Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-12-24

eight on this particular Christmas eve and
she had not vet discovered the hiding place
Of to-morrow's gift.
"He must know that | want diamonds
this time she unused. why, l have crit
icized the vulgar display Mrs. Jonesmith
makes of them, and talked of the waste OF
money their purchase implies until ne
must have been impelled to buy me some
out of sheer contrariety. But where did
he hide them? That"
A knock -at the door interrupted her
train of thought, and a particularly min
wiling chap asked for old clothes in a robust
whine. The influence of the season was
upon Mrs. Davidson, however, and she gave
him an old o~vercoat which her husband
thought he might sometime wear when he
went hunting. He never did go hunting,
but he lived as if lie always expected to
start early the next morning.
mo, | Just can't think where he has put
that gift;" she said, returning to her chair
and her thoughts. '"Well, one comfort. he
hasn't seen the cuff links and the meer-
schaum pipe l have for him. I've moved
their h~iding-place twice a week, so he has
had no chance to find them while rum
maging in the waste paper basket for his
clean collars or searching in the china closet
for his necktie, which are always kept in
the upper left-hand bureau drawer. What's
that"
The front door had opened cautiously and
a stealthy step went up the stairs and stole
across the floor of the room above. Mrs.
Davidson turned pale, then softly clapped
her hands. Its Tom going to take a peep
at my present! I'll keep quiet and find out
where it is" .
She heard the steps about the room, and
held her breath until they paused before
the chiffonier.
"Ah, it is in the drawer that Tom said
had stuck and would not open. Why did
| never think of that before?"
She listened until the cautious footsteps
came down the stairs and the front door
softly opened and shut. Thensherose in her
triumph.
"Aha, he has slipped out to come IN a few
moments later, thinking that did not
hear him. I'll slip up now, have a peep at
nv diamonds and a good joke on him in the
morning." ;.
She went upstairs and lit the gas; it
Jared up and a scream burst from her. The
room was in confusion; drawers were upset
and their contents scattered on the floor
, As she screamed, the front door opened
and her husband came running upstairs.
"WelI, Tom Davidson, if you think this i
, a joke, | ont" she cried 10 sup IN LII
:, way and play a trick on your wife is
"NMhat on earth do you mean by a joke!
tom Davidson, you don't mean to sa
> that / didn't hear you come upstairs
minutes ago to look at my present and
You certainly did not. Hello!" He strod
{ across the room and lifted a drawer of tn
chiffonier which was upside down on tn
u bed. Gas l came up the block, I met tn
g ugliest tramp l ever saw, and could hay
sworn that he wore my old coat. You simpl
sat there while he riaed the place and ca
y ried off the diamond pin l had gotten fc
your Christmas gift"
! When she had quoted down a little an
= Mr.. Davidson was telephoning for the polio
u his wife suddenly remembered that the la
Z : hidingplace for the cuff links and the NEE
: schaum pipe was the breast pocket Of thu
old coat.