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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1919-12-18, Page 2Her Ofift==and His Here is a brilliant and unique Christmas Story from the pen of the late 0. Henry, now recognized as one of the world's greatest story.te'11ere, it Is a charming tele, full of character, sentiment—and surprises! One dollar and ninety-four cents.! stance alone, and not by meretricious That was all. Aud set'outy lour cents; ornamentation, as all good things of it was in coppers saved one andishould do. two at time by bulldozing the grocer; It was even worthy of the watch. and the vegetable pian and the but-' As soon as she saw it she knew that' cher, until one's cheeks burned with; it must be Jim's. It was like hint. the silent imputation of parsimony: Quietness and value—the description that •such close dealing implied. Three I applied to both. Eighteen dollars Delhi, looked long and anxiously in times Della counted it, One dollar and; they took from her for it, and she hut- the mirror, - o next day • tied home with the two dollare, With ninety -tour cents. And th would be Christmas. I that slain on his watch Jim might There was clearly nothing left to do! properly be anxious about the time in I• r Jim drew a package from his aver - but to flop down on site shabby little any company. Grand as the brat. t rat pocket and threw it on the table• couch and howl. So Della did it.I was, he sometimes looked at it on thel "Don't snake any mistake, Dell,' he Which indicates the moral reflection! sly, on account of the old leather said, "about me. I don't think there's that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, I strap that he used in place of a chain.; anything in the way of a haircut or a sobs, and smiles, with sniffles pre -I When Della reached home her in-� shave or a enampoo that could snake dominating. toxieation gave way a little to pre- me like my girl any less, But ,if you'll While the mistress of the hone is I dence and reason. She got out her unwrap that package, you may see gradually subsidizing from the first i curling !roue and lighted the gas, and why you had tete going awhile at flet." stage to the second, take a look at, went to wart: repairing the ravages White fingers and nimble tore at the the home, A furnished flat at $7.50' made by geaernsity added to love. string and paper. And then an ecsta• per week. le did not exactly beggar, Which is :Always a tremendous task, tic scream of joy, - and then, alas! a description, but it certainly had that • dear friends—a mammoth task. quick feminine' change to hysterical word on the look -out for the mendi-} Within forty minutes her Stead was tears and wails, neeesitating the im- cancy squad. , covered with tiny, close -lying curls, mediate employment of all the com- In the vestibule below was a letter -I Which made her look wonderfully like forting powers of tee lord of the flat. box, into which no letter would go,1 a truant echanlboy. She looked at her " For there lay the combs—the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped in a downtown window. and an electric button, from which not reflection in the mirror, loi:g, care - mortal finger could coax a ring. Also fully, and critically. appertaining thereunto was a card "If Jim doesn t kill me," she said to Beautiful coml•s, pure tortoiseshell, bearing the name of "Mr. Seines Dil-: herself, "before he takes a second with jewelled elms, just the shade to lingham Young." look at nee, hell say I look like a wear in the beautiful vanished hair. The "Dillingham" had been filing Coney Island chorus -gird. But what They were expensive combs, she knew, to the breeze during a former period could I do? Oh, what could I do with! and her heart had simply.,c•raved and of prosperity, when its possessor was one dollar and ninety-four cents?" yearned over them without the least being paid thirty dollars per weer:. At seven o'clock the coffee was made hope of possession, And now they Now, when the income was shrunk to and the frying pan was on the hack were hers; but the tresses that should twenty dollars, the letters of "Dilling- ham" looked blurred, as though they ,.