The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
EXPENSE OF A GIFT.
Free Tickets to the Opera Not the
Boon the Receiver Thought.
Chicago Post.

NOON the RSce1Ver IhOuEht.
Chicago Post.
After he had given her the kiss that is
always hers when he returns from work
he suggested that he had d surprise for her.
For me?' she exclaimed in that aston
ished tone that a woman invariably assumes
under such circumstances, and which really
isn't at all complimentary. OF course she
never means il to be any reflection upon his
generosity, but to an outsider it would
sound as II 1t were rather extraordinary
that he should have anything in the nature
Tor pleasant surprise for his wife. How
ever, all men get used to that in time so
IN this case he merely said that of course
1t was for her.
"Oh, it's SO good of you" she thereupon
asserted, without waiting to learn whether
It was anything. that would really please
her or not-another feminine trait, by the
way Perhaps, however, 1t is the part of
wisdom to be thankful in advance of re-
ceiying detailed information, for man is
such a blunderer that with the best inten-
tons in the world, he every now and then
to give pleasure, and ii is only when he is
close to the end of the journey of life that
ne usually learns enough about women not
TO overwork the surprise business.
nevertheless, there are occasions when 1t
is all right, and this is one of them.
II have seats for the opera for tomorrow
night" he announced at last.
"Oh-h-h. George" she exclaimed, and
kissed him again, and then suddenly added
But the expense!
There is no expense about it." he replied,
and he meant well, but he didn't know.
There may be expense without opera, but
there Is no opera without expense. Still
within his limitations he was doing the best
he knew how, for he proceeded to explain
that the tickets had been presented to him
and that they were in the parquette and as
good as any in the house.
Then, of course, it means, full dress for
us, she suggested. and his heart sank in
stantly for he hadn't had his dress suit on
in over two years. But we're better fixed
for fun dress than we are for anything that
is halfway" she went on. You have your
dress sniff and | bDVQ handsome
so perhaps 1t is just as well that 1t Is dress
affair. We, will have to get a few little
things, but they won't amount to much"
Such as what?" he inquired doubtfully.
''Well, I'll have to have some gloves, for
one thing" she answered. II haven't any
gloves TO wear with an evening gown. I'll
give you the number and you can get them
on your way home tomorrow night"
He nodded, but somehow he did not seem
to be very much treasured.
III get the gown out right away, she
continued, 80 that | will be sure us all
right. If I'm not mistaken, you'll have to
match a piece Of ribbon for me tomorrow,
also. / have a faint recollection of losing or
tearing one the last time / wore the gown,
and, of course, it will have to be replaced.
I'll have to have a little lace for my neck,
too, but something cheap will do. We can
make thing pass at the opera, you know,
that wouldn't do at all at bal"
He said Yes" and began oVerhaulfng the
things In one Of the drawers of his dressing
case, as If he were more interested in that
than in what she was saying.
shoes" she added after a minute or two of
silence, and that seemed to rouse him. He
gave a start, looked down at his own shoes
and said something that sounded like ham
"Of course there won't be any dancing"
she argued half to herself but I haven't
anything but pair of heavy walking shoes
that are pretty badly worn, and 1t does seem
as If heavy shoes make a womans feet
about the most prominent thing about her
when she is in evening dress. just know
that | will make a noise like a regiment OF
infantry when l walk down the aisle. Per-
haps though" she added as if a sudden
inspiration had come to her, Il can get the
dancing slippers stored away in the back
of the linen closet repaired so that can
wear those. That would be cheaper"
Then you'd better do it," he suddenly
broke In. 'One pair of shoes will be all
want to pay for at this time, and | haven't
anything but a pair of bright yellow gun
boats that are about as appropriate to go
with dress suit as a pale blue hat with
bright red feathers would be to go with
full mourning at q funeral. It's dead open
and shut that l will have to get a pair of
"Then I will get my old ones repaired"
He continued rummaging around in the
drawer for moment, and finally pulled out
a white shirt, which he held up and scowled
'Just as L thought" he exclaimed. 1--WE
been laying in these red. white and blue de-
lirium tremens shirts all summer when
ought to have been spending little of my
money for something that could be worn
with dress suit if occasion required. TIE
only things / have in white now are short
bosom affairs that wouldn't come more than
two-thirds to the bottom of my vest open
ing and that weren't built for the only kind
of shirt studs have, even ii the bosom were
long enough. That means a new shirt on
the way home tomorrow, in addition to the
shoes. / haven't dress tie, either; nor a
high collar"
"And then if it should rain,'' she sug-
gested.
But she really might have spared him
that. His opera tickets were likely to cost
him enough anyway. In fact, after he had
made a hasty computation of the cost Of
the gloves, lace shoes, shirt ribbon tie.
collar and various other trif1es that he and
his wife found that they needed when they
vert over the subject with more care he
sat down and wrote to the friend who pre-
scented him with the tickets:
II am. of course, grateful for your kind
ness. but if it is just the same to you /
would be glad TO trade off with you next
time and furnish the tickets myself while
you settle for the fixings. / figure that
would then be at least $11 ahead if it didn't
rain, and anywhere from $14 to SIG If it did
'.Of course you'll not forget to. get me
some flowers" she said in a casual way as
he stamped and addressed the note and put
it in his pocket TO mail. American beau
ties will do very nicely. And you might get
a book of the opera and bring it home so l
can famiiarize myself with the plot and
lines before going"
He said But it is immaterial what he
said He got what she wanted, of course