New-York tribune., 1891-12-25
OH, YES, IT'S VERY EASY.
HOW A MAN BUYS CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
FIRsr HE MAKES UP HIS MIND WHAT HE WANTS

The Gentleman OF Leisure woke mp the other mora
Ing and his eyes sought the window, ana nc Sd" ~,
dark wintry day without the idea came 10 mh W''''
tho force OF n convincing campaign arsnmen. UNI
Christmas was approaching. lie Ind rather iosO ss
of the fact that though Christmas comes but once
year. II inevitably does come-and generally wheh yo"
are least expecting or wanting it-nnd had put Tue
idea aside when IL lad presented itscif to h' HIM.
But now IL was here and must be met.
His circle OF friends had been enlarged In the year
by the entrance OF Young woman whom he haa
met that summer and who. after what had seemed
An jnterminabIe time, had said in answer 10 cerh
breathess question he had put to her. that she thous
she did and guessed she would all OF when tnough
somewhat vague to an outsider was eminenty SAT
isfactory TO him and everything was all nsh'' ann
n large diamond ring was the result. .
About his other friends there would be itue ronoe;
The annual scarf pins and meerschauHs for the men
and flowers for the women WAS his idea OF an easy
solution OF the problem but for that young woman
there must be something odd, something new' orisF
nal out-ofthe way and altogether different rom inc
usual run Of presents. The stores, ne KNEW "e'o
full of pretty things. but they were Just what ouy
one else would buy, and nothing commonplace mus.
be given to her. Thereupon the gentleman Oh
leisure made I'D bis mind and proceeded TO act upon
his resolution. lie made his usual diehlheu eoneV
and sailed forth to get his breakfast. Wh"e
the waiter was filing his order he ran MS c,e'
over the newspapers, but did not take In mucn vi 1
Contents His mind running on that present anu
upon the work before him. for he had decided tat INC
only way In which to find thing was TO huh' io i'
and tbs he intended to His idea was to go down
to Fourteenthst and then retracng his steps 60 INTO
everv sbop he passed OF any size and look through tne
stock until he found something that would nll all inc
requirements. ,..,o
u. mind now being at ease. he turned his attention
tn that meal which Besant says sh0ud pe consiuoie
the most solemn function Of the day, ana ehouid oH
oIorc lrit
chops finished he put on his hat and coaU anu oo9s
over IN Rroadway hailed car and was soon al rour-
teenthst The wind was blowing sharply across Union
SQUARE making the Father of his Country anu MS w
ternaonal friend Lafayette seem rather
for all their heroic attitudes lie TOOK no ho0eo VI
this but turning UP his coat collar staf'e" p''A'
up Broadway .,.;,
The first place which he thought worthy OF vl'lt
wos a certain jewellers, and In he went. ROWS anu
rows OF watches, pins and slverware Oh aii MINUS P
scntei themselves, but he hurried past t"cih '"u
found a counter where some antique iahs "eio VI.
payed one especially caught his eye. IL was e'i
dentv very old and reply to his question the clerk
Informed him that 1t had once belonged 10 uie Do"as
Duchess D,Aumale in the reign OF Louis A'l' Aho
Rcvouton took up and carried it along with H. anu
after many adventures. 1t had at last iounu O9 "as
into the collection OF q rich New-forA man. from "hon
the company had purchased it when the cone'a'h was
sold at auction. ,,, han,
naiped in that brilliant and ornamental style idehuheu
with that perod Of luxury Just preceding the Reign OF
Terror Ii represented some beautiful women anu oln
dren sitting In a garden surrounded ny 'iees ""N
flowers. examining bird which one OF the chi",en
held in her hand The ivory blades were no',
carved and tie outer ones were covertn WIN
gold and enamel. The Gentleman OF Leisure 'eh'urea
m roure ths price, and told that 1t was valued w
800. lie passed on In grim silence H''o
were some giTdes In tr'y' oho "
large chain Of heavy silver, large enous'
and strong enough TO hold mad pui
lie p,shed 1t aside and looked at nnother anu sa'o
sich Of delight Surely this was a girdle Ill LOT
oueen or "A comic opera pIima donna. iu cohSiS'o,
of nine strands OF gold and silver chains all
in design and of sufficient length to 60 twice arouo
the whist The clasps were large square masses VI
the finest 1llgree surmounted with khots Oh soiu' "
was OF Bulgarian manufacture, ana the nie'ai' W.
black with age. 1t was fascinating, but tfelehuou'
expensive so he sadly walked away.
Some enamel butterflies and true+overs' KNOTS
ooused no enthusiasm although he was assured that
thcv were lust out. A net purse, the top ring Vi
which expanded when the the cap was opened' was
a novelty to him, but the clerk lh'ormed MN u'"O
they had been selling them for some ume So ~ WIS
discarded some silver spurs ana surrup' e"'s"
his eve but failed to interest. gold ana eh'ineneo
umbrella handle, capable of being put on Ut 'dA'h V
WAS handsome but expensive and rather gaudy' ho
or tbe store saddened and with his faith in the pro-
fusion OF originality much shaken.
visit 10 the next 1ewelry shop Drough' ou' ho''o
eycept a brooch in the form OF Crawling hzaru' 'ho
back being of small emeralds with line OF uidnohuS
down the middle 1t was striking, but large anu cum,
her,ome The next place unearthed that Implement
thc Use of which has ruined so many happy homes anu
sne mona silver curlng-iron on stand, the Dusi
ness end of the iron being suspended over q small
sprit lamp all OF solid silver surely Dooh i" INV
voung maiden who had heretofore Deeh compehe~ "
stand for five minutes with her arm stretched ouV a
an uncomfortable angle holding the iron In inc name
of the gas-jet. IL pretty ana q new de' Du' .'o
thought struck him that perhaps she would not ike
o ,mnlicotion of doubt cast upon the genuineness OF
her rnglets SO the idea was abandoned Wnh
sigh for the degcneracy Of the present day III 'ne
matter OF striking originality he next sought large
drycoods store, and emerged some minutes la'er con
sidel,,bly shaken, but alive and unhurt
lie had no idea that there We're 50 many women
in the city as were In that store. The few sohiary
snecmens OF the male sex whom he saw vainly snv-
inc IN thread their way through the crowd OF struS
Cling pushing painting. feminaty looked at MN WIN
sucb dumb appeal for sympathy would have moved
a mummy to tears one thing. which he caught sight
o n his brief but exciting journey through the shop
was an arrangement Of three large rings LOOMING nho
swollen harness rings attached at regular Intervals W
= broad green ribbon. Approaching the presiding
s.les countess with much humility as he Thought
the occasion demanded, he ventured to ask TO wit use
they were put. The damSel answered all Ill ono
breath:
.Thcm,s coverings 50 cents set. 80 single ring.
Like 10 look 'em -
la said no. very quietly lie Just wanted to
,,o,v what they were and he made his escape. some
prey scarfs looked attractive one especially OF darH
rcd satin. with peacocks In Turkish embroidery, orna,
meuted with heavy gold thread and lace but he
r.membered that She was very i0nu oi attending
church fair, and probably had dozen ip her room
lis experience In the dry goods store rather dis
haricncd min further experiments OF that And, 80
he wandered up Broadway, hardly casting look AZ
the hundreds Of pretty girls WIN bright eyes ana
a.als made rosy with the wind who wele nnri9ing by
o barcan hunting Intent. lie felt out ci place ana
heartily wished himself back III ms eIuD- widnM,
nn,,re no pofine feminine foot could come and whee
WHY, WIZ" lid run INTO him while he WIS kOkng IN