• ,.,,. atea were thinking seriously of contracting I �t I ` `! r rc We an - to a modest and unassuming "D." But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim," and greatly hugged by Mrs. Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good. Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder -rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a grey cat walking a grey fence in a grey hack yard. To-morrowwould be Christtnas fy only one dollar and ninety f>urana rcente s aJAyj a� S 3`�b�t'�!�✓ l& jilt, tfL,.. with which to buy Jim a pre nt. She l, .SJ had been •saving every cent ,he could ji !vi'y !stir? 11 t4.1 , �9 � 4.., ,„� 'fr-1 for months, with this result. Tw ent'Y !� `�"` • g1'.•+��;�t iiijj / +5� /;, 1,., !l•:r,., ,3� i7't ',.,s. .. �t', .>`I.'. ti-)1, dollars a week doesn't o far. Ex- c., . < ,e >f, .. / r. ) its. •.;. .•r, .: t g s e t i 144 �• w� / � ,� I eases had been greater than she hal �iti % {'c R fJir 2j?�ar, .�?<, f �a ; calculated; they always are. Only one / �/�i{y't{����'f.��r `"rr�"•t`�"`'s.•'� "w <•�'� dollar and ninety-four rents to buy c�1 a present for Jim! Hee Jim! Many a happy hour she had spent "Dell," he said, ''I seta my watch to buy Lh•_• ea, u:, foe you!" planning for something nice far him, — _.... ..... _. _ _ .. __._ ..... — ... __..._...... ._ something fine and rare and sterling, of the stove, hot and ready to cook the! have adorned the reveled ornament.; something just a little bit near to be- chaps. were gone. ,Ing worthy the honor of being owned Jim was never late. Della dolibl d But she hugged them to lere iso .c n,' by nil. a the fob -chain in her hand and eat on .id at length she u as able te look up• There was a pier -glass between the the corner of the table near tate L 1' windows of the room. Perhaps youl '1 h the c.im cyry 14:.1 a a l P that hoill c ey; entered. Thai i 1 ,y; •t leave seen a pier -glass in a $7.50 flat? heard hi • .step en the stair, away 10110 "3IV haie arewe':,t,4,:,t 01 1rd A very thin and very agile person may, en the first flight, and .he turned then Deli« ....1'- up nee 3 11...0 ,: 1,_::.I by observing his reflection in a rapid white ler Just 3 ut. ,cent. She had n I cat 031 cried, Oh, eh!" • sequence of longitudinal strip=, obtain habit 0f eaeine leele si:eat prayers + Jim Lad Jae yet ecsu hie ' medial, a fairly accurate • couceptleci of his about the oim,9 ei'; l.ty tai,'_..,' p;K..,c• t. `ac, held '. hit i looks. Della, being slender, had nils. and new tele h! _ .. ca ee 'tree h: open ',nein,. The deli,' tared the art. ' Pie t e H t ; ..arse hie: t!: r t0'!1 t s , h •i a e. Suddenly she whirled :from the r; i3 n ' rt C, t . r. r 1. ht a.. ! ..1 _4x1 dew and stood before he glees. Her ale' sail r• i' . 1 eyes were sinning brinier hut her T hc. t 1; t, elle Jen etyma, i 1 I 11 1 i t' i o,` r t] i l.c t •i ,m. c 3 t d far hadlest its color w:th c ,� e s s n , seconds. Rapidly she pnlie 1 1 11 her very 1 a s. i t Lo l l • n v a; ever the e 1 r n t o .ave' hair, and let it fall to its fall length, only twenty-two—and to lie beet elle 1 t to tool + th • time hundred a tiv u Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was' Jim's gold watch, that had been his father's and hisp I grand- goal'!. Hie eyes were fired upon Della, "Dell said i !