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Show "Such an unpatriotic proceeding," growled Allan. "George Washington Washing-ton told us to keep out of foreign entanglements. And now look what's happened !" "Yes," argued Marie soberly. "Why couldn't they have had Just the conventional bridge row. You know a bridge row only lasts until the next club meeting, then all Is forgotten and they go forth again eagerly into the fray !" "And Just what Is the mental attitude at-titude of 'Aunt' Mary and 'Aunt' Grace toward each other at the present moment?" Allan wanted to know. "It's Just this," explained Jack. "Mother Is ashamed of the whole thing, but wants 'Aunt' Mary to make the first break " " and Mamma feels Just the same way, but thinks 'Aunt' Grace should offer the traditional olive branch," finished Dorothy. "Well, then, that's settled," said Allan Judicially, "and the next thing Is to make each believe the other has surrendered." Dorothy Jumped to her feet, her eyes flashing with excitement. "Jack," she called. "Lend me your LOVE WW&i Ci Christmas r)uC(Qre5 fieJericX' ac!soriL . PERSONNEL LAMBERT GREENE SANSOME Mr. Mr. Mr. I Mrs. Mn. Mrs. Allan Ceori? Jack 1 Maria Dorothr Betty vflprYftS- LAMLEItT was In a iliti fi""iiiry- J One of the established tra ditions of Knollton was the Lam-liert-Grec.ne-Sansome Christmas dinner. din-ner. Why, everybody knew it had been going on for half a generation from the time, in fact, when Allan and Marie, George and Dorothy, and Jack and Betty were Just babies I And ilow they were grown or nearly near-ly so. In the recognized rotation of the event, It was Mrs. Lambert's turn to entertain the Greenes and the Sansornes, and she had invited them, but neither family had Indicated Indi-cated that the Invitation would be accepted. Said Mrs. Greene: "You know, Diane, Grace Sansome and I have not been on speaking terms for six months or more. It would be embarrassing em-barrassing for you, and not very enjoyable for nnybody. So you Just have the Sansomes and we will come some other time." "Why, Mary Greene I" Mrs. Lambert Lam-bert protested. "Whoever heard of such a thing? After nil these twenty twen-ty years I Is there no way to mend matters between you and Grace?" I "Well, If she would speak to me .first," Mrs. Greene conceded, "I would be willing to be friends with her again." And Grace Sansome had said: "It will seem as though a pestilence Jiad struck Knollton If we don't (have our regular Christmas reunion," re-union," wistfully. "But you know how the situation Is." "Is there no possible way to ad-Just ad-Just matters," asked Sirs Lambert Sho Gasped With Astonishment When She Read the Card. "I Havo Achieved an Idea," He Announced, An-nounced, With Important Pose. earl" And reaching a dainty thumb and forefinger, she took Jack by that prominent member and led him to the corner of the room. They whispered animatedly a few moments and returned to the others with obvious merriment. "The board will rise," announced Jack. "Adjournment is now In order. or-der. Plans have been completed for a smashing drive that will take us out of the trenches by Christmas 1" Looks of anxious Interrogation met them from all sides. "A military secret of such magnitude," magni-tude," said Jack importantly, "must remain with General Dorothy and myself. But you may all arrange to attend the Lambert dinner as per usual." Dorothy squeezed Jack's arm In approval. "And now," continued General Jack, assuming a military pose, "to your dugouts. Lie low and say nothing noth-ing until the barrage that will be laid down at about nine o'clock day after tomorrow morning." Two days later Mrs. Sansome was opening her morning mall. Slitting Slit-ting an envelope that obviously contained con-tained a Christmas card, and removing remov-ing the enclosure, she gasped with astonishment The card read: "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Greene." And below the engraved signature signa-ture line, In ink, was : "I'm sorry. Mary." She laughed, then cried. When she felt that her voice could be controlled, con-trolled, -she dialed the Greene's number and heard Mrs. Greene's voice saying, "Yes?" "Oh, Mary !" Mrs. Sansome began. "This Is Grace. I've just received your card and it's the most welcome wel-come mail I ever got in my life! I'm so happy 1" Mrs. Greene seemed to hesittte momentarily. "Why yes, of course !" Then : "And I can't begin to tell you how pleased I was to receive, your card this morning, too. I sup-: pose you are going to the Lambert's dinner?" "I wouldn't miss It for anything in the world. And you?" "Surely. I'll see you there. I have so much to tell you." Mrs. Greene turned to a little table where she had opened the morning mail. On top of the pile was a conventional engraved Christmas Christ-mas card that read; "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Mr. and Mrs. Wellington Ansley Sansome." Down In a corner was the Ink notation : "Please forgive me. Grace." She stood with a contemplative but happy smile on her face as she mused: "I wonder who sent that card to the Sausomes, and why Grace was evidently so happy about It. It's Just a formal Christmas greeting." But the Lambert dinner came off with all the old crowd attending, and it was voted the best of a long line of happy Christmas gatherings. At parting, though, neither Mrs. Sansome nor Mrs. Greene alluded to the manner In which the strained relation had been overcome. But Mrs. Sansome said: "I am glad we are all happy again. Wasn't it just too silly?" "What a rectifier of human relations rela-tions Christmas is!" Mrs. Greene commented fervently. "Aided by young love," Mrs. Lambert Lam-bert added, smiling. The truth dawned upon Mrs. Greene and Mrs. Sansome at once. All three laughed heartily and happily. . 1933. Western Newspaper Unloa. sivxlously, "so we can go on with having our good times, as we have done for so long?" "Well," Mrs. Sansome replied, "If Mary will make the first advances, I am willing to make up -vith her." So the matter was at an impasse and the time was growing short. Then Marie and Allan, becoming desperate in the situation, contrived a meeting of the six young people, t sit at a board of strategy. The discussion had about worn Itself It-self out without result when George hold up his hand for attention. "I have achieved an idea," he announced, an-nounced, with an Important pose, "and it Is guaranteed to be Ironclad, watertight, burglar-proof!" "Yes, yes, go on." This from Jack In a bored tone. "Well, here It is," said George, "and you will agree that It Is the 'perfect crime.' " Then the bombshell: "Betty and I will elope!" Allan Jumped to his feet with enthusiasm. en-thusiasm. "George, you're the little old well-known well-known wonder," he admitted. "But to make the perfect crime more perfect, per-fect, let's all elope I" This was greeted with hilarious approbation. Then from George: "Betty, dear, how soon can you get ready?" Betty hesitated. "George, darling, you know I am Just crazy to elope with you, but " "Well, then," urged George, "get your suitcase packed, and let's hit the honeymoon trail." "I have a suitcase all right," Betty affirmed, "but nothing to put In It I have absolutely nothing to wear !" "The same old alibi," grunted George. "What the heck are we going go-ing to do?" "Calm yourselves," soothed Allan, "and let's get at this In a scientific manner. How did this famous Greene-Sansome feud start, anyway? any-way? Let's psychoanalyze the thing." "Oh, it was all too childish for anything," Dorothy explained. "It started when Mamma and 'Aunt' Grace had an argument about Ma-batma Ma-batma Ghandl, of all things." |
