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Show niv mi rri 1 ' sVSvr I oooooooocxooooooooooooooo The New Year s st SPirit a Bv- ALICE B. PALMER DCXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXJOOOOOOOOO PFOR the past six years of Tom's ten of married life he had celebrated New Year's apart from his wife. He j had enjoyed what he called "the time of his life," but it Vx3) had always ended up io an tSC- hilarious outburst In each i'GJfjJ ( case now Tor sis years I.au-jjr I.au-jjr rel had brought him through ( jfeSL and had forgiven him. Yet v each succeeding year it had beeD the same thing over again. Now another year had rolled around and the boys at the office were joking about New Year resolutions, wild parties, etc. As Tom got to thinking about it, he suddenly realized that he had not played fair with his wife when it came to holiday celebrations. Killed with remorse, he began to plan a "Happy New Year" for the little worn Vin this year. I The boys Joked him for being so quiet and thoughtful ; but he paid " ' no attenlion to them, for he was deep in thought. "What could he do to pay 1 up for his gross neglect?" All these -' years she had been so true and un- selfish while he had Indulged In utter Eenseless dissipation. "I have It," he suddenly shouted, "S without realizing the whole ollice ! force was looking In his direction. ) "Come across what it Is, a new L joke?" exclaimed Jim, the bill clerk. "Oh no, far from it," said Tom. U "I have only just made a New y Year's resolution." Whereupon they all laughed heartily heart-ily and Joe, the sweeper, who was passing by, chuckled inwardly .is he thought of the big party which was "on" that night. The day, very suggestive of the holiday spirit, was cold and crisp; while icicles hung about iu profusion and the snow, heavily packed, sparkled in the sunlight i Tom begged to ' he excused an ! hour earlier and joyously bounded ! off on his New i Year's escapade. First he darted across the s i eel I and purchased two theater tickets, i then to the Crystal restaurant, where ! he reserved a table. Next he rushed 1 , the florist's shop (to winch he had ! been a strar.ger for many years) and I ordered a corsage hompiet of nnxod sweet peas, her fnvonte (lover. he found himself entering an ex Iu-1 Iu-1 slve women's npporel shop, jus Ground the corner. He fell sort o wobbly in here and was Just ahom ready to flee when a pleasant. elde,l lady addressed him: What can I do for yon. sir?" Thou he explained to her that he would like to have a complete outfit fr his wife for a Now Years party The efficient saleslady understood rerfectlv. and ushered him about pick-?- out the finery. He remembered hearing his wife spenk of the new color called "Tyson bl..e"-thnt blue had been the color of her wedding n , he decided to have every-fhing every-fhing of de...h,fU. shade which he knew would please her. K;nally, loaded down with bun es, he truly was a New Years o Ciaui., flr fen like "'"?. tor 1"" heart was filled with Joy. " 'Twas ! surely more blessed to give than to receive," re-ceive," thought Tom, as he trudged along toward home. "Now the next move on the checkerboard," checker-board," he thought, "Is to get these things Into the house without her knowing It." How could he do it? Then the thought struck him. He could get his sister, who lived around the corner, to call Laurel over by phone. So, stopping at the first available avail-able telephone booth, he did so. Then when the csast was clear he slipped Into the house and was up to her room where he spread out the adorable outfit out-fit upon her snowy bed. The blue against the white spread did look beautiful, even to a man's eyes. Why had he never thought of anything like this before? Why, It was more fun than all the parties he had ever attended. at-tended. You see, the true holiday spirit had hit Tom, and hit him very, very hard. Suddenly he heard her call : "Oh Tom, Is that you? Supper is ready and your favorite apple dumplings." "Yes, dear, I am coming," he hurriedly hur-riedly replied, as he rushed down two steps at a time. Eut as they sat eating, he noticed that she was not very hungry and wore a sad, tired expression. She, no doubt, was thinking of the usual New Year's escapade. Tom chuckled within with-in as he thought of his glorious surprise. sur-prise. He was wondering how to proceed. pro-ceed. After praising the delicious apple dumplings, for which he only received a faint sickly smile (she was not interested in-terested In such things Just now), he arose from the table and began to dress for the evening. When all ready, he kissed her