=t's put our Chtht father's; tae other was Della's hair. and then: WKS an expression in them ryas presents alt tY • and keep thereHad the Queen of Sheba hived in the that the could not read, and it terri-j •ttrhite. They'tu t ai mica to use,iu.,t at flat across the airehaft, Della would fled her. It 'was not anger, nor sir presen' I teed the watch to get the; have let her hair hang out of the win- price, norclt.:approval, nor horror, nor'' men. to Lu; your conn;. And now; dow some day to dry, just to depreci- any of the sentiments that She had •uppa e you pot the chaos en!" i ate her •Majesty's jewels and gifts. been prepared for, He ,imply stercd i The Magi, 144 you know, Weis t; iso' Had King 'Solomon been the janitor, at her fixedly with that peculiar a+-, with all his treasures piled up in the premien on his face. men—wonderfully wise men— who, basement, Jim would have pulled out Della o rigglcd offthe table and brought fes to file Babe in the' has watch everytime hemanger. They inventrtl the art of giv-' passed, just went for him. �, ing Christmas presents, Being wise,• to see him pluck at his beard from Jim darling," sloe cried, tan t I envy. look at me that way. I had my hair i• their gifts were no doubt lake nnes,i So now De11a's beautiful hair fell cut cfl and sold it, because I couldn't 1 possibly ineease f. tdu duplication, lege nfAnil about her, rippling and shining like have lived through Christmas without; here I have lamely rotated to you blot a cascade -of brown waters, It reach- giving you e present. It'11 grow again. I uneventful chronicle of two foolish ed below her knees and made itself You won't mind, will you 7 I ,just had almost a garment for her. And then to do it; m- hair grows etwfully 1a t,1 children in a flat who most unwisely; she did it up• again nervously and Say 'Mein" Obeisintas,' 'non, and let st I ,reasu en for each other the great.est' uickly-. Once she faltered for a min- be happy! You don't kno'c what a reasures of their house. q I But, in 11 last 'word to the wise of' uto axd.,etood still, while a tear or two nice --what a beautif el, rice gift I've' those clays let it ire said of all orho' splashed on the worn, red carpet. got for you!" On went her old brown jacket; on "You've cut off your hair?" asked' went her old brown hat. With a whirl Jim laboriouely, as cif he bad not ar-I s„,,,,,,,,�,,,,,,,,,,ae.,.. of skirts, and with the brilliant sparkle rived at that patent fact yet, even still in her eyes, she fluttered out of after the hardest mental labor, the door and down the stairs to the "Cut it off and sold it," said Della.' street. "Don't you 14110 ine just as well, any Where she' stopped the sign read; how? I'm me without my hair, aren't "Mme. • Sofronie. Hair Goods of All T?" Kilda:' One flight up Della ran, and Jim looked about the roam curious-, collected herself,, panting. Madame, le. large, too white, chilly, hardly looked "You say your hair is gone?" he: the "Sofronie," said, with an air almost of idiocy, "Wild you buy my hair?" asked "You needn't look for it," said Della,' Della. "It's eold, 1 tell you—sold and gone,' "1 buy hair," said Madame, "Take too! It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be ger hat off, and let's heave a sight at good to me, for it went for you. May-! the looks of itl" be the hairs of my head were number - Down rippled the brown cascade, ed," site went on, with a sudden seri-' "Twenty dollars!" said Madame Ona sweetness, "hot nehody could ever lifting the mass with a praotioed count my love for you. Shall I put hand. the chops on, Jim?" "Give it to me quick!" said Pella. ' Out of his trance Jim seomed quick-; Oh, and the next twee hours tripped ly to wake. Ile unfolded Drilla. For' by on rosy wings! Forget the hashed ton seconds let us regard with dia-' metaphor. She was ransacking the crest; scrutiny some ineonsequential stores for Jim's present, object in the other direction. She fouled- it at last. It surely had Seven dollars a week of n million a been- rnade for Jim and no one else. year --what is the difference? Al There was • no outer •Iiks it 'in any of mathematician or