Show N L I 1 I 1 1 J q 1115 1 mortons had moved their big round dining P L room table into the living I 1 room by the fireplace just for foi the day 1 the tire fire will be so cheerful for our thanksgiving dinner and then we cau call sit around and listen to the radio suggested corinne the younger daughter mrs airs morton was trying bravely to hide the grief in her heart at the absence for the first time from their holiday table of her sun son tom there was an enforced air of cheerfulness as they all set to work to lay the lie forks and knives end and make the centerpiece of pumpkin and toni ton had disappeared more or less mysteriously from the home town und and the family circle more than six months before and no one n not 0 t even his mother nor his sweetheart rieth ileth arden had heard a line from him the fact that he was a tempera 1 f 4 b Q arranging arranga ng the centerpiece ol of pump kin and chrysanthemums mental lad ind and had been posses possessed bed with alth the belief that tie he was a round peg in a is quilie liole hole had led all those who loved lovci him to anale lip liere 1 e that thai he had merely disappeared of ills own owl volition but imd had not mot with or foul foill play when the big table was fairly groaning under its weight of food and the turkey lay ay brown and tempting on the platter in front of mr air marions Mo BlDr rions toris plade there was not a member of the party who did not want to quote the trite old lines there Is no fireside howsoever eer defended but has one vacant chair but no one said a word about the absent torn tom it Is so nice to be included in your family party today sald said beth as she took her seat we think of anything else with your own family so far away said mrs airs morion Bl orton kindly A general discussion of drum sticks and turkey anatomy followed as each of the children tried to be polite and yet make it known n to father which holcli part lie pre preferred ferreI toni tom always liked the lie part that goes over the fence last piped up tip johnny the youngest morton re gard less of tile the danger of bringing tears to his mothers eyes tie ile did dear said his mother with trembling voice but she smiled feml lod how about a little music while we eat cat son sald said the father after lie he had helped himself to what was left of tile the bird david rat id the family radio enthuse ast was only too eager to tune in something and drag forth from tile the air some of his eav mavorite music ausle nothing like a little good music to jazz up a family party he said turning the dials with masterly hand h at d lie he got a station that advertised advert isM a good dinner program and resumed resu nied his bis seat one piece or of popular fol lowed another with in between between and it was not nol long be fore the morton family faintly had shaken off of its haunting loneliness tor for the absent torn tom and was enjoying the program and the dinner suddenly came a voice from the loudspeaker loud speaker a voice that startled every member ot of the family and beth belh it was undoubtedly tom to in mortons Mo Mor rions tons voice its toral said aid every one listen 1 said mr air morton raising a silencing hand the voice of the wanderer came clearly into the room in the absence of I 1 ND our announcer anDo for this hour who wanted to join his family for thanksgiving v turkey I 1 will make the announcements noun cements for but he doing jiow ilow does he happen to be there asked the incorrigible johnny no one knows more than you yon do johnny said his mother walt wait and see anyone wishing to request special numbers from any of our artists may call Sh MS toms voice sald said after a number of singers had done their hit mr air morion alerton rose quickly and went to the telephone in ID the rear hall the family seated around the dwindling dinner aas as breathless with interest and excitement liy by the she saw on mr mor tons race and nd the trace of tears in his fine eyes the mother knew that was no bad news of her son mr air artio sat down before lie told his story toni tom it seems had become dissat isfried with his slow progress to in the home town and was ashamed to keep on moving from one failure to another and in spite of what he knew was not the right way to do it IL he had left to try some work he had always felt would be in his line mann managing ing a sort of spectacular advertising ver department for a large store ile he bad found a berth in a city nearby and had been very success r if J A 4 11 1 0 listen said mr morton raising a silencing hand fill to in conducting a radio studio for his firm ile he had bad waited to let his family hear bear of him I 1 in n just this way because lie he felt that it would make it a real thanksgiving for every one most of all for him and ties hes on his way here now be here in an hour and a half fin dished she the father and the turkeys tall Is gone lamented johnny never mind my son SOD shall have a wonderful nond vond erful dinner and oh beth you win will help us to try to hold him now wont von I 1 yon ceth beth noddy a little guiltily per haps she had partly to blame for his disappearance but she s would t make ahe up tip for it now absence had taught her that she floied tom 0 mcclure nv newspaper paper syndicate service |