| Show christmas asti alas play EJ r ed anan 13 by Kaths town hall was wreathed with THE holly and mistletoe bright red bells hueg from the old fashioned chandeliers christmas candles candies sent their soft glow into the night the whole place cried out welcome to the crowd who thronged thron ged through the doors by eight every seat scat was occue occupied led small gossip and murmurs of expectancy ran through the crowd the little town was proud of the boy who was taking the leading part in the play they had known ted rawlings all their lives known him as an easygoing easy going lad interested te rested in nothing more than fishing and hunting around the country t i and later as an astonishingly changed ambitious fellow no one seemed to understand how the quick transition occurred all eyes turned to the stage as the heavy curtain rolled upward three hundred pairs of eyes fastened themselves upon the moving speaking figures ted wonderful young girls whispered breathlessly to each other between acts thun t ted you were perfectly wonderful sally was saying derous bursts of applause filled the room hands clapped with vehemence small boys made their approval known by shrill whistling ted carried the audience with him every step of the way he seemed to enter to merge himself completely in the character he portrayed his make believe was so intense in the last act that there was a deep silence for a moment when the final curtain fell FOR OR the time it was no make 1 believe to ted he was living again all the agony of parting of seeing sally howard go aw away ay without a word he had been sure until her train pulled out that she would come and say how sorry she was for the bitter reproachful words she had hurled at him words that had left their mark upon his soul that had stung him into a mad ambitious desire to show her what he could do he found no real satisfaction in the tumultuous applause that followed in this hour of his triumph his heart cried out for sally if only she was here if only she had cared he scarcely knew what he was saying in answer to the lavish congratulations suddenly small hands pressed tightly around his arm and a remembered voice spoke in his ear ted you were perfectly wonderful sally was saying wonderful wonderful im so proud so proud of you but sally I 1 dont understand I 1 thought you were in new york 1 I was until last night ive been keeping track of you I 1 knew all about the play and and the way you have been working lately I 1 have h missed this for any thing in the world 1 I but the things you said sally they hurt they still do 1 I wanted them to hurt ted I 1 know I 1 know it was cruel but there seemed no other way someone had to give you the right kind of push to get you going you know you were really lazy but now well youve really put on speed nothing like the speed im going to show in getting read ready Y for a christmas wedding theres there s just two days left weve got to make it a really big event lets give out the announcement now while the crowd is still in the hall 77 1 4 t A look at that doll santa WAS here last night he mummy ghess chess I 1 must have been an awfully good girl to deserve a doll like this brown eyes real hair a pretty dress n everything ale this another doll kind of hard to get it out wonder what else is in this big stocking maybe its the candy I 1 ordered from santa claus ie 1 t i q AA 1 IP whee e e some tricycle sa santa ti left me theres so much to play with that I 1 hardly know where to start it be nice if christmas came every day but maybe that hat would be too much work for santa claus and after all maybe id get kind of tired too av IA J I 1 here it is bedtime already ive had a busy day but im really not tired better go to bed though cause mummy says I 1 should and I 1 really ought to be a good girl atter after this wonderful christmas thanks a lot santa claus FF |