a ,fit would give, the stOras, anti. she hod turned all of. you the wrong answer. The Magi them inside out: It was a platinum brought wonderful gifts, buttthat was £oh -chain, simple and elieste.ht desitio, not: auntie them, This dark assertion properly praclainihig its value by stab -will be. 1'. tc,urnted later en. i with a ;amily! Ile ncecled a new user-' slay'11`70%• (,nc 177'2 s:;ur e';tetl! I coatWild he was without gloves. want to - he it loon., on it•" Jim stepped iu:,idie the door, as im-' Instc dd- of t.beyinco, .lira tun•:.led! i down on tht rr r t and , his ands; movable as a setter at stent of a' d f 1' 1 1 '1 i 1 Pot t at 36 cents per bushel es 9'13E cost hetes of Mr. Jos, 1 Loughlin's potatoes, Dundas Co., totalled $80.50 per aero, in- cluding $18,00 for fertilisers. Fertilised Potatoes yielded 285 bus, per acre, enferti]tsed Potatoes yielded 80 bus. per acre. At his rate of gain, what would YOUR potatoes have yielded? Did you use Fertilize/'s 1 He Did Write for our Tree potato Bulletin Soil and Crop Improvement 'Bureau 01 the Canadian rertlllser Assn, 1111 Temple B!dg,, Toronto, Ont, Colt give gifts, these 'two were the w'laost. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they ere 'wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the Magi. Christmas, 1919, Again, the days bring Christmas Day, The day of the Moly Story! And songs of gleg are in the air, And merry belts peal everywhere For the Holy Child Who came to earth And chose a stable for 1 -Ole birth And stripped Himself 'of His glory. "Peace on earth, gaud -will to men:" We hear the angels singing. And our hearts rebound to th,' glad. some sound, And we set the bells a -ringing! Eager, we welcome thoughts of peace, Banish our long -worn sadness: Glad that the battle's uoiso' is CUM, Glad for the thought of gladness! Anxious to spread some joy coil mirth Where hearts were fall of sorrow; Clear, from the star of the Baby King, Rays of the brigiitnesn borina% Cast away care, ye sous of man! Set aside gloom and sinning; Into the stable, with the sheep. Coote, with the shepherds' winning. Ease from the pain of yesterday Strength for a brave to -morrow; Purest joy for the King's hirthday, And a heart':[ surcease from sorrow. "Peace un earth, good -will to omen!" Still, I hear them singing! "Peace on earth," 'tis come at testi "Coon -will to men" ca their wings brush peel; And hearts have foundd4the Christmas joy While the Christine;: bell:; are ring - Mg! Watching the Falling Snow. Fall, Magic snow, in great white Rakes, and still; Mantle old Mother .hearth in radiant white; Cover the sweeping Iiliu - (l:. valleys 1111, Crown all the hill -tops with a hazy light, This winter's night. Fall, kindly warde, in great heart- wui-.e 1 sp ,s full; Mantle the aching hearte lett they in- crease; C.'uvcr 4ic wotaitlea uottla, t'tr friend. • le - cail ('l'at'h all tit t, s(lea; Pft;1 ti sateen, of peace. Ere kind words cease. When the children Have lead their fun from the Chrlstutas tree, content it into a Christmas tree for the birds by putting it outside and trimming it with suet, crusts said popcorn. eatoronariteseatanasewarneemzetexereeteeienease 5'/2'% Interest PAYAPLE HALF YEARLY Allowed on money left with ne for from three to ten years. Write for Booklet. The Great West Permanent Loan Company. Toronto Office 20 King St, West 4aeett!i-1kvita +><zo sirs at tFi arr:was ORSE UC oa88u be speedily cured b0 yourself right in your own ratable by treating wit DR. A. Ca DAMEL'S COLIC DROPS 30 drops le n dose• The oldest t•stahti-"hell LTO. RAW FUR DEALERS in Montreal Highest Market Prices Paid. sous file tion eta&ra0teed to Shippers. Sand for Oar Price Liet, 410 01, Paul at: West • fetontreal nighost Prices Paid Tor RAW FURS & GINSENG Write for price lists and shipping tags 28 Years of Reliable Trading reference --t nion Bank of Canacca. N. SILVER 