Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-28
%SaA THE LUCKY LAWRENcEs NJ D
Nv y kN'A''" "0'A ET4es7&d
D. KATHLEEN NORRIS

, ents. as usual, and she felt the usual
| Joy in her plight.
Gail thought Of presents, too. She
wondered II Dick would give her g
present-of course, he WOULD She
: -suuld not care what 1t was, 1t would
| lie the most valued thing she received
Dick needed socks and ties and belts
and gloves-if he went to Los Angeles
next week ne would need gloves-but
she had dared give him none of these.
Books. She had two books for him. In
one, with a fast-beating heart. she
wrote: Dick. with love from A. L."
Perhaps we'll be married by next
Christmas!" thought Gail, running, rae
ing, hurrying home in the black rainy
darkness Of Christmas Eve.
It seemed to her the NEST wonderful
Christmas they had ever had. From
the hour on Christmas eve when she.
Ariel and Edith got home wet, cold and
tired, to the warm kitchen and to
| planning and laughter and tea, toast
and jam, and wrapping gifts, and sur
prises, until the 2 o'clock dinner on
Christmas Day was safely served there
was not a flaw.
They got all their presents ready and
then walked under warm, shining stars
to church at midnight. Then every one
stumbled back utterly exhausted, to go
to bed heavily and blindly, fingers sore
from strings and tinsel, backs and feet
aching. hands scented with pine resin,
hearts filled with happiness.
And then 1t was Christmas morning
and every one was thanking every one
else, and Gail was honestly amazed at
all the things they got-and such beau
| tiful things. Each member of the
family, and this year Dick. too, had a
table near the fireplace. These tables
were loaded with boxes and bundles;
Gail saw Dicks handwriting on long
thin box at the bottom Of her exciting
stack and she opened that last, spinning
| the expectation out.
An umbrella, with a little square
&c. L." cut on the gold top.
He gave Edith the same thing, only
with a silver mount, and Ariel camera.
Everybody got everything: there was no
end to the gifts, nor to the tissue paper
and ribbons.
Breakfast. leisurely and late, was
| wonderful, and by IL o'clock the scents
of the early afternoon meal were in
the spicy warm Christmas-scented air.
Dick was leaving for Los Angeles at z.
with whom she had been studying
dramatic expression, to have supper
with Lizzie and her mother
But come home early, darling, for
tomorrow's your birthday and We have
to celebrate all over again."
Thus Gail, as she flew about the
kitchen.
"Oh, I will. Gail" Ariel was very
docile. She seemed to her sisters to be
at her sweetest today.
At 2 they sat down, ravenous, to the
feast. Everything was perfection: even
Gail had never cooked a turkey like
this one before The cranberry, the
gravy, the roast itself, with its crisp,
hot, buttery outside and its white tender
dampness within-they could not say
enough for the cook and the food. Long
after o'clock the sextet fingered at
the table. nibbling raisins and nuts.
And when finally there was stir,
it was only after a unanimous decision
to abandon all plans for supper. Phil
went OF to some point unknown, prob
ably to see Lily; Dick had to walk
down to his office to get some papers,
and Ariel herself suggested that she
walk with him because she had a
present for Mary Binney and could
leave it by the way.
The short day ended with Gail and
Edith both stretched luxuriouSly on
Calls bed. reading at intervals and talk
ing desultorily.
How long will Dick be in Los
Angeles, Gail?"
only about two weeks. It's q ship
case. A great chance for him"
II think he's such a dear. I've grown