The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-12-24

the giving of presents, even, and
there seems to be especial latitude in
the number and value of the gifts
which young lady may receive from
her gentlemen acquaintance. 1t used
to be considered improper for girl to
accept anything more valuable than
book, or a boquet, or a box of bon
bons. Jewelry was utterly tabooed,
and no girl could have received a gift
of ring or pin or bracelet without
setting herself down as hopelessly
vulgar. This old custom is still in
vogue with great many people, who
use 1T as standard to measure good
breeding by, and are silently amazed
to see that their neighbours daughter
accepts Christmas presents which
probably cost some admirer a months
salary. 1t is mere matter of taste;
but the old custom was good taste
after all.
Nv
When Solomon said that it was not
pleasant to live with "a brawling
woman in wide house," he
showed that he knew
what misery really was. There
is no wide house that is wide
enough for her; and how the clang-
ing voice CRATES on the ears, in the
midst of the beautiful adornings that
go to make a lovely home. But if the
brawling woman is unpleasant in the
wide house, what is she where the
house is narrow, where the ceilings
are low and the floor is bare, where
the food is scarce and the wolf comes
and bowls about the door day after
day? The bowling of the wolf-one
could endure that alone, and could
fight through the difficulties bravely
and patiently. But that brawling
woman-that woman whose strident
voice sets your teeth on edge; "nagso
every bit of sunshine out OF the chill
dren's lives; who sits down by you
when you come home tired and out of
sorts, and tells you that the coal is
out, and that last load of kindling
won't kindle, and the kitchen roof
leaks; and the neighbors have killed
your pet chicken, and Ned is COM
PEELED to have some new shoes-how
can you ever escape from her? If
she would only wait until you
were rested-if she would come
when your head was not aching and
your nerves unstrung! But no! If
she did that, she would not be the
brawlinG woman that can make a
narrow house as sitting as tomb
and as cherries as a desert.
#.#
1t looks rather grim, doesn't it? to
see house with lounges, and easy
chairs, and comfortable rockers, and
to see silken headrests scattered here
and there, painted or embroidered by
loving and artistic fingers, and yet to
know that there is neither rest nor
comfort for anybody in the home.
Nature plays those CHASTITY tricks on
us sometimes. Perhaps it is you,
yourself, who are somewhat to blame.
| Perhaps when you come home you
oring such business cares with you
that not headrest in the world will
do your aching head any good. Per-
haps you let these business cares sit
down to the table with you, and chill
the whole meal, and afterwards they
sit with you before the fire,
making you taciturn and
morose, and in short thew
spoil your entire home life for you;
when it would have been so easy for
you to have locked them up in the
safe and left them there when you
came away from the office. tits quite
enough to work hard all day; but
when one goes on with the work
through the evening hours. and when
he lies down at night and works in his
81 ep, he sacrifices all his life, his
home and his family, and gets from
the sacrifice-what he eats and drinks
and wears! The game is not worth
the candle.
Nv
He was drummer, and he had Just
received letter from his "girl." A
tender smile came upon his face while
he read, and being importuned, he al
lowed some who were present to share
the little love-letter, which ran some
what as follows: "Dear Papa: wish
[ could see you. Babys got a new
tooth. | most now yOule see Sanity
claws while you are gone this time.
If you see him tell him you've got q
little girl that's good all the time,
speshally towards crissmuss, and
she wants big doll with
shore enough hair and that
can shut it's eyes, and toy piano,
and shoes and stockins on the doll,
and bisickle, for me mean, not for
the doll. And put in lots of candy,
papa, and nuts and things and doll
buggy like to forgot.
Your little ANNIE.
And shortly afterwards that drum
mer was taking down a list Of toys,
with the letter spread before him,
and it was evident that he meant to
go out and have an interview with
Santa Claus.
Xxx
Have you noticed what the great
newspapers are doing to make
Cristmas time for rejoicing in every
childish heart? There is the Chicago
Herald, for instance: o paper that has