.
"Honk-honk!' urged the automo-
bile.
"At the Rattle-Pane House, you
know" rallied Flame. Don't you re-
member that called there this after
noon? lit looked rather lonely
there"
Observation-Disclosures" implored the
automobile.
But who is this Miss Flora?" cried
her mother. How do we know she's
1espectable?"
"Oh, my DEAR" deprecated Flames
father. Just as though the owners
of the Rattle-Pane House would rent
it to any one who wasn't respectable"
"Oh, she's very respectable" insist
ed Flame.
With furious yank Of the door
bell Uncle Wally's chauffeur an
nounced that the limit of his endur-
ance had been reached.
"Oh, p-l-e-a-s-e" implored Flame.
"Will you promise not to see the
Lay Reader?" bargained her mother.
"Yesm." said Flame.
WAKING at dawn, two single
thoughts consumed Flame-the
Lay Reader and the humpiest Of the
express packages downstairs.
LAS long as I've promised most
faithfully not to see Bertrand the
Lay Reader" she laughed. how can
I possibly go to church? For the
first Christmas in my life," she
laughed. Il won't have to go to
church,"
She tore back the wrappings of the
humpiest package with eager hands,
only to fnd-a gay. gauzy layer of
animal masks nosing interrogatively
up at her. No Identifying card!
Perhaps a donation for the Sunday
school Christmas tree? But there
wasn't going to be any tree! 'U-m-
m-m." unused Flame. whatever in the
world shall do with them?" Then
quite abruptly she sank back on her
heels and laughed. But even to her
self she did not say just what she
was laughing at.
Taken all in all, it was a Christmas
morning of works! Kitchen works
mostly! Useful, flavorous adventures
with a turkey! A somewhat nervous