Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-24


ct wasn't tecause either Margaret
! or l didn't have plenty of invitations
for New Years eve" Phyllis went on.
I'VE might have danced or drunk or
prayed or sung the old year out, just
as we chose, but when l met her at
dinner that night she told me she had
refused every one Of them and was
going to spend the evening alone,
! that if she couldn't see the century
out with the person she would care
most to begin the new one with she
was going to do it alone. Now that
was exactly what thought-Want an
other cup of coffee-and l had an in
SEPARATION.
LETS watch it out together " l
said. Wen be wicked, just like
men, and have champagne and-and
things"
$50 Margaret came. l had bis
roaring fire of maple logs-when l
do have home, though, my New
Years fire shall be made of the
Christmas eve tree-and | put out
my pink flannel peignoir for Margaret
and got into the really, truly limOna
myself. and when she came we took
down our hair and put on slippers and
made ourselves comfy all round.
Then Margaret took the couch, where
you are now and I this chair, and we
started in to celebrate"
at did you say about being
wicked?" asked the man.
well, that was only about 8
o'clock. You see we began early. I'd
bought a bottle Of champagne
whole pint-at the grocer's after
dinner. Oh, yes, you can get wine at
grocery stores and beer too. That
saves ecu from the annoyance of hav
ing the brewery wagons stop at your
front door when the woman who lives
next door belongs to the W. G. T. U.
At least, that's what my married
friends tell me. Anyway, 1 bought a
bottle and some waters and nuts and ,
raisins and fruit and olives and
chocolates and
Good Lord"-This from the couch. !
eve spread all this out on the |
table here and put the bottle out in the |
hall window to get trapped. And then
well, we talked. You men don't !
know anything about the way two
girls-the bachelor sort-can talk
when they get started. Really con-
verse, don't you know. We talked
about life and work and love and-no
we didn't mention your name nor
Harry's either-and then Margaret
got down my TennysOn and I Mrs.
Sonnets to the Portuguese
and we read to each other between
times. Margaret was awfully serious
and so high-minded, don't you know,
that it really was funny when she
rolled off the couch and hunted
around in the pockets of her ulster
until she produced a little package
Of
cigarettes, I'll be bound" said the
man.
The very idea" said Phyllis.
And what if it was? Isn't it Just as
moral for a woman to smoke as it is
for a man, and is it a question of
morals anyway? It's merely a matter
Of taste" 1
Bad TASTE" interrupted the man,
licking the ashes from his cigar.
It's merely matte of personal i
aste,' Phyllis went on, ''and you've ]
got to stop interrupting me- may
lot like cigarettes myself, but then l
nay not like nougat. Neither's any
'eascn why I should preach pious
sermons to other women who do
And besides, this was New Years eve
and-yes, I did. l smoked one
Ugh. And SO did Margaret. And we
ried making rings but we couldn't,
nd We burnt out fingers and the q
moke went down our threats and ! I
hey really weren't as nice as the
hocolates, don't you know. 1t wasn't {,
much more than 10 o'clock then and
We had TO do something to keep L
wake
lid you say this was New Year II
eIebration?" Il
u haven't got to the end yet. At Il
xacuy 1870 o'clock we brought in y
be bottle and-no we didn't crack
. We put it on the taDle by the box
chocolates and near the remains of
he cigarettes and looked at it. Have
on ever noticed the extremely festive n
nd altogether wicked appearance of
champagne bottle. just the bottle it st
elf Beer bottles are plebian, ginger ol