The floor of the small attic, at the top of the three-storied house at the end oi the village street, was littered with a conglomera- tion of tarnished tinsel, coloured balls of green and red glass. that were somewhat the worse for wear. pm. pm mottoes. a croun 0f Father flii-istmésfl. IOOUHE full" sorry for themselves, a few plies of very faded paper chains. and a host of tiny ornaments that had been ret-rieved. and carefully stor. ed away, afer they lmd served their purpose on the summits of pink and white iced cakes that they bud once adorned:

Th9 le gold sunshine of the early ember afternoon coming wanly through the window seemed :0 be making a brave attempt to touch the smile with some semb- iance of gaiety. But it was not very successful, for all (if the things ivcre defective, and the light 58W- ed only to accentuate their im- oerfections. And they nearly all lacked lustre. And they were 20 years old. ct least.

And besides, however agile one's ‘xnagination might be in conjurinil up visions of past hapoinesses, that the t-hing‘s suggested, there] was, in spite of the glow of radi. nice that lav like a benison on little Mrs. P00k's face, somethipg of poignnnce about it as she moved here and there-about the room, touching with reverent fingers the zawdrv little symbols that now had no quality oi charm about them save -in the gracious klhgdom of "riei- own heart.

Alwiys. as Christmas approached again, Hope. that the disappoint- ments of half-a-dozen previous Christmases had not quite suc- needed in quenching, flamed up

again in the hearti of little Mrs. Pook. It was pathetic, really, this

yearning of hers at Chrlstmnstime for her children who never came. And those who guessed-for Mrs. Pook seldom spoke oi intimate things-thought that perhaps she was unduly sensitive, and permit- led herself rather unnecessary anguish about it. But, even if she had known what other people thought, it was unlikely that Mrs. Pook would have seen it quite like that. Or felt lt. Or, if she had, so sacred a thing was it. she would have kept it commendably secret to herself, shut up securely in her heart, like one keeps the record of one‘s personal and private transactions between the covers of a locked ledger.

So, on this bright and sunny Wednesday afternoon of the first day of December, Mrs. Pook, hav- ing descended from the attic where she had been. as it were, keeping a kind oi spiritual tryst, sat down at the old-fashioned walnut bur. eau in the deep window of her

"write to thousands of children the

cittingJoom and began to write-

give a watch. attractively boxed.

the Gift with Universal Appeal FROM

J. It. Williams wxrcnns

Your gift pa s permanent dividends when you ~ e our array of tho intent styles all

MO

as she had written oh six previous occasions; ever since, in fact her children had left home-to Tom.

at on office in the City, who seem- h

ed likely to do well for himself. and who was already. young as he was, a kind of secretary and per. sonal assistant to a big business man, with political ambitions; to Mabel. a. manicurist in a Mayfair establishment; and to John, the youngest, in an estate office in Birmingham.

For some time she sat quietly. composing her thoughts, as if the composition of her letters were of supreme and serious importance-- as indeed to her they were-and required deep concentration. But the purport of her letters. in the end, had little of difference be- tween them. Each expressed the same fervent hope that they would all endeavour to spend Christmas with her this year. That is was years since they had all come home for Christmas That they were never out of her thoughts. That . . well. the kind of let- ters that thousands 0f mothers

world over at Christmastime. And have done, and will do, till Time is

not. With just a touch of tears, a glimmering through of loneli- ness, bravery . . . heartbreak.

Her three letters finished. Mrs. Pook relapsed again into reverie. She sat smiling slightly, her small pale face framed in her thin, link- ed hands, staring through the win- dow out into the garden beyond. The gold of the wintry sunshine was on the wane now A thin blue misty clc-ik was vcllin! everything “trees. houses, the fields across the valley. with a fairy loveliness. A single star had begun to twinkle. The short stone-paved path no to the door of her house shone as if it had been sprinkled over wtn the dust of grated diamonds, She visioned children coming along ii. home for Christmas. Tom with his blue eyes. his stocky build, the tawny hair wltth the kink in it that he wus so sensitive about. Ma- bel, in a higlncollared fur coat, perhaps, with a. posy of artificial orange-coloured small flowers pin- ned to it, which would be so becom- ing to her dark prettiness; John witlh his cheeky grin. a shapeless cap. a shabby raincoat, and dis- reputable flannels.