550 St, Pan. St. W„ Montreal, P.9, A Symptom of Colne. Colic is often fatal, but 12 you give your eel/inky horse Dr. A. C. Daulol's Collo Iirops In time. on will save its life and restore 1t to condition. With a bottle of this ramous rt•nieay you can avut4 evading miles away for a i•ettrinery, fur title ,eniedv le easily administered by anyone. Why Olin the rise: of losing a valuable animal? lie prepared—ha,e Pr. A. C. Datilel•s Colic, Drops en hand for an emergency. PRICE $L25 819 Animal Medical Book Free, OR. A. C. DANIELS COMPANY OP CANADA, XXi10ITiiD KNOWLTON - GWEI3EC %' emir -- Avert b. aaR�iLR-^Nat'�t."��rr52"s�,,•le"s'rwtn'-s-"S. S. Christmas Eve in a Sleeper, The young Man who boarded the tourist Bleeping car et I4angdon, Al: belle, on Ciu'is'tnas I?ve was not .in a good humor, It seemed to him to be particularly unpleasant that, on this night of all the, nights in the yeer, he should have to put up with 1111001141'011,4 1.31 surroundingThe negro porter tucked away loin brggege, and he ,et- tled him:pelf 111 ht. Compartment with a feeling' that this was to !,e a Chri',t- tna; Five that he ohc,ul'l not rare to- rentcmber. in the eetion directly across tics Mete •were eeoted the live numbers of a yeung family, Something about theta at 51100 drew Jerry Cartwright's atteet,con, The mother was Liens:int- faced, with a tired look in her ,*yes that suggested the lone,*, arduous day 'of travel. The three sleepy yeatig- stet:, eat huddled to' ether on the oras in front, faring hackv:arcl. But it arcs the look of untroubled peace on the fere of the fattier that intereeled ,Terry most The car, es u'etutl, was overheated, and the utast eat in his shirt sleeves, with his head resting : gaieet the back of the seat. Die eyes were closed, but his lips moved. Rol -s- ing hie head suddenly, he caught Tut y'.. eye.; fixed upon. hint. At once, - - - - a ith amelee of quick, eeeriharraseed ear F?{xgn. neighba, likes, he ,poke: - Awn the i Instead of pricing the next fertilizer %l you buy—investigate first the quality. / For it is quality, not mere bulls, that \ gets results. The time to ask the price /J 'a\ is when you have made sure of quality. 7 We can prove to you—and the proof f/ \ we furnish will be borne 0114 by your / \ own experience later—that Herab- te \ Davies Fertilizer is the best that / 1"\ inoney can buy. ./ Its qualities are the result of knowledge i \- notguessworlc. It contains Nitrogen or / Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid and Potash / W\ The Ammonia,whichictheplantgrower, / ;�i sderivedfrommatcri:;ls which dissolve 1 e / pf'ftin \seaoie oasprogresses er i pThisr results inas tra 1 crop that is not only larger, but better ,,,,in quality—and stronger. l VI Our free booklet, "Fertilizer Results/ �by • Satisfied Users," gives evidence/ that you ought to see. Write for a' ,a copy to -say. / s M y_"i ce. :as ,_,r rT yx sZ•L.'i:. ONTARIO FERTILIZERS Lt0IT(0 :Dept 004 WESTTORlNt0 oar ,:.._.:a„.-.�r:.�.,,,�-.�•�.ray-,r�-�-.�•u,..,,..=._r•,...-„_,.. �.-.M r..,-—,�,�,,r,t.,e.�.�•,�;;r`�"a.�_,a.. —_ .:�..s, A�����- cr^r� rtlTl (r, I nc,Ar4' '�rrirI ;'u,illl lll`i "P,'s ('hris.tnras Eve, you know,” lee said. " Wh;; don't we get together and have a few real, old Christmas enrols?" The int'enuous i'riendliee.s of the young father stirred em answering Owlet in Jerry ('trtw'riuht in spite of Ids intended aloofness. The irritation that hal poo cseed bile a moment be - fere defatted. lie pe -l.e:l himeale on the arm test of ht: sett and a minute later, the: voices of the two mete by no melee unmelodirme, 011011 softly in "It Came Upon the 1'iidnigirt Clear." A couple in the'sectitin a t ad turned and looked tick. emil'n14. Soon the other papeeegere in the oar were at- traett•d, ani gradually .atitcred about the m .'ren it d 1 t of then[ join - rd emire.eedly in the .