The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-22
Mrs. Witherbee'S Christmas
New York NAH and Express.l

New York Mail and Express.l
sAt this season. observed Mrs. With
erbee, softly and with an angelic ex-
preston upon her face. cit is 50 nice to
do gracious things. And since we can't
get out OF town Are you quite Ger
tain. Bobby. dearest. that you must be
at the Office on the oath and 26th2"
Dead sure" said Mr.. Witherbee, who
was parsimonious of words IN proportion
with his pretty wife's productivity in the
same article.
II supposed so,' she resumed, resign
edly. You have just been such an
adorably generous duck, Bobby. in Civ
ing me a new brougham and new Nv
cries for the men thar, much as am
disappointed to refuse the Coverings
house party, fiat as it is to stay in iowa
over Christmas, hopeless as we shall md
it to get a soul we want to dine with US
at this late date, trust / can prove my
self submissive to my fate
Dull old day, Christmas IS, anyhow
town or country remarked her spouse.
ssOh. dear, yesi How / wish we could
go to sleep and wake up and find ii over.
Bobby Merely thinking of the presents
for the servants is enough to make my
hair gray
~Give them cash all around, and be
done with it," suggested Mr. Witherbee.
II wish / could dear; but, unfortunate
w. in a moment of enthuSfa SIN, i d.
their lives by offering them a little party
for a few friends on Christmas eve
with tree and appropriate little gifts.
followed by ice cream and cake ana
claret-cup, you know. You remember,
we had fully expected to be out OF
town."
esThereI1 be a policeman wanting in
our servants hall before Christmas
morning, them observed the master
darby Get all those Swedes and
French and Irish to celebrating together
and you'll see the fur fly.
Bobby you never look at things IN
the beautiful large way I'd like you to.
More and more lately since I've beer
attending the meetings of our Woman's
League for Frightening the Lot of Our
Fellow Men, I've been brought to think
of a thousand kind acts I'd like to do to
those less fortunate than I am To tell
you the truth, my servants are already
all Quarreling so dreadfully about the
projected merry making, Il m quite dis
heartened. The laundress doesn't speak
to the cook, the litchenmaid and the
second man are at daggers drawn, II y
own maid (who tells me everything) has
had a tiff with the butler and so on.
Actually, they are eating all their meals
in silence, it apepars, and how ever am I
going to straighten the natter"
I'D keep 'em as they are" said the
heartleSs Bobby.
mo, dearest; our agreement at the
league requires our entering into other
peoples lives and taking no rebuffs. This
propose to you. Since dine at home we
must on Christmas Day, why not signal
ize it by a reunion of sad and disap-
pointed souls''-
BY Jove. Kitty"
We'll that's POLITICALLY speaking I
mean look around and pick out people
we don't usually invite because they
would exactly go with our own par
ties. And, with one or two exceptions.
conane it to the families-youi and
mine We ought always to re embar,
Bobby. that when we began life invita-
lions to a house like ours appeared very
important. It seems surprising we ever
could have had such a little bit of an in
come as we did. No one in the family
connection on either side has got head
like you, dearest. You are wonderful
I'm not wonderful enough to stand
such a dead and -alive dinner as this
you re cooking up. Why, there's nobody
hates you like the old friend you haven't
got time TO see. 1t won't do. Kitty, it
won't do
'-As if you didn't always say that and
end by thinking me the very cleverest
little wife
7 ever had-perhaps
Bobby. don't jest about serious sub
jects. If I were taken from you, you
would remember this. The more 1 think
of that dinner the more I'm pleased with
it. 1t is the opportunity I've lacked re-
cently-not the good win to bring about
such a reunion You'll see that my tact
and forethought VII bring together
those who win be happy and congeniai.
There shall be no Earring elements, L
promise you. It viii be truly a merry
Christmas First, Of course Wen have
your brother James widow =
That woman, She made poor old
Jims life a burden by her sour looks
and her lectures and moral superiority
over him.
She is the one we can't possibly leave