By STANLEY STOKES

She realized with a start that her letters had still to be posted. Ever since her childre had gone, her Christmas invitati ns to them had always been dispatched on the first of December, and the posting of them entrumd to no other hands than her own safe reliable ones. .

She rose from the bureau, goth. ered up her letters, and went out into: the hall to fetch a hot and coa .

“I'm going along lo the post office, Hannah, to post my letters," she called through to the kitchen. ‘I expect they'll come this year. don't you?

" aybe they will, Mam, Maybe ill," mumbled the voice of Hannaih, who probably thought otherwise. appeared to be drows- ing over the red fire, and was the

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only person who was admitted» though ever so reticently, to the secret sanctuary of Mrs. Pooks

ear . - But the replies to her invita- tions, when she received them Oll the following Monday morning- all by the same first post as it happened. and rather unusually— were of the same vague nature as they had been in other years. And Mrs, Pook did not know whether it were better for the ease of her heart to face up immediately to ultimate disappointment, or to al- low herself the brief ecstasy of loy that postponement offered.

And she sat. at her breakfast table, a rather pitiful little woman, fingering her gold-rimmed tea cup. toying with the letters, pondering.

Tom's letter had been _fulsome. mther, in a way. apologetic: as ll he knew what he oucht to do. bili- was not quite sure about it.

"Of course, I should love to spend a Christmas at home again. Noth- ing would give me keener pleasure. You know that. don't you? Its

k

Soon the floor years since I have done, isn't it?

ma! yllllnifnow . 9 m0 61'. . . . There's no need to W11 Y0". You're one of the understanding sort. You know as well as I. And I um quite sure you would wish me _ _ _ 53m- all ‘ “lbw in W959 days. situated as I Uri. and with my chance, But "Im- I kllow you would . . . Still there's nothing definite ygt‘ and‘ is??? gkgidu, gikstgesiielitéhllé d”: it. I shall n 1 can." “i”

And so on,

‘And John's letter, ' - - 3mm? ch59 in the office - new Sports model , , test quite

. But there,

trial on Boxing Day . _ ',

boss. . . . B t d '

much, Mater. Yhu 1:23:31 ‘Stem? t,’ Dont want to disappoint, build gizmfalfie £10969. and a1 that , _ _ kmv.” can . ._ . Yvu never

Ihdflrd 5g on.

e t d rk f ili f that hade rxbmiseii “t: lauritroilifé shiver i=0 i’ ¢ Bay splendour of sil- ver stars,

It was Mabelu letter that held Pelhlpd the deepest pang. Not so much because it threatened her 1109c, but because of the undcrly. lng_ note of frank and utter ma- tflflfiiiSfIl,

" would be i l rum t of course. if wes grip 50.51%, 1.232% once. And I know how you would

love it. But still. darling, there l5 at

lust the hance tha e , he's awfutily rich . ping 33y . . . And it's s. gorgeous D1868. really. A dream of a place, To say nothing of the people one might meet there, There's qne gm that I know, simply potty . . . Oh. yes. I know what you're going to ‘say. Bgt you mustn't be too squeiuni l. other times . _ , And nobody in these days . . . not really - . . And I think that he 600,8. lust a. little bit . . . e lsnt-fliic year's model exactly, but. ho his n cu r car and a. town house. . . . e it does make n, n ofka. differencex Still, one ever nows. . . . expect you realize that. darling. So don't be swarmed. after oil. i: I do . It tho last minute." And so little Mrs. Pook sat at her breakfast table. n rather piti- ful little figure, fingering hei- gold. rimmed tmcup, toying with letters, pondering, And for some time she sat there. But recently she lot up. moved ocrou he room to the window. and lat down at her bureau again, Bho was not real-iv surprised when at the end of another week, and in answer w her ‘further appeal w them. there came in the course of s 1W replies» w so um. they w not. quite def tely, be able to come homo that your. And she was not in a way, too hurt about it. Rn- Tlme hul fought her many things. And she wok the rebuffo stoicnlly u she had token . True felt nt

o .

gllf 9"“

ucerrrirroww

Mebeiiiimr m’ o rim w

ugly: ondthcftf; no her a coy w ' . deratand, w m’ m‘ “n

try-mnuaio ‘ah stately homes.’ " no ‘john put it. “flier-ab g0 to be over such o smart and lo 1y omwd of , and I'm sure I bu; a time. O! course, if I _ t be with

in person ‘for -, , ~ - bc with you in spirit all some . . ."

vMlra. Puck's pad mouth worked into a wry and sontit-ivo c . . “in spirit." She wondered, mdblt her guiverln: lip.

