Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-12-09

SEX SS::sSSSss
''Will you plesse tel me something nice
and inexpensive to make for Christmas
present to q young gentleman Of twenty
years." This earnest appeal, received the
other day from q seventeen year-old miss,
suggests the difficulties that everywhere
attend the solution Of the problem, "What
shall I make or buy for Christmas?" Wo-
mans journals and fashion magazines are
full Of aids TO success in the task, and one
has need only to attempt to put them in
practice to learn that the age of miracles
and Of sentiment is past.
Inventive geniu:e', unknown to fame,
who sigu themselves Martha" Fanny"
"Aunt Nancy" give directions for making
something out of nothing that cause the
miracle CT the loayes and fishes to be ut
terly lost in the shade. They all assume
]the ability to paint and do fine nee le-
work, and the possession Of forgotten
treasures in the way of silk, satins and
plushes, and they all operate on the gene;-
ally accepted theory that woman's tim e
and labor have no value. A dollar or two,
then, invested in trihes, produces hand
some tokens of esteem for each of ones
dear 500 friends and for ones last country
cor "a, too, if ones heart, with an eye to
next summers vacation, thrOb 30 far with
generosity.
But alas! for the uuskilled giftmaker who
could not paint cat tail, ssOrkOr q snow
rooted barn to save her soul, whose fingers
are awkward with a needle, whose eye for
colors wss born blind, whose small store of
silks ard satins are worn thTeadbaIe and
then cut over for the baby, snd whose time
and strength refuse to be doubled even for
Christmas! For her and for everybody
with limited purse and no magic wand,
the common expectation o! Cac!stm4s
gifts breeds something ike frerzv.
Poets may sing tina. back Of the gift is
the heart of the giyer," but as matter Of
fact practical loving ores a;e great deal
more likely to lcOk back of the gift for TIE
price marx and gauge their satisfaction in
in it according to the figure found there.
The giving of necessary articles of what
ever value, brings certain degree Of dis
appointments, slTCs these would come in
the natural course OF events and the re-
ceiyer of such feels that Christmas has
made him really nothing ahead. Never is
POOR man half so poor as during the hol-
iday season, because never are his wants
50 many and so obstinate. The blessing of
giving Is most delightful, but in these days
of great expectations, it comes high.
When Mrs. Smith hints that tie only
thing that she has the least taste for is
seal skin; when Amanda confeSses on all
possible occasions to positive yearnirg
for diamonds; when little Mary doesn't
care for one doll with veal hair and eyes
what open and legs what bend" but for a
large family of such wonderful bsiugs;
when Johnnie iLtjmatss that only with 8
live pony in addition to the bicycle We had
intended giving him will his modest young
soul attain happiness, cur hearts turn hope
lessly from this greed for gain and the in
responsiveness OF beiVg an angel sppeals to
Us as never before. What 8 relief to be fly
ing around with no thought to the stock
ings that Will yaWn before the fireplace
two weeks hence, and what q grand i'm
provement on mortal methods to tune our
harps and sing our Christmas gifts to
eyerybOdy-"Peaoe on earth, good will to
, men" that has not cost as cent Verify
life among the heavenly hosts has its ad-
vantsgss-who shall gainsay it?
Looking in the show window of a gec-
tleman's furnishing goods establishment
the other day, my eyes were met with q
bssutitul display OF glrters for feminine
for feminine-er-well that is to say for
ladies of course. They certainly did look
somewhat cut of place in that window,
but they Weie admired by man and
woman alike. They were composed of
different shades Of satin very prettily en-
broidered and the gold buckle on most Of
them bore this legend nicely inlaid with
enamel, HON. soft qui NAL penSe" Now,
think that is 8 very appropriate inscIip-
ton for garter buckle, especially as it
has become quite the fashion for a Young
man to present his sweetheart with pair
for Christmas gift, and of course il will
be generally admitted that the young map,
as soon as she sends the present.
throws away his imagination and
never attempts to picture how pretty those
two dainty little articles will look where
they belong.
Speaking of this interesting subject re-
calls the little story of the oriSinstion of
the above mentioned quotation in its re.
lstion to garters. In the eleventh century,
I believe 1t was, when the manners of the
people were not as refined as they are now,
court ball was in progress and the King,
lords and ladies were going through a
dance similar to our V rginia reel. As tie
KING and lady of the court were bslsue.
ing from opposite ends, one of the Iady's
carriers dropped of to the floor. Of course
1t was seen by the other dancers, and in
their rude way they commenced to "rjg',
the owner Of the garter numerically. At
this moment the King, dropping on one
knes, picked up the garter with the re-
mark, "Hoai soft qs6 NAL y pense, - and
either handed it to tne lady or replaced 1t
where it belonged, I forget which, thus