The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-11

, want, and as the name was read my
friends face hushed-she looked at the
article and put It aside without a COM
ment. ! perfectly we'll understood that
she would rather have had no gift than
one delivered in such a way. There was
10 suggestion of the season about It. no
wish for happy day. no care or thought
displayed in its selection. II had been
bought solely and simply because the
sender was in the habit Of sending = gift
at Christmas 1t was n duty 10 be gotten
through, and with as little Inconvenience
as possible The article had been pur-
chased at the store and ordered to be
sent up on Christmas Eve. and a card
LEFT 10 be inclosed. Perhaps 1t was the
stylish way Of presenting u gift but IT
wasn't the way of love. and she 10 whom
It was sent. felt keenly the manner Of
sending. She was not a rich woman--she
belonged to that vast, vast throng who
have TO struggle hard to keep up that
pitful thing-appearancesl And there
were so many things that could have
been given which would have filed need
ana been pleasure as well. and the gift
that was sent her was a very elaborate
and quite costly jewelry box, To my
certain knowledge she did not possess
three pieces of jewelry besides ner
watch. and the case was rather a mock
as not yet learned the art Of giving!
THE MANNER OF GIVING.
Perhaps we do not realize it, though
unconsciously we feel it. that IL IS not
what we do. but how we do It. that
makes its value real. A little thought.
a little love. an evident desire to get
that thing which the recipient would be
pleased TO have. or which is suggestive
Of their particular taste. marks an in
dividuality In giving. makes 1t something
more than a matter Of Christmas bust
ness, and causes a thrill in the receiver,
and fulness IN the throat some times.
for the love that prompts II makes It
dear. and only through love should these
Christmas thoughts be sent
There are two or three little things we
should always remember about giving.
One OF them is, let your gift be a per-
sonal matter II possible. II the package
IS one that you can wrap up. do II your
self. I'm nice fresh paper and pretty cord.
or narrow ribbon IL possible. Direct il
yourself and see that it reaches its reci-
pient at the proper time. and in a COM
plimentary manner. Never let your gift
at Christmas be delivered by store
porter. unless 1t is too large to be sent
otherwlse-this Of course does not apply
to flowers or gifts Of like perishable ma
lure. iItlySt your tAiU diNdyS ana
though some people may think 1t less
elegant to write Christmas wish upon
It, that IS entirely matter of taste and
love. and depends upon the person send
ing and to whom sent.
On general principles ono should be
grateful for a gift but II is undoubtedly
true that we are not always so, for all
gifts are not compliments. When per-
son of means, who can afford to do
otherwise, sends a remembrance that Is
cheap. and inappropriate. or undesirable.
Il requires more religion than some of us
possess to imagine We are grateful for II.
and we ought not TO try TO be. Good
taste even more than an expenditure OF
money. is a requisite OF the art OF giving
and the individuality Of the recipient is
a matter to be considered as well as that
OF the sender. Something that Is suit
able is no doubt hard to find, but we can
find II. II We will only spend little time
and thought In trying.
CHILDREN NOTICE 1T.
To imagine that children do not notice
the manner Of doing is great mistake.
and though they cannot always unravei
the difference. they are conscious OF u
pitifully conscious sometimes. knew
two litua children once whose mothsr bad