"BEAUTY AND THE. BEAST"

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 126, 23 November 1935, Page 24

"BEAUTY AND THE. BEAST"

(Original.) . It was in the springtime that Mr. and Mrs. Grenville decided to give a fancy dress ball, tfhey occupied a large house standing in its' own grounds, and as its owners were very popular, the invitations to the ball were eagerly accepted by th« young people who lived in the township. The ball was to be for children, and on the night several- of the great rooms, including the hall of the great house, were lighted with Japanese lanterns. There were paper streamers and other colourful decorations. At about 8 o'clock the: guests began to arrive. There were sailors, pierettes, 80-Peeps, Harlequins, and Columbines, a soldier, Japanese ladies, Father Christmas, gipsies, rabbits, and Beauty and the Beast, besides many others, who came streaming in at intervals. After a time the children trooped into the dining-room, where tea was served. Beauty and the Beast (who was a large buldog) had been surrounded by admirers from the moment they arrived, and at the table there was some squabbling as to who should sit by them. At last all were settled in their places, the Beast having cake and other tit-bits given to him. After tea came the grand parade, when the costumes were to be judged. Two by two they filed into the hall, passed Mrs. Grenville, who was the judge, and into the drawing-room. All the brightly-clad children having paraded past, the winners were pronounced to be Beauty and ' the Beast, the prize being a tennis racket. Beauty went to receive her prize amidst hearty cheers from the assembled children. Just as Beauty was going up to receive the prize somebody knocked againft her, and off came the hat' and wig which belonged to the costume. To everybody's surprise a close-cropped boyish head was revealed! The boy was Peter Gilmour, who had dressed up as a girl for a joke. However, he was able to have the prize, and everybody, especially Beauty, said it was the best party they had ever been to, and Mr. and Mrs. Grenville were quite sorry to see them depart. "TRAVELLERS' JOY" (12). Murehison. ' |