GOOD NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

GOOD NIGHT STORIES.

Of course little Yam should have known better than to have gone to sleep early on such a night. Above all, she! should not have chosen the place to-sleep in that she did. It was siUy all the way round as you shall see. Mij, Flor, Hanid, Knarf and Yam— the shadow-children with the turnedabout names—were in the parlour on this particular evening. They looked around them in surprise, tor the "walls were hung with streamers, coloured ribbons and banners, and in place of the usual lights were Japanese lanterns. On the tables were horns, clackers, poppers and other things for making noise. "There's going to be a party," Hanid ■announced. The others nodded wisely. "Yes, there's going to be a party," they agreed. And they felt very happy about it, for they liked parties —all except little Yam, 'who yawned sleepily. "Oh, dear, I'm ,so tired. I'm going to sleep. I can't keep my eyes open." She was quite a young shadow-girl and not at all used to staying up late even for parties. Drawing herself together until she was no bigger than a thumb, she curled up in the fringe of one of the ribbons and shut her eyes. JNlij, however, drew her out. "You musn't go to sleep yet. It's not polite to sleep at a party." "But I'm sleepy," she protested, rubbing her eyes. "It doesn't matter. Y'ou must stay up. Look, your mistress is up." Sure enough, Yam's little mistress, Hay, was up. She entered the parlour at that moment with all the other little real children and a crowd of grown-ups. They were all laughing and talking. The children instantly found the horns and other noise-makers and filled the parlour with noise. The shadows had to shout into each other's ears to be heard.

All the others clapped their hands. Yam looked about wearily. Where could she find a place to sleep ? Wherever she turned, she found people. She crept upon the piano. Knarf's master, Frank, who didn't know she was there, started to ban", and she sprang down in haste. She crawled into a cup, but someone poured lemonade into it and she was almost drenched. Her own mistress kept following her around (at least it seemed so, althmigh to everyone else it looked just the other way about) and blowing a horn right into her ear. "Please, don't . . . pl-e-ease don't," Yam begged. In vain. Her mistress paid no attention to her whateverThen she climbed to the top of the clock and hid herself behind the hour hand, which was already midway between eleven and twelve. It was a little more peaceful there. Even the tiek-tock, which sounded tremendously loud because she was so near, was jetter than the other noises. To her relief the room suddenly became still as a church. It was the most extraordinary thing. Sbe stuck her head out a little way from behind the minute-hand and gazed down. Amazing! Everyone was sitting stock-still and staring at her! Yes there could be no doubt about it. They were watching her behind the hour hand In dismay she tried to pull herself even closer together. It was impossible. Some little part of her managed to stick out enoucrh to be noticed. Why couldn't they let her alone? She wanted so to sleep- Even their noise was better Mian this staring which frightened her. What was wrong with them? What made them do it? What—.?

"Isn't it fun t" shouted Flor. At this instant the clock suddenly struck. You can't imagine what a fearful clang it made. And the same instant the horns, clackers, poppers and whatnot went off. Poor Yam leaped down from the clock in terror and fled up the fireplace. And everyone >=houted: "It's 12 o'clock! Happy Xew Year! Happy Xew Year!"