Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25

| III HGF uTGdIlllik eyes.
Camilla" she said. haven't you
anything to talk over with-with
Mamma"
Darling" said Camilla. "you al.
ways speak as II l were about 8
years old. Yes. you precious, l do
want to talk about something"
Then the child had only heen wait.
ing for her to make the opportunity
Mrs. Roses heart leaped up. only to
sink again when Camilla said:
Cant we have the sandwiches cut
In fancy shapes?'
| III you like" said Mrs. Rose, and
went away.
once Camilla surprised her mother
with tears on her face.
| "You nice thing" said Camilla
"whatcvcr is the matter?'
| 81 feel Ioncly~-for Papa" Mrs. Rose
said "Iic used to bring things to me
toto ask me about. lie" she
trailcd away.
You darling" Camilla cried. "Hc
was a lumbermau, He could murmur
to you about timberlands. But you
aren't interested in--in irregular
verbs, are YOU"
Mrs. Rose looked at her.
DO you love me, Camilla?" she
Most to pieces" said Camilla, and
went away.
| 1t was extraordinary how the shabby
| little house lent itself to an air of
Christmas, The green's Gus had Dor
rowed--spruce and ground pine-were
everywhere: there were red candk'
and red shades and roaring fires IN
two freplaces, there was an oldfash.
/ toned holiday fragrance Of fresh cakes.
the 40 guests We're as gay in three
chintz refurnished rooms as In home
Of wide spaces and rich color.
I'VE won't have much Christmas
| this year." Mrs. Rose had said; "Ill
just I'LL the stockings when the guests
CO."
To which Camilla had replied: "Oh.
mother, dear, nobody does anything
now but bring the things into the liv.
Ing room after breakfast. Don't be so
old-fashioned.
Camilla was Joyous little hostess
in her old white frock. her face ex.
quisitely flushed. her brown bobbed
hair flying. She had laughter and
words for everybody. Mrs. Rose
watched her and said to herself: 1.-THE
little thing Is nothing but love. after
all. She is only thoughtless-what girl
isnt?"
Chris and Camilla began the dancing.
and every one watched them.
I'm glad she didn't ask me to an.
| nounce 1t tonight" her mother
| thought II guess | understand that
she doesn't want anybody to know
yet. It's the sweetest time they'll
have"
Gus and the Living Peach" arrived
| toward o'clock. and he led her
straight through to the kitchen.
where his mother was cutting cake
Here she is. mother" Gus an
nounced boyishly. Her name Ia Mile
Andrew. Mother knows all about you, It
he told her cravely.
So far an Mrs. Rose could determine
Millie Andrew looked identically like
all the other guests: that curious lack
| OF variety induced by hair. frock, fea
lures and complexion achieved and
somehow attained by them all. She
seemed to have the more or less com
monplace charm Of the girls Of her
age-but evidently Gus saw in her
some lovely inner light.
Didn't tell you?" he murmured
I to his mother.
"If only Camilla" thought Mrs.
Rose. and went on cutting cake.
"Still." she thought, tits rather fine
her feeling that love Is sacred
thing to be spoken about"
~
Supper was served. as Camilla had
| wanted. all over the houscbig
touches and window seats and stairs
| harbored their twos and tours. In the
upper hall Gus and his orchestra of
six pieces began their happy clamor.
Mrs. Rose had been up there with
| ices for the orchestra and came down
| to the landing from which both front
and back stairways led As she turned
to the back stairway. she caught the
words OF two sitting on the other stair
| beyond the bend. and 1t was Phil talk
| ing to Janet.
"Oh. dearest" he said. when you
see how happy Camilla and Chris are.
doesn't II make you know"
Did YOU ever see" demanded Janet
tudIcialiy, anybody so happy as those
| two are. since they've been engaged"
Mrs, Rose heard nothing more. She
| went on down into the kitchen and
| stared varantiy ut her sister. Jane
Able, and at the caterers. both OF
whom were seeking some vital appeal
she did not comprehend. Janet knew
Phil knew. Perhaps everybody at tho
Marty knew, save only herself. What
did this mean? II meant that she had
failed utterly In her motherhood-that
she had not been able 10 bring enough
love into camilla's relation To her 40
that she should want To tell her the
deep concerns Of her lifc She her
self had not known how. This was not
camillas fault~-~it was her own fault.
Much Of her life unsurpassed. She had
meant to live in Camiiia's life. and
| Camilla ID seemed. didn't want her
there. OF what use was anything any
| more?
| She became aware Of two words
monet onousiy repeated: "~~sa nd"ich
| filling. sandwich filling. sandwich mi
ing~~whcre IN 1t. Mis- Rose? You look
80 queer"
lin the yellow bowl In the top of
tho ice.chest." Mrs. Rose heard her
self say mechanically. And went on
with: did you take In the cakes the
| second time? Have the mints been IN
Are the leaves in the finger bowls?
| II all went on. as II by machinery
| Her sister and the other women were
hurrying from the kitchen and return
| ing. Mrs. Rose began piling plates.
| But, over and over. beat the curious
truth; That In those other rooms were
guests who knew that her daughter
Waa engaged. and she herself. had not
| been told.
| The women were collecting the
plates. The kitchen door opened and
Camilla entered swiftly, alone. II
flashed TO her mother that she had
come To tell her now that she had
heard that the news had Grert about,
fruit of conjecture and whisper. and
| had come Ia tell her now.
| i:ut cumiila's voice was cutting the
air eriauiy and with 10 hint of copii
drncc. She was saying
| "My heavens. mnihrr' Where are
| tho rest of the finger hoWlsf They VI
been Ia there with about iva for Tie
whole company aren't there any
mnrrP Why there they are, all really
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