The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-20
SELECTING THEIR GIFTS
The Quiet Neighborhood All Agog with
a Gentle Christmas Conspiracy.
What Mrs. Brown, Jones, Smith and Robinson
Are Preparing for the Delight of
Their UnsusDecting Husbands.

The quiet neighborhood is preparing for
Christmas. OF course at this blessed time
the neighbors are more neighborly than
ever. and there never was such season of
hurried visits and consultations as has
been gong on among Mrs. Smith, Mrs.
Brown, Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Robinson.
The awful condolences these ladies' have
exchanged In regard to the surprises they
have In store for their liege lords in the way
of gifts would probably bring about an in
surrection if prematurely diyulged. twill
be bad enough when the first crop of bills
comes in with the new year, and the vic
has fallen upon them.
81 shall give Mr.. Smith set of parlor
furniture" said Mrs. Smith. ut will be q
great surprise to him no doubt. but last
August he remarked that the present par
Tor set was getting worn. 1t was given us
by pa when We went to housekeeping, and
when the new set comes 1 will give the
other to ma"
"My parlor set is good enough until next
Christmas" remarked Mrs. Brown. "and s.
have bought the loveliest lace curtains
you ever saw, and that will be my present
to Mr.. Brown"
Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Robinson then COM
municated the secret as to what they had
selected to give their husbands. In both
cases the presents were articles of use
well as ornament, the ladies declaring that
they never allowed the gift-making season
TO turn their heads. and that when they
bought anything for their husbands 1t
would not be any waste OF mOney-that
could never be laid TO their charge what
ever might come.
Messrs. Smith. Brown. Jones and Robin
son were not wholly oblivious of the gem
tie conspiracy that was going on against
them. They distinctly remembered the
Christmas of 1880; that of 1889 still fingered
in their memory. and there waseyen faint
trace of 1885.
But through all the dreadful days imme-
diaJely preceding the calamity They have
borne themselves with resignation that
would have done credit to the hest brand
of early Christian martyrs. When they
have been diverted from opening this or
that closet door, from going into the parlor
or headed Oft from the library, it has been
without protest on their part. and In q
spirit of meekness that only the near APP
proach of the genial season could warrant.
So the days are going on, and the day that
comes but once O year Is getting nearer and
nearer. The ladies are chummier than
overland, at the close of each days shop
ping they get together and make further
plans for the campaign.
sIve secretiveDess of Jones. the logged
taciturnity of Smith, the poetic sadness of
Brown. and the subdued silence of Robin
son have given way TO desperate sort of
cheerfulness. 1t borders on that air of
bravado with which the real tough man
mounts the scatfOld and adjusts the rope
around his own neck. They probably feel
that they are to be hanged on the Christ
mas tree in glory of wax candles; that
there is no escaping fate. and they might
as we'll go with their boots on.
This cowboy complacency. however. is
attended by singular cycle of phenomena.
AS the husbands OF the four ladies enter
their households it is noticed by the chill
dren and the good wives that. coupled
with the wild light in the eyes of the hus-
band, there is a tropical fragrance of un-
usual vOlnme and penetration. Sometimes
it appears to be oranges, at other times
lemons and at still other times cardamon
seeds or cloves.
Henry has been unusually hard at work
for the past two weeks" Mrs. Smith ex-
planned to mother. "and it's not to be won
dered at that he gets up in the morning
with n headache" Whereupon mother
tossed her head in the air in utter disbelief
of the explanation. She has had many
years experience in this vale of tears. and
| as to husbands, she has had one of her own
long enough to know the tricks and man
| ners of the entire sex.
But no wife Quarrels with her husband
| before Christmas. nor afterward until the
major portion OF the OILS nave Deen PAID,
| and so Smith, Brown. Jones and Robinson
taking advantage of the time. have en-.
| larged their bounds They have work
| downtown every evening and attribute
| their unusual application to business to the
holidays. At any other time a mere off.
hand explanation of this character would
not have gone" at all with either one of the
four ladies. but now-it is really
too bad. They are apparently as guile
/ less an infants in arms Even an
inquiry made of Mrs. Brown by Brown
| junior, as to what pa. whom he had heard
| talking with Mr.. Jones. meant by "a jack
| pot" was suffered to go by without refer
ence. Thus. while the wives have cOnfed
Grated together to aid and assist each Other
| In every way toward having happy
! Christmas. delightful footing of tn,
| family. Smith. Brown. Jones and Robin
| son, soon to suffer common woe, drawn
together by the sacred cords of human sym
| patty. are going to have good a time al
| posi- BILE, knowing full we'll that on Christ
mas day. when the trap Is sprung. they will
| all be in 1t.