An two aye after Mabel’: lef- tcr. Tom's letter arrived. Tom's was in similar strain to his first. and stressed the importance of safeguarding his position. But it did seem to Mrs; Pook almost as i! he felt a little shame- ‘ - almost as if m. aware of his duty towards her, irked at that duty-because it did not quite “fit in" with his scheme of things- and. metaphorically speaking, lie could not look her straight in the a

ce.

After emphasizing. as Mabel had done, only perhaps o, little more pompously. his "very deep regret that it was not possible this year," he went on to point out how very essential it was, he thought for his future prospects, that he should not miss any opportunity, however slight to grasp at anything which might make his present position the more secure. Or, for that mat.- ter. he himself the more to be depended upon.

“Sir Charles." he went on to say, "is spending Christmas in town this year. instead of spend- ing it at his place in Gloucester- shire. as he usually does. And he has intimated. as he has one or turn ‘ ~~ "~-~ H hand

Play “mil

other in the enigma form. They had

m rock-of the minim of cl chmpfi... “or in quite often followed‘ by~thc fall of»; auullclip of paper either on to the tlblo or on to the ground. On thlspgpz;

ften than not there georffzuhd a riddle with both the

result of man's endeavours to make some play u n words. 8T0 always elastc in their meauini and never more so than when they are employed by the ores-fora riddles. The creator of a riddle wants to d0 QWO iihi 5 H6 V8113 topuzzle by a ques n and ‘he wants more often than not J10 question to be answered with the some key word having a different meaning, Thus for example. ask someone, ‘What is the differ- ence between a Communist B-lld 9- neglected poet?"

Assuming the riddle cannot be guessed I give my answer, ' A Coin. munist is ‘red’ before he is Jgid and a neglected poet is read after he is dead." Thus there is pray upon the two words "red” and "read" pronounced the same but having totally different meanings.

0r there is a. slightly different

kind of riddle when there is not so much play u on words as n similarity of act vlty by two per- sons employed upon coinpletfily different kinds of work. So I may ask this riddle. “Why is c music- hall artist like a convict?" And I can ask it safely knowing ‘I shall not be sued for slander. I answer the riddle thus: "Because bot-h o! thenir; have a. lot to do with the 1m 4. .. In this particular riddle there is the word “halls? and B difference of’ activity of two com- pletely different types oi persons connected with a. batkfiflllfid sounding the same.

Dork Sayings

In ancient days the most usual form of riddle was that which was known as an enigma. The enigma set out to do the some as the riddle, that is to confuse. But it set out to confuse for a serious reason and not for the purpose of joking. The ancients coruiidered enlgmaa to be in the nature of dark sayings and kings and lead- ers of armies sent messages to each

H

in effect a kind of mystical politl. cal significance. and important truths which it was thought in- advlsable for all to know were hid-

. . . was littered

at the moment. that it would be‘ oi advantage to him if I could be~ uite near at hand to him over t o holidays. C! course, he made

ter. but I rather think that he would, well, appreciate it if I did."

Actually, what Sir Charles had 551d in hi! Eflnlfll and expansive way was:

“No need for you to hang about in town over Christmas, ,Pook, if you do not want to, The matters

g Christmas at homeyai-id can get back again by the 28th, that's 0. . by me, Don't wont to spoil any riappy family reunions, you

now. John boiled his reply down to I card,

‘Sorry, Mater" it ran, "and all that sort of thing. But it will be quite impossible for me to come, after all. I want to be in that test Pun on Boxing Day, and I'm afraid if I come home, that I chant be able w get back in time. My pal’; people have offered to ut me up for Christmas. Awfully ecent folk. Just like home and yourself, you know. Cheerio."

