| Show 0 OMARY By Anna Yarbrough E ELLA LLA CLOUD stood back and eyed the tree with approval Honestly she thought its it's beautiful beautiful I ful even 1 If it It Is more a New Years Year's tree than a Christmas tree A surge of ot Joy rushed through her l Mary would soon be home An Any minute now Charles would be back from the hospital with her Ella looked anxiously about the charming livIng living living liv liv- ing room everything must be done to to make Marys Mary's New Year a happy happ one Ella sank tiredly down in a chair and covered her eyes with her hei plump hands Two years since that awful day of ot the accident but it seemed as vivid as yesterday It was late afternoon when she got that message that her daughter had II been in a traffic accident The mad race to the hospital had been a nightmare They wouldn't let hersee hersee her hersee see Mary She was glad now that they j She felt tears trickle between her fingers Mary had been bitter wanted to die And absolutely refused reused re- re i used fused to see nn anyone one not even ever her mother or Charles or little Charlie Then the operations began one after atter another until that happy day when Mary consented to see her I How precious Mary looked Her blond curls spilled over her pillow I The doctors had performed mira- mira I t JL C Aw Mom l he said aw your nose des cles Little by little the they had built Marys Mary's face up again Ella heard a car stop then footsteps footsteps footsteps foot foot- steps coming up the walk walle The front door opened Tall handsome hand some Charles and ond Mary stood in inthe inthe inthe the doorway Then Mary was inElla's in inElla's inElla's Ellas Ella's arms and she was saying Oh Hone Honey were we're glad to have you home Mary was brought into the house fussed over almost as much as a new brand-new baby and finally was settled comfortably in a big chair Not until the first wave of the homecoming homecoming homecoming home home- coming excitement had passed was she able to bring herself to express the uneasiness that had been in in n her heart all day There was a catch in Marys Mary's voice when she asked Wheres little Charlie Suddenly fear choked Ella She wished she had cautioned little Charlie not to mention his mothers mother's face ace but it was too late now He He Hehe he went to a party Ella said as she helped settle Mary on the divan A blare of childrens children's voices sounded night Good Charlie then Little Charlies Charlie's night Good HE DOOR BURST OPEN and T THE Little Charlie stood in all his year old inquisitiveness and stared at nis ti-is mother The childs child's countenance fell I Aw Mom 1 he said Aw Your nose Ella said hurriedly Its a nice nose Isn't it Charlie Silently she was praying Oh God make him aay ay the right thing Little Charlies Charlie's face twisted Into a frown I 1 dont don't see anything es- es nice about it It looks just like the nose Mom always had And Ive I've invited all the kids over tomorrow tomorrow to to- morrow to see Moms Mom's made doctor-made nose Now Butch Mitchells Mitchell's going to tease me something awful Suddenly Y Mary began to l laugh ugh The tears trickled down her pale cheeks checks She was laughing as she had thousands of times before the accident wholeheartedly Little Charlie said dejectedly It aint nothing to laugh about I 1 thought sure you'd come back from the hospital with something to show Mary stopped laughed thought a second t the then h e n asked solemnly Wo Would two toes off do Little Charlies Charlie's expression brightened brightened bright bright- ened Honest Mom tom Quickly Mary slipped ot off her shoes then hose and held up one pretty slender foot See Sec she said Two small toes were neatly Little Charlie grinned do just fine Mom Mary was laughing again and hugging her young son To keep from bursting into tears of pure joy Ella asked How do you like the New Years Year's tree Charlie Little Charlie shrugged do he said with a grin Big Charles' Charles arms were around Mary He Mother that's a beautiful tree but not as beautiful as s our Mary Ella smiled It was going to b b. b a Happy N New JW Y Year ar for tor Mary Mar |
