The evening world. Newspaper, December 24, 1921, Page 13

——— Pf PRR ee ™ ‘TWO § frankly disconsolate T was a | Flame who stole that night to her father’s study and perched herself high on the arm of his chair with her cheek snuggled close to his. “Father,” said Plame, ‘‘did you ever in your life know any one who had ever spent Christmas just the way he wanted to?" SECTIONS. “Why—no, did,” you're I don’t know that I ever considered her father. “When little, of course, you have to spend the day the way your elders And when you're old enough to go courting,” he sighed, “your lady love's sentiments are oul- raged 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. “N—o, no one, I suppose, has ever spent Christmas just exactly the way he wanted to!” “Well, I, triumphed Flame, “have the one chance perhaps in a life time, it would seem! And now mother has gone and wished me on Aunt Minna instead! Oh, father, dearie!’ im- plored Flame, “couldn't you Rien persuade mother that''—— With a crisp flutter of skirts Flame’ s want you to! be =r) ‘¢ & mother, herself, appeared abruptly in ‘ : the door. } ' “Why, wherever in the world have 4 t you people been?” she cried, ‘Didn't t you hear the telephone? Couldn't you 1 even hear me calling? Your Uncle 4 E° Wally is worse! That is, he’s better, but he thinks he’s worse! And they It’s some- thing about a new will! They’ve sent an automobile for us! It will be here any minute! But whatever in the world shall we do about Flame?” she cried distractedly. “You know how Uncle Wally feels about having young people in the house! And she can’t { . j want us to come at once! a possibly go to Aunt Minna’s till to- morrow! And'’-—— } “But, you see, I’m not going to Aunt Minna’s!"” { qnite serenely. have to! Of course, you didn’t say it | with your mouth,” admitted Flame. announced Flame “Father says I don’t “But you felt it.” “Not go to your Aunt Minna‘s?” gasped her mother. “What do you want to do?” ( “IT want to make a Christmas for myself! Oh, of course, I know per- t fectly well,” Maame agreed, “that I .™ could go to a dogen places in the par- ? 4sh and be cry-babied over. But if I made a Christmas of my own every- Se thing about it would be brand-new é ‘ and unassociated!” } “‘Honk-hohk!” screamed: the motor é ins t the door, t: “Oh, dear me, whatever in the world hi ghall I do?” cried Fiame’s mother. * “I'm almost distracted! I'm"—- ‘When in doubt,” suggested Flame's father genially, ‘‘choose the most doubtful doubt on the docket and— . Flame’s got a pretty level head,” he interrupted himself. Cee eet “No young girl has a level heart,” asserted Flame’s mother. ‘i'm so wor- we ried about the Lay Reader.” “Lay Reader?” murmured her father, “Why, yes. Just what kind pee’ of a Christmas is it, want to make?” Flame, that you He turned. at the ++i > ile 3 U - r. Ln Te LLL) SS ; b a SATURDAY, LECr MBER 24, 1921. --A CHRISTMAS STORY-— Illustrated by WILL B. JOHNSTONE moment to force hia wife's arms into the sleeves of her fur coat. “I~I 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 I called there this after- noon? It—it Jooked rather lonely there.” ‘ “Honk-honk-honk!"" implored the automobile. “But who is this Miss Flora?’ cried her mother, respectable?” “Oh, my dear,” deprecated Flame’s 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,” in- sisted Flame, With a furious yank of the door bell, Uncle Wally’s chauffeur announced that the limit of his endurance had been reached. “Oh, p-l-e-a-s-e!"" implored Flame, “Wilh you promise not to eee the “How do we know she’s —~ — os + \ \: a Cra Pa a 2 = Ss KActioN SECTIO SECTION TWO. GOOD Willi 76 BGGSs By ELEANOR HALLOWELL ABBOTT Lay Reader?” bargained her mother, “Yea'm,” said Flame, AKING at dawn, two single thoughts eonsumed Flame —the Lay Reader and the humpiest of the express package downstairs, “As long as [ve promised most faithfully not to see ‘Bertrand, the Lay Reader,’” she laughed, “how cag I possibly go to church? For the first Christmas in my life,” she laughed, “] won't have to go to church!" She tore back the wrappings of the FROM HER TERRORIZED PERCH ON THE BACK OF THE CHAIR, (LAME WATCHED THE FRACAS - WITH DILATED BYES. fetes « - atom! Coemeeneecteenete tetera « ame ee ae) ee peers | eomanay Caan a,