goodby, and said he was going to the club. He bated to do It, for It nearly broke his heart to sec her lips tremble as if about to utter a protest But she cared too much for his happiness to interfere, so she only said : i nope you nave a gooa time, 10m. He quickly turned away and left her standing there, heartsick and weary. Other years he had not been able to comprehend ; now when it dawned upon him. he felt like a brute and vowed a secret resolution with his heart alone never to leave her again. Then he rushed around Hie corner to his sister nnii disclosed the whole beautiful seciet. She was delighted and gave him a big brotherly hug and kiss. Then she said : "Why, Tom, that is the best tiling you ever did In your life." "Yes, I know it, Dot, and 1 am ashamed of myself hut never again." Then he made a dash for home and the "surprise." His wife had thrown herself upon the overstuffed davenport in despair, to await the awful midnight scene. She arose quickly, as she heard his step in the hallway. "He must have forgotten something, poor dear, or he wouldn't be buck so early." thought she. The next moment he rushed in with a loud cry of "Happy New Year. Laurel." She could hardly believe her own ears as she gazed at hiin stupidly. "Why, what's the trouble, Tom?'1 'Nothing, my dear, 1 only came to pet you to spend New Year's Eve with me. for a change." "How lovely. Tom, but you forgot that I have no party outfit." "Never mind about that, just dress as quickly as you can. while I glance through the paper." She turned from him, the tears streaming down her face, as she thought of her only available gnwn. an ugly gray cashmere. She could tear It Into shreds, she hated It so. On the way upstairs she secretly wished that some disaster had come upon It, so that she would not be obliged to wear It. What a revelation, as she opened the door to her room and beheld the :i 1 ;: 7 hey Came Home on New Year s J Eve : :' J By Jane Roth , , ((rT"100 bad the children caa't I come home," said Mr. Burt. There's an auto at the gate now," replied his wife. A stranger alighted and came to the door. "This radio was sent to you," he said. He installed It and left At the appointed hour Mr. Burt tuned in. "Why, Pa!" cried Mrs. Burt, "It' John speaking at the banquet" This finished, they got another station. sta-tion. "Mary playin' an' Verna singin',1 whispered Mrs. Burt "Why, 1'a, now they're playin' "Home, Sweet Home," for us." When this finished she smiled "They came home after ail, what a happy New Year." (cX 1927. Western Newspaper Union.) fairy outfit spread out upon her bed. The beaded dress of Tyson blue sparkled under the electric light and the dainty satin slippers with the spider-web silk stockings were a perfect per-fect match. Then the bonnet of blue silk (fhiffon trimmed with tiny forget-me-nots capped the climax. She snatched It up and placed it np-on np-on her head, forgetting for-getting everything else for the moment mo-ment 'Tis strange what effect sudden sud-den happiness has upon us mortals. It goes to show that all is mental after all. She was a new being as she frantically fran-tically called Tom in her bewilderment. bewilder-ment. Pie came bounding up the stairs, his eyes sparkling and his face wreathed in a "Happy New Year" smile. "Hurry up and put it on and let's see how you look. We are going to the theater and then to the Crystal restaurant where we shall dine and dance. You are to be the Cinderella of the evening and 1 the happy Prince. Won't that be glorious, dear?" As the situation began to diawD upon her consciousness, she opened her hazel eyes and her pretty rosebud mouth both at once; but the words would not come they simply refused, so she began to tear off the old clothing cloth-ing and get Into the new. She had just finished when they were startled by the loud rinsing of the door hell. Laurel rushed down to answer It, with Tom close at her heels grinning from ear to ear, for he knew very well what it was. "Why Tom, how did you ever think of all this?" she asked. For there were the sweet peas fresh from the florist. "Now I truly do feel like a real Cinderella." Cin-derella." as she lovingly pressed the flowers against her soft cheek. x "But Tom. I am afraid it is onlj a drenni, and that 1 shall awake and P.nri myself in the ash heap of despair, waiting for your return." W'th a shudder Ehe buried her bend upon his slmnlder. It was far from a dream, for the next moment the shrill horn of a taxi was calling thern from without Thus, arm in aim, they set forth for their New Y'ear s celebration together. ((c), 1927. Woetern Newspaper Daloa |