-iegin A racng thea peeeetteers. Tet t notice:I a thin, earewerneeeitieg w, _ en in black rem .:r rind 41.031 Willi her arm about au tel L. '11y thin. o.a^ i.t .ni-kiitg It ,C.:1,4,11 d T ,rtn•th' nele.hboe rciraby t' the .:010 r• of the rlilleriar. The .,len.-.,.:.' t 1 - 1 0..fe slit :W:_ t icily u , 'alt;'. toile in 1:.r d 'e tie., thil.l.e1 up -iia•eht, 1,... -tidal' 1•ir ,•e„11-: outlied u .+id'r But. neon,,'• nv, Jere:- 0r:inil, ,t of c , rc 1 11,M 001 11]141:-4111.. Nt,i, el iV 5, .7 Pi' -0'':b was (emerally krawn, lee t,• d' 1 hie winning' hurt to make ti •n go. It t.a:.1,410r.1111,4; 11 011 ! terms end vereee lie . i' -:,1 n 1 t 1''er— ih d f 1114 eal aur l _,-hnol t , They eg Them illi Imre. - train- edl- with rntto;rin ;, '1 t,i 1 and a suthden fr.:•ling of 'slim., :hip I.tr one another. At lee:, the time arae fer th....arta to Meek up. The traveleeet ( : •t a Evo was over. ) •t :t0 loel,e.t the better r a`id the 1 r nie, for th,' rt•t im- promptu t net •scrt're r 1 t,. one 1 a friendly word or glaneo for Jrrr!' and for the jolly, magnetee, youne rather, Again Jerry noticed tee we; t in the black dimes, standing v, ith her arm round her frail daur'hter. Ii:. reached forward and took the woman's hand. "I wish you both a happy Christmas and a trill happier Nev Yeee," ,terry said. The woman's wan features become animated, "We have to thank you and your friend for a happier Ohniet- ni€.s Eve_than we expected to sl'end this year, have we not, Mabel?" she replied. t A little later Jerry Cartwright lay stretched in his berth with raised win- dow shade, gazing out on the dim ex- panse of. prairie. In the east Sirius and the stars of Orion -shone out brighter and more clearly than be had ever seen them at home. "Myr" was his tnntttered thought. "I got on this train as ill-natured 105 a bear. A man with a friendly, buoy- ant heart makes me forget it incl help others to bo more cheery and forget their troubles, too; and now --a kitten could play with ore. Why, it's been one of my best Christmas Eves!" P. fit eS tit 7'UrA et:' SING maxima{',xr'�.t, —ate ,The earth has delivered her bounty—provided for her OW1ae Contented, she sleeps the winter months. 'And the men who worked with her, who toiled in her furrows and delivered the harvest --they, too, have earned a rest. Thoughts may turn to hospitality and social evenings. The SAFETY RAZOR 'plays its part in the warmhearted social life of the country and in the snore formal functions of the city. Wherever a particularly clean shave la demanded Gillette service is commissioned. Gillette Service means shaving comfort, Na Stropping—No Honing, the elimination of the unnecessary, the saving of time. $5.00 at dealers everywhere, tfiADE IN ,; a .,--"1. CANADA The Gillette Safety Razor makes a very aeeeptable and serviceably Christmas: gift. You get the fall, pre-war value for every dollar you .spend on it. 509 WH.w.u..,LLv)[..ixc. s.,3..c.aaMr'IY:I,Nd\wM'drwcFtFniMYFeYfro166+ltut.�'wivdMOd eee 60 416. Candle Holsters For Christ- mas Eve. The pleasant custom of decorating house windows with candles•on Christ. leas Eve can be made mu01t easier and safer by adopting the simple de- vice of placing the candles in the com- mon tin pattypans that can be bought at any tieware shop. The 550(1110 will stand frilly in place if It is melted a little and stuck in the pan by Its Own wax. The pans do away with the dam ger of sotth+g fire to the window Metes when the candle Mute so low that floe wick falls over, for they are large enough to catch the wick , 1n Whatever direction it may fall, Draper- ies sluuuld always be drawn back and taction to the wiit;law francs or taken down. 'Jlio newspaper office soelna rather Ia queer place to go shopping for Christmas precepts, hut there are few glttn that 1rlonds miles away from the Old Boole town will enjoy more than tlfty'tw,rr, fence of tlro home paper,