The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-11
ADVICE TO THE MAN.
Lot of Women Tell Him What to buy
His Wife for Christmas.
Chicago Post.

Chicago Post.
Tell me what to give my wife for Christ
mas said the man.
"A separate bank account" promptly an
swered the wisest woman present
Madam, she already has one" he replied
"Sir, to you" said she, dropping a cour-
tesy she hadn't used since she was pre-
sented to Queen Victoria twenty years ago.
Then she withdrew and all the other
women gathered to their faVorite sport-ad-
vising the inferior sex.
This giving an expensive present once a
year on a stated date is a mistake any
how" said the stateliest of the group. '"To
be bound down to special anniversary, to
leave it, as everyone does, till Dec "a, and
then hasten out and spend your ten-dollar
bill for anything your daZed eyes light
upon, because it would lose all its virtue
If it were not bestowed on Dec. 20, what Il
waste of money and good will People
ought to give all the year round, whenever
they see something that would please the
dear one at home, or whenever they hear
a wish expressed that they are able to
crafty"
"Pshaw! They would never give at all,
that way-never give at all" interrupted d
small woman with eyeglasses. Some peo-
pie say it is unnecessary to attend church
because they can mediate and pray and
preach themselves sermons in the woods or
in the solitude of their own chambers. They
can, but they don't. Poor human ma -ure
needs to be tied down to stated times and
seasons. The anniversaries are reminders
You could send the last new books home
to her." pursued the stately one, "or a palm
An advertisement of a concert or opera
tour would remind you to buy her a season
ticket. What on earth are you writing?"
The man held up his notebook.
Last new books. Palm and handsome
pot. Thomas concert season ticket
Let me tell you what not to give her"
said one. "Fichus or made-up neck trim
mings of any kind. You can no more choose
them than she can buy your neckties.'
mo lace things for the neck" wrote the
@Oh, lace That is another thing. Give
her a piece of real lace, fiounce or a col
lar, handkerchief, or just a yard of rich
point lace. Any woman living would thank
you for that. Point lace and diamonds we
can't have enough off,
woman once more. II know a woman whose
husband gives her diamonds every Christ
mas. She does not care for jewelry, and
they live very quietly; she neither enter
tains nor goes out much; in fact, he does
not allow her money enough to do so. He
is one of the kind of men who are both
a number of ford pieces of jewelry that
she has no use for-diamond earrings even,
fancy! No one has worn diamond earrings
for years. And she cannot dress as well as
her neighbors. l ventured to persuade him
to give her a sealskin jacket or a sable
chorus-Oh, give your wife a sable cape!
The man jotted it down. "Open to any
suggestions. Only please remember that my
name is not Vanderbilt Now, what would
you adviser" to an austere intellectual
leader of her sex.
We'll, in my opinion, $40 silk petticoat
would be about the incest Christmas pres
ent a woman could have
I'D be sure to buy green if she wanted
"She could change it,
us she a club woman?" asked one with
as many stars upon her breast as German
field marshal. Have her club pin jeweled
for her The Daughters pin is beautiful
with diamond in the center. One woman /
know has diamond set in each of the thir-
teen spokeS BESIDES.
Does she play cards? Get her a set of
duplicate whist trays.
Speaking of trays, now that the o'clock
supposed to fetch the tea from the dining
room. give her handsome tray
GIVE her a writing desk"
"She has one.
well, then, special writing-desk fittings
slver-mounted inkstand, pin tray, calen-
dar, stamp box-or Dresden china, if you
''And a pretty little clock for her writing
desk or the corner of. her sewing room.
lovely little clock, but | can't see the time
without going close up to it,"
Give her a picture. One of those dainty
colored eighteenth-century beauties-Marie
Antoinette or some one of that kind Elk
quiSite frames come for them now, delicate
rocco sort of things.
old masters, or those fine photographs of
works in the Boston Library in a sort Of
architectural frame-wooden columns, you
GIVE her an easy chair. Morris chairs
only cost 81 or 50. They are cheap, COM
Portable and of good design"
"Give her a Persian rug"
"a bronze statuette"
"a Copenhagen vase.
"a lamp, with an empire shade.'
"Siver candlesticks."
"A cut-glass bowl or dish"
''But these things are really house fur
nishngs They would do me as much good
as her"
she wouldn't like them any the less for
that
"If she hasn't silver toilet set. give her
one"
IA light. welI-made travelling bag is a
nice thing"
"Or a really swell umbrella
lone of those beautiful little empire
fans"
IAN opera glass;
Yes, one of the little light ones, with a.
pretty silver-mounted holder"
mo, not silver-mounted; the palmer the
better"
Anything else?'
isn't that notebook of yours full yet?
Has she a piano, a watch, furs? How can
one advise without knowing what her pos
sessions are and how much you wish to
spend?'
Il haven't noticed any hesitation about
advising till this minute, 1t looks as though
your ideas were exhausted. Yes, the note
book is about used up. too"