There was penhaps, with its Inference t0 hi8 pflYs people, 11101-9 of hurt in John's excuse than in mics otéierk twlo; toln reflection, - . oo oug at, it "had the most honest m§°ls3§i

It was five days to Christmas when she heard from John to say that he would after till be coming home. And John did not mince matters. He seldom did. There were few trimmings with him, Something downright and straight forward about John in spite of his selfishnem. card was concise, blunt. to the Joint, and was sub- ject to n our use.

"rlut Boxing cy run in off."

wrote crisply. "BmIlY—°f:|lt'd a 8m “P- "Oi-hing veryserious, but enouzh to kee him in bed over Christmas. Shal be coming home. an gosxgielotolyoull Mater. ristmu o .

Lntlnh, r e t." ' t c day, she

Md. on f ll wing d from olgobol and Tom.

the y 11y

moment. And I about it-rcfllll. I do~o in] you down like shall turmu . Do I hon "Hill-lull! s ut n ~ r? a 0- 0n‘ cii ' 0 i??? ".’.‘i‘e“°'.‘¥ M“ If’ ‘ifilfii o?’ no ‘it there nil-t loiul u» be no

den under the protection c‘ the enigma

of enigma. variety to the more simple

oonundrunLAs urasoanbedla

as covered no collection of riddles was

published in England until the 16th centuryJThis little collection was published in the year 151i, and had u its title the rather pleasing phrase, ‘Demands Joyous."

"It cannot be, sold that the coi- lectiori lived up to its title for the

of riddles are for the most part. dull,

uvy and a. mixture of cynicism and religion. Thus we find one of the riddles deals with an episode lu the life of Chris-t and in no mod- ern sense can it be called the type of riddle to which we are today oc- cuctomed, The question asked was. "What bare the best burden tho-t

to this was "the ass that carries our Lady when she fled with our Lord into Egypt."

The cynical riddle to be found in

this 18th century collecti-h was of the following type and it seems to suggest something of the art o’ "patter" so beloved c.f the music- hnll comedian. Thus someone would be asked the question “Why do men make an oven in a town?” Much thought having produced the wrong answ. era the person interrogated would be told the answer to the riddle. "Because they cannot make a town in on oven."

By the 16th century than the evolution of the riddle had been fairly extensive, Having begun in a serious way. used in the interests oi secrecy. it had now come down to being nothing more than a “leg- oulling" enterprise. No real at- tempt was made for the riddle to have an play upon a particular word or den and it was neither an enigma nor o. conundrum. Any question so long as it was absurd enough passed as a riddle and it did not nutter how ridiculous W8!

the answer. _ Durinl Queen Elizabeth's reign the riddle sounded so f though it would gradually pass out

no bard and fast rule in the mat- '

One of thefmoot ancient riddles was invented by the Sphinx — and answered by Oedipus. '

It is believed that one of most ancient of the riddles one invented by the Sphinx and it was thought for centuries that l-ic was capable of any kind of sophis- try. Thus history tells us that the Sphinx put on h s think! cap and a ed Oedipus the follo riddle

there is as oh question a kind oi licence in which is often not far removed from the construction of the riddle.

"What animal.“ asked the Sphinx, “is that which goes on for-- feet in the morning, on two o! midday, and on three in the av...- ing?" To which Oedi gays tins answer, "Man, because e on all fours as a child. on two feet _. 8 Your!!! min. and with n. stuff in old age."

A much more intricate riddle vine 0M 8119886 to have been naked by a King of Egypt of his mntempor. ary who was reigning over the

of Baby on. History forms us that the riddle was so difficult of solution til-int none gave the iabaliat Aesop was able to solve

it th l l k . 1%.’ adfiifif-i 55.13%"... ‘it. form of e. definition and ho who

attempted an answer had to any iron thus‘ "Ilhcre is - Brent t

suworted by a slnlfi: with? column is surruonded by ll towns, oooh of these has 30 buttresses, md beside each buttress are two won-i. enfi one white and the other block,

w o measure lto What is this temple?" worked out hi; in this form to

Ionian king. o wmpio-ig m;

and it is interesting to observe than

what the symbolism really win, 1t _

oirmnnfcnoce.

Ind tho Ruby

world. the column the yo; , 1h i: W"! fill NOB-ill. tho I lhittreescco

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