The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
Christmas Gifts That Bring Joy
Not the but
eetedT Taste is OhenM Mos elcome

family select for my Christmas portion
because 1 know that anything of the kind
that really need can manage to squeeze
out of my allowance: but the unexpected
bit of lace or belt pin, no matter how
trifing in value, the dainty scarf that
stands just two or three wearings. the friv-
olous corset-cover that looks like a rag
after a visit to the washtub-and all that
kind of unnecessarily dainty and some
times useless trifles that come unaware,
I'LL my soul with joy"
The quiet little maiden aunt tucked away
in the darkest corner spoke up at that.
81 know exactly how you feel. my GEAR"
she said
This maiden aunt is of that type of gentle
sweetly-sentimental women of faded hues
which has almost vanished in this day Of
healthy, boldly-outlined bachelor maids.
Last Christmas dear little niece in the
East" she went on, ''sent me little wrap
for my head, dainty thing of palest pink
liberty silk, with touch of frothy lace
and frivolous little pink bows-just the kind
of thing that lovely young girl throws
over her head when she goes to ball or
theater-and you can imagine how it looked
on my prim faded hair. never go to balls
theater toilet is black silk that it getting
rusty with wear; and the few times that I
have occasion to wear the gown take the
crowded cars along with another little
lonely old maid and the dainty pink thing
would be utterly out of place in a street
car. But the Joy it has given me, just the
same. 1 take it out every now and then
and look at its daintiness, and rejoice in the
ffu oh fu1p fact A
me; and when 1 see some grand dame or
some lovely debutante floating out to her
carriage with her head wreathed In some
similar bit of loneliness, / straighten up
and say to myself. We'll, my dear. you have
| no lovelier headdress than 1, if only chose
| to wear mine 3"
| Aunt Mattie's right about that. too," said
a third member of the Christmas confer
ence. II learned lesson in that year or
| two ago, when lovely Southern girl was
| visiting us. Her gifts on Christmas morn
ing were a delight to unite. with their
wrappings of soft white paper, their scarlet
ribbons and their bits of holly. And then
inside were such delightfully."- unexpected
things. She gave me some pretty trife to
wear-a girl is easy enough to suit in that
matter. For mother, who had the usual
i array OF dress goods ana laundry bags, she
had the 'stunningest' bit OF an opera bag
ever saw: father had a frivolous sterling
| silver knife which made his eyes gieam
| more than his whole collection of wearing
| apparel, and that knife he displays ostenta-
| tiously to this day whenever he gets the
/ chance. For brother there was-what do
you think?--a set of dainty sachets for his
| chiffonier. of baby blue, scented family
with vioiets, and more ticlxled man you
/ never saw; he almost fell on that girls
neck and wept for delight. But her star
| performance was in the gift she presented
| Chloe, our Southern cook, who is the apple
i of our eye. We had all showered Chloe
with gifts, and she had a collection of
| aprons, collars, stockings and other gener-
| ally useful things that would have put a
small department. store to shame. But
| when she came in with the cakes our South
| ern visitor handed her a little white box
| tied with scarlet ribbons, from which black
Chloe took out the daintiest little fan you
1 ever saw-one of the wee, gauzy things, you
/ know. that you had for your coming-out
party, IL you were real lucky. She beamed
| with JOY in every crevice OF her fat black
/ face.
i 'Huccome yo' evan think o. dat Miss
Jennie?' she asked, delighsedly. .Ah been
a-wantin one O. desc heah little fanses to
4 carry to de coachmen's ball. come New
Yeah's, and heah yo done read NAH min
an glib IL TO me when ain nevah said a
wohd.'
! 'chloe's delight was the thing that de-