The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-31
THE WEEK "
BETWEEN
CHRISTMAS
* AND
NEW YEAR
BY r. X. -
MlINKITTRIoK
- ~ -
MUNKlTTRlcK.

Christmas has just departed. and the
scent OF the Christmas tree still fits
/ the house with its pleasant cheer. The
society woman eapers around ia the
sealskin sack and diamonds, the Xmas
I presents which are not vet paid for.
and thus strengthens her husbands
credit. The small boy displays his new
skates and sled and is the chief partic-
ular envy Of the boy whose father fail
ed in November and who got nothing
at all 10 remind him OF the return Of
the holiday OF all holidays. Another
boy shows his independence Of the fact
that he is in the city where the mill pond
doesn't flourish by skating along the
thoroughfare on his summer or roller
skates. The Christmas wreath is hang
ing on the wall 10 remind one OF the
holiday just passed. close 70 the hor-
nets nest that brings hack pleasant
dreams Of the summer and unpleasant
memories OF what transpired at the
time the nest was captured-memories
that make one feel that his head IS
again mass OF throbbing knobs that
seem like so many hot Goals.
The Christmas turkey is not exhaust
ed yet. There are still two wings for
garneTing the ashes. and a wishbOne
drying over the library door. and a car
cass which will be picked at FOR few
days more and then put aside 10 form
the base OF next weeks pea soup.
The toy window has sort OF de-
bilitated look The papier machc camel
looks sadder than II lost IN the middle
Of the desert. He looks as II signing
for some kind OF medicinal spring
whose waters would brace him up. The
pasteboard rooster also looks as though
he feels that there is no real reason
for his existence. and the ducks seem
as though about to split for lack OF
moisture. The cast out Christmas tree
standing in the ash barrel is full Of
the kind OF supreme sadness that pene-
trates the wistful soul Of the poet when
the demands OF the butcher make IL
necessary for him to add an advertising
feature TO a poem intended for The At
lantic and sell II 20 a tooth powder con-
Germ for $1.75. This is the week that
women who love exchanged presents
are calculating the values between
what they have given and what they
have received. TO see whether they have
been the gamers or the losers in the
exchange. The ice caTnivals at various
northern points are in full blast. and
pictures and reports Of the same al
us all with JOY. except the iceman. who
is making nothing. but who is filled
with golden dreams as he saws the
pond up like so much cord wood and
packs 1t away to yield him many She
kels Of gold and silver when half dog
en- weary moons shall have passed and
the poodle jangles a can Of stones out
Of tune every time he wags his woolly
tail. You can tell that Christmas Is
over by the appearance OF the proprie-
tor OF the toy store He looks far sad
der than that most popular Of all sad
creatures known in figures OF rhetoric
the attenuated rooster that has been
out all night in the rain. Before Christ
mas he was all smiles. and now he Is
ali signs OF woe. He Is the reverse q
the before" and after portraits In
the patent medicine ads. He f. not look
ing forward 10 the Fourth 81 July with
the small boy. but 90 Christmas ~ next
year. Everything has an after Christ
mas air about IL. You can see IL in the
shopping districts and in the benev-
client smile Of the clergyman az he
strikes a bee line for the nearest mart
10 dispose OF the many pairs 81 fanciiy
embroidered slippers with which he has
been presented and which ne could not
wear at once. even Il he were human
centiped.