Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-13
TRIALS Or A YOUNG MAN.
He LabOrs Over the Problem OF Christ
msss Presents-His Experience with
Shop Girls-A Curious Idea.

Shop Girls-A Curious Idea.
The young man was wandering aimlessly up
and down tine store floor, and gazing in hope
less sort Of way at the counters loaded down
with all kinds of useful and useless Christmas
presents Despair seemed to have marked him
for her own, and even the brightness and glad
ness which somehow the tabpy Christmas time
imparts to the very articles exposed for sale,
seemed to receive chill from his presence 1t
was evident that he was thoroughly saturated
with melancholy.
This, ! think, would be very pretty" a lady
clerk was saying as THE STAR man. who recog-
nized an acQua ntaEce, approached IF it is
for lady it is Just the thing, think so suita-
bile. aud she held up the article to the best adj
vantage and threw her head on one side. and
seemed to be absorbed in admiration.
The young man gaZed at her in daZed sort
OF way, and muttrring indistinctly, perhaps
1t amt tor lady," walked on. and nearly walked
over the The STAR man. The shock seemed to
restore him to consciousness. and he was able
to recognize frIends. Leading him gently to
the door. in the hopes that the fresh air might
fully restore him. The STAR man asked him
what in the world was the matter. and why he
walked abroad to take his daily nap.
- wish it had been nap" SAID the young
man with forlOrn expression. But ] was
feeling pretty well and strong. and thought that
| would go out ard look for some Christmas
presents. OF course. l didn't know what
wanted. 1 never do For this reason it is
necessary tor me to be in vigorous health to
stand the strain. ] have been training in the
gymnasium tor the past month just for this
event. But | see that | over-cstimated MY
strength. am going back and take week
more of trapeZe and horizontal bar work. as
! that always steades your head. You see the
trouble is. your head is liable to swim around
don't know whether it is the smell of all those
new things or the questions and observations OF
the shop girl-some of them are mighty pretty,
by the Way-hut at any rate buying Christmas
presents makes my head SWIM
WHAT THE SHOP GIRLS SAY.
what do the girls say to yOu?" asked the lis
tener. his suspicious aroused.
"WeIl. they generally say" responded the
young man, g is it for young lady In fact,
they always say that. Now. that is an embar-
RAISING question. | generally tell them that
it's for friend. But that is apt to be mislead-
ing. as friend may be either male or female
There ought to be some kind of Christmas
present invented that is good for either sex,
and then the shop Girls association could
adopt a rule prohibiting these kind of
questions. They are embarrassing, that is a
fact" concluded the young man in rather
medltative tone of voice.
''Do you divide your friends into the two
classes, denoted by their SEX" questioned the
listener.
No not exactly" was the response "There's
your best girl. and then there's your mere
friend and your casual acquaintance. Then comes
your parents. your relations and the boys. You
have got to get Christmas presents for all of
them. and the variety is enough to make your
head swim all by itself. Then. besides. after
yon have laid awake nights planning what YOU
are going to get for this one and that one and
run your legs off getting them. you discover that
they are not the things they wanted at all. II
they would only send them back to you. that
might be some consolation. but to think of
them cOntrivlng and schpming to find some
place to hide your old present away in, makes
you feel sore all over"
There ought to be a REFORM" concluded the
young man sternly. mistakes OF this kind
ought not to be made. but every one ought to
have the very things that thev have been want
the pleasure of giving them. l know how it
could be done"
THE SCHEME UNF0LDED
"Supnose," he continued, there should be
established in convenient localities kind of a
clearing house for Christmas presents. At these
places large book could be kept where people
could enter their names and the things they
wanted most. After certain date have the
books closed. Then the books would be availa-
BILE for public inspection. Suppose l want to
give Brown present; see YOU laugh, said
the young man pauSing in the middle of his
narrative We'll. to satisfy your critical soul
| will say Miss Brown. You 90 to this place
and look at the index OF the book until YOU find
the name; you then turn to the proper page and
under the name Brown you find a list of things
she wants. You make your selection. as your
taste, purse or other circumstances would sug-
gest and then make mark to indicate that
some one has decided to make that present
The next person that comes along Will make a
selection. and until the entire list is taken
In that way, you see. Miss Brown will get the
things she wants. her friends will have the sat
isfaction OF knowing that their presents are ap-
precated and every body will be happy"
"But you NUT excuse me. Here Is the
gymnasium. and will have to leave YOU" and
with these words the Young man lightly
bounded up the steps and disappeared through
the doorway.