GAY AND THE RED CANDLESTICK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 69, 22 March 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

GAY AND THE RED CANDLESTICK

The ami was fretting in a hil/.e. ol amber glory, which laid gently ranging lingers on the little village in Summerset Valley, through which ran the delightful Fernside Kiver. In the garden of a little house nestling there a little girl was watering her tomato plants, admiring their firm skins and rosy hues. Soon a pleasant voice called, ""tome along, -larling, it's growing dark."

"(Joining, mother," and (lay patted the tomatoes and said good-night as ehe ran in with her empty can. "I suppose you kissed all your tomato children good-night after washing them and combing their hair?" laughed Mrs, JBlossoni.

tray laughingly oaid that mummy said such funny things, and she looked round the familiar room with its well-worn furnishings and at the crackling stove lire. ■ Miv. Blossom's knitting needle' clicked on, and (iav sat in the little red rocking chair mother had toiled to get, last Chrintnuis. Tears and love, mingled with prayers, wore woven in with Mrs". Blossom's knitting, l>ut to the children she. was always jolly, telling them to be good and some day daddy would return from the wai' ajid stay at liome. As t'iay watched the flickering flames and listened to tbe bubbling kettle, her thoughts turned to baby Elaine, asleep in her cot. "'Muni, itKllie'a birthday day after tn-morrow, isn't it?" Gay inquired. •'That's right, dear,"' her mother nodded. "I'm afraid 1 have only a very plain cake to celebrate with."

By JOYCE RAMSDEN

"And will we ha\e .< wee candle, and won't Ml lie. hmk funin trying to blowit out': I'm biugcr than olie i~, and I could blow it on I with one breath."

"We haven't a candle for it, ilear. and since the war they're hard t«» get." .fnst then a tspark jumped out. ami as t!ay put her fool mi it she said. "1 hat's a message, mother, may-lie from daddy, even, nnd it says we shall get a candle." Mrs. Blossom smiled at (JayV, fancy, but she said nothing, but somehow cdie felt cheered at the idea of her husband remembering baby's tir-t birthday. Next day (Jay watered her "tomato children" again, and inspected them carefully for any sign of caterpillar* or such. Mrs. intended picking some soon. they were about ripe. Sandwiches would celebrate wee Maine's birthday, together with the cake and some home-made lemonade. Tomato juice was so good for liabies too, Mrs. Blossom reineinliered. That night (lay added to her prayer- fur inummv and daddy and baby thai she would like "a nice red candle for the birthday cake." Klaine's birthday dawned, and time for the birthday tea drew near, so (Jay ten derlv picked the ripest tomatoes.

"You are to be a special treat you know," she told them, "and you'll love being for Kllir'- birthday.'' nnd she fondled I hem joyously. Sudden] v she

stopped iji olieei delight when *>he had turned over the last one slie had pluckod; there wa.- a piecc growing trom it that was exactly the size and r-hape of the desired candle! No other tomato of those she'd gathered had the slightest thing to )>t'eak their regular formation. Sitting on tlie extreme end of this unusual little tomato "linger" was a. lighted glowworm! Although this wee \isitor put its light out and fell off the tomato with fright at <;a.\'s wild yell of joy. -lie felt her prayer »'a* answered.

Sli<> put the "candle" mi Iho cake, tttld a- she could not lint'. l lie glowworm •Miiil. "Oh. mummy, I'm so happy. All wo luive to do is to -tick a lighted match in it for a wick. We couldn't expect a glowworm to light up and stay in one place just to suit us. His only job Was to show us what to do, wasn't it inot hor