The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-12-22

mother" =,
well then. so ahead" she SAID,
"ru cook YOU a dinner, but | shan
spend = money for presents Don
expect il. , g.,
I'VE don'tw said Walter Wen tur-
nish the collateral ourselves. IhFee
cheers for old Santa Claus. Iiree
more for turkey and plum pudd n.y.
And three more for Christmas. HIP
hip, hurrah.'
He gave his mother another mug
nusSinc the other side of her collar
kissed her again this time on the nose
I and bounded ont of the room. ana III
/ ". too pleased to say anything Went
rpStairs. That night billy and Waiter
sat up for long time planning or 'if
I coming festival The next day they
borrowed their mothers hor I. 'Hld
Dobbin." and went TO town 10 make
their Christmas purchases.
Its better TO go early. said l)llly
wisely. "for I've read in the papers,
they always marked their goods up at
Christmas. and though we have quite
a good deal of money. We've got a
good many TO buy for and have to
make every cent count"
I'll leave you TO imagine the trials OF
the clerks who waited on these very
particular young people. In the first
place they wanted to buy a $40 shawl
for s..
They finally compromised on one
marked SIS. on which the clerk threw
of dollar. They had decided to take
material for an apron for Lefty, who
was Il and cared more for pretty
clothes than anything else.
Walters choice was turkey red:
might as we'll get something stun
ming" he said And it took the united
perslusionS Of the clerk and billy to
convince him n fine white one trimmed
with lace would lie more suitable. Dill
II allowed him to select Franks pres
eu1 His choice was soon made. He
sal. a Teller 5 !eals Old that's never
had bat one iack-Enife and that an
old one with one blade. would rather
have a new one than anything else"
When it came to buyin- tie doll for
G-year-old Mile there was again 4 diff
ference Of opinion.
Walters choice hysi,ated between
2 negro boy. a Chinaman with long
picta. and sailor Oily. however.
was firm AMI purchased a little b onde
beau Y, with blue eye AMI t'aXen hair
There was still some money left.
which they exported in candy and
nuts and returned home. penniless
but happy.s That night while they
were displaying their purchases to
their mother-after the little ones lad
been put to hed-a terrible thing very
nearly happened. billy almost told
about the shawl
You must have considerable money
left" their mother said; this stuff did
not cost near 81"
"Why, mother said Oily, I'VE
spent the most Of it for a present for
you. And it's the loveliest thing. The
clerk wanted So for it. but he finally
let us have it for 81. When you wear
that"
Goodness graciousr' billy said,
clappng her hands over her mouth.
Il came pretty near doing it that
time"
Il should think you did" said Wal
ter in disgust You've talked shawl
so much to-day You cant talk any
thing else~ and billy was 50 crestfal-
len at her own mistake she never no.
ticed his-and they retired in b.i.sful
unconsciousness that their cherished
secret was a secret no longer.
Left to herself, Mrs. Dillenbeck
laughed until she cried. And. now I
think Of it. | don't believe she cried
altogether because she had been laugh
ing SO hard.
The next day some more good luck
came to billy. a neighbor called and
asked her to go and stay few DAYS
with his wife, who was sick with nell
ral4ia. And when she returned home.
he insisted en- giving her dollar, "For
Christmas,' lie said.
And the very next day billy went to
town and bought 1.-The Last OF the
Mohicans' for Waiter! And l think if
you had asked her just then if she
had anything more to wish for she
would nave said No"