Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-12-14

PROMPTS THEN"
"You ordered IT. and simply filed your
order"
"But you surely are not going to insist
that take it?"
"There Is nothing else left for me to do.
The mistake was your own, and cant
be expected to bear the loss. The jewel
Is a very pretty one, but | could not hope
to sell It here within year, and must
pay the New York house for it."
"Well, ! call that skin game" said
Harry, losing his temper. The jeweler
promptly lost his temper also, and they
indulgcd in rather undignfed quarrel.
Finally Harry paid the bill and exclaim-
ed as he did so:
"If live in this town so years, I'll
never buy another thing here"
swell, I'll not be losing my best Gus
TONER" replied the jeweler, with sneer
When Harry reached his room, he took
out the two jewels and looked at them.
They were both very pretty and tasteful,
but he felt that they were more than he
| could afford just then.
"Why," be said to himself, 81 might
as well have added $50 more to the
amount and bought her the engagement
ring"
Having the jewels, he decided, Of
course, that he must give them both to
Jean, even though she might think him
extravagant in spending so much on them
when he was saving up for their home.
While thinking the matter over 1t sud
denly occurred to him that he could make
things look more reasonable il he sent the
brooch as a Christmas present and the
bracelet as birthday gift. That would
Justify them both. Replacing the jewels
In their boxes with appropriate cards, he
took them to the postofce and mailed
them so that she would get them the
first thing in the morning.
When he went to Jeans home to have
bis Christmas dinner with her, he found
her radantly happy. The gloom that he
was told always oppressed her on Christ
mas was nowhere in evidence. Her greet
Ing to him was more affectionate than II
had ever been before, and he felt that, be-
sides wishing him a merry Christmas
she was doing all in her power to make it
so for him. When they were finally left
alone In the parlor after dinner, she said
she wanted to thank him again for his
Christmas present and birthday gift.
There Is only one way for lovers to ex-
press such thanks, and after a furtive
glance toward the doors and windows It
was so expressed. After the customary
pause Of happy silence Jean whispered
as she hid her face on his bosom:
II felt sure all along that you would
pass the test all right You are so noble
and so generous. | loved you so much
that wanted to tell you all about II, but
II did there would be no test. know
It was silly, but vowed once that |
would test all my friends this way, as
well as any one who made love to me,
and you know It has given me the repu
tation OF being odd"
"But what Is the testY" asked Harry in
surprise, at the same time rejoicing that
he had passed It successfully.
Cant you guess! No, no; you could
never guess, for you are too thoughtful
and generous ever to think Of doing any
thing else than what you did,"
Harry puffed out his chest and felt
good while he waited for her to proceed.
"You see, il is just like this: | was
born on Christmas day, and superstitious
people say that Is what makes me differ
ent from every one else, but no one has
ever guessed the real reason. All the
other children had birthday as well as
Christmas every year, but | had to be
satisfied with one day for both. Besides,
! usually had to be satisfied with only
one present. When was child, that
used to make me feel cheated. and
brooded over il till | was morbidly sensi-
tive on the point, but as grew older il |
occurred to me that II gave me a chance
to find out which Of my friends were
really thoughtful and cared for me very |
much. They were the ones who remem-