Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1941)

said. No word of Joan or of Dick. Perhaps they didn't want her. Perhaps it was only Barbara, with her more mature understanding, who sensed her mother's loneliness and wanted to ease it. But when she reached their apartment on Christmas day, they were all there. Dick and Joan and Michael. And Cyril was there too. That was the incredible thing — that Cyril should be there as though this were an ordinary Christmas, as though they had spent every Christmas with the children and would continue to spend them together world without end. Well, if he could pretend that that was the way it was, so could Nora — for a few hours at least. And she would enjoy those hours — there would be no pretense about that. No matter what the past had held, no matter what the future might bring she was with the children she loved and nothing could spoil that joy. IT was Cyril who brought up the past. They had finished dinner, a delicious, beautifully managed dinner in spite of the fact that it was Barbara's first attempt at a meal of such proportions, and were sipping the fine old brandy which was C" ril's own contribution to the meal when he rose to his feet and asked permission to speak. Nora tensed with alarm, then quickly stifled it. The day had been so pleasant; surely Cyril wouldn't do or say anything to spoil things now. As if he had been reading her mind he smiled at her half in assurance, half in pleading, then speaking to the entire group gathered around the table he said, "I can't tell you how much it has meant to me, having all of you around me again, as a family, as you used to be on Christmas Day. We had many Christmases like this when you children were little and I know how happy you were then, as your mother and I were." He paused, then went on as though he was finding speech difficult. "I know too that the past few Christmases, the past few years, instead of being happy have been sad ones for all of you — for your mother especially — and I want you all to know," his eyes traveled slowly around the table, "that I realize now that all the sadness of the past was my fault." Nora felt a quick sting of tears against her eyelids. She knew what it must be costing him to make this admission and she couldn't keep down a sharp feeling of compassion for him. "I made a mistake," he went on, "in asking your mother for a divorce. I'm sorry for that now and you can be sure, all of you, that in the future I'm going to do everything in my power to make up for that mistake." He smiled a little wryly. "I tried to make up for it by asking her to marry me again, but she refused — and I can understand very well why she might feel that marrying me again, after all that had happened, was impossible." For a moment, then, their eyes met and in that moment Nora knew many things. That he was genuinely, as he had said, sorry for the past; that he was sincere in his intention to try to make up for it. She knew too that he had never told the children the real reason for her refusal to marry him and that he was relying on her never to tell them, and her answering glance promised that she would keep silent forever. When he spoke again, after the silent message their eyes had exchanged, he was more confident, more at ease. SEPTEMBER. 1941 KEPT LOVELY WITH CUTEX OILY CUTICLE REMOVER Used by more women than all other Cuticle Removers combined NEGLECTED — cuticle dried-out, split, ragged! Makes the loveliest hands unattractive. ^5 GLAMOROUS— soft, perfectly groomed cuticle — cared for the luxury way, with Cutex Oily Cuticle Remover. IT'S so easy to have cuticle with that smooth, soft, molded look you admire in others! In just a few minutes, Cutex Oily Cuticle Remover does its amazing job. Then all you do is push your cuticle back — and dried-out, unsightly cuticle rolls away! See the difference in your cuticle. Get Cutex Oily Cuticle Remover today ...it contains no acid! Every Saturday is "Manicure Day." Be sure to look for the special display of Cutex accessories on your favorite cosmetic counter — Cutex Cuticle Remover, Cuticle Oil, Brittle Nail Cream, Orangewood Sticks and Emery Boards. Northam Warren, New York SATURDAY IS "MANICURE DAY //