Evening star., 1927-12-13
THE EVENING STORY

there was a taxi and they were pilins
| mall
Nice to he a. man with money in
your pocket. Nice TO settle back ana
| let somebody lead,
! The old woman was quiet now, but
| trembling like a leaf. Way out ny
/ Maple Grove they took her-a poor
| little place~-in a poorer neighborhood
: than her own-lots worse.
/ What was that she saw slipped into
/ the withered old hand-a bill? Inc
| corner of it stuck out before her
amazed eyes. Five dollars Ihlnk OF
| it-fiVe,
Going back downtown now. How
| easv il was to talk to this friendly
stranger. Funny-how her tongue
ran. All about herself-her mother
death. About the tiny unheated room
and the cracked mirror. with its patch
, work Of driving handkerchiefs, Even
those two years in the hospital-those
menacing years of which she hated to
think, and the gratitude she owed
those tiny Christmas seals which had
helped her TO make possible her cure.
Stranger. There was no stranger
here Shed known this always,
Queer. NV running into YOU that
way" he'd drawled in his funny. slow
voice Queer, amt it? Ever read fairy
tales? Kinda like fairy godmother
that old dame"
Fairy codmother" Mary giSgled
happily. Fair Godmother. or course.
Wasn't this her prince? And because
he was no StrangeT-because she had
known him for years and years--she
told him of her foolish wish and its
quick fulfllment.
"Poor shakes Of prince" he'd
laughed "Sort.a howleggad and man
gy. Buff I've got TO he one-why
not do it right? Wasn't there a story
once about prince and a banquet
and a ball?"
A dinner danCe-a show Her
feet weren't tired any more-not now,
Oh, those blessed Christmas seals. The
magic of them, The wonder.
No street car tonight with it's sway.
ing straps and sickeninG smell, A
taxi once more-soft cushioned. warm
The crisp star-dotted night--a new
moon-and-love.
For surely that must he it--this
wonderful feeling that sent her blood
through quickened pulses-that tight
ened her throat, and brought the hap
py tears to her sweet young eyes.
y
in the quiet of its damp, musty hall.
they kissed. A timid kiss-of quick
taking and frightened giving
Made for each other" that's what
he was saying-'made for each other.
Out West where | come from-we
don't wait for the things we want
we take them quick!
Il love you-have loved you ever
since | saw YOU in that store this
afternoon. I can't tell YOU any more
not if l wait a year. Tonight Right
now: / know a man in the city hall
Wen get license-be married.
I'm leaving tomorrow for home.
Home, girl! Out where there's air
to breathe-and the sky to sec! Out
where the wind comes clean as a
bahy's breath.
There's a fireplace in my house as
big as that room of yours! There's a
chair before it that's made for you
and me-and there's an old. old lady
my mother-who1l take you in her
arms and hold you close
Wont YOU trust me, Mary? Won't
you Gomez"
The magic carpet-the magic seals!
Health they had given her-health
and hHppiness--and now-love
Reaching in her purse she pulled
them out--those crumpled little cou.
riers of hope and good cheer. and press
ing them to her cheek, held them
toward him in happy surrender:
II love them she whispered-"I
love theml They once gave me life
and now they are giving me you"'
Accepting them both-the hands and
the gift they offered-this tender man.
with his tender smile. drew her toward
him and kissed her with reverent lips.
air about. For PHYS sake. Mary
darned good world after all"'
1t was Miss Henrietta Adams of
the Mammoth Store, Inc..-and chair
man of its Christmas seal drive, who
upon opening her mail the next morn.
ing gave a gasp that choked.
For PHYS sake" she cried to the
air about. For PHYS sakel2 Mary
McPierney of all girls Married--and
here's check for $4,000 from her hus-
band"
ITS for the Christmas seal fund. &"
he says, from them both-with their
love and gratituder'
"Well--it's a good world A pretty
darned good world after all IA"
tCopyright. 1927
When some species of birds migrate
the males reach their dpeffnatton n