Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-12-23
How We Bought Our
Christmas Presents
By ELLERY NYLE

very big wages then, ana, al
though our needs were not ms many
as they are now, still they were needs
and had to be paid for, so we decided
to begin in n small way.
We rented only one room, but In Chi
cago the rent for one room was as
much as for whole house In the lit
tie country village where came from,
How we did enjoy furnishing that
room! 1t was a large room. and one
corner of It, where my cupboard and
my oil stove were, ] curtained Off for
the kitchen, and there was plenty OF
space left for the folding bed and the
few chairs which we had.
Our walls looked bare. had only
one picture branch Of lilacs, and
they looked SO natural you could al.
most smell them.
1--WE must buy some pictures" said
John.
mot Just yet" said I. WYATT a lit
tie. We can't get everything at once. y
And the next day when John came
home from his work he stopped In the
door In surprise and delight. l had
/ tackled here and there on the wall clus
tiers of bright colored autumn leaves
which I had gathered and pressed the
fall before.
"Don't you think now we can wait
I'LL next year for pictures, John|
asked.
"Why. it's ten times prettier than
pictures, Susie" he exclaimed as he
caught me in his arms.
"And It cost only cents for the
tacks," said !.
1t Is surprising how little can please
us when we have but little. do be-
neve we enjoyed those bright leaves
better than Sl5 worth OF pictures.
Well, we got along swimmingly. BY
thinking a little before we bought we
made Johns wages cover everything.
We agreed together that we would not
buy a single article till we had the
money to pay for 1t. Sometimes we
had to go without things we wanted
for several weeks, but waiting for
them made them worth all the more.
After John had gone to his work and
my home tasks were all done | would
cit at my sewing alone and keep think
ing. l kept thinking ahead quite a
way, as far ahead as next Christmas.
John and | had never had Christmas
together. There were some things that
I wanted to get. and wouldn't 1t make
a merry Christmas II could get them
then? How could manage 1t? And
kept on thinking about 1t day after
day.
John was In the habit Of getting up
early and going to market for me
while / got breakfast, and he would
often bring home twice as much as ]
knew what to do with.
"Why. John. we can't eat all that!
Why did you get so muchy l would
say.
"Oh, II looked SO good 1t made me
hungry! Yes, we can eat 1t all. I'm
rs hungry as bear"
One evening l told John that If he
would give me $3.50 a week l would
furnish the table with that and do the
marketing myself.
''Why, II costs US more than that
now, Susie! Three dollars and half
b only enough for one persons boardg'
exclaimed John.
well, we are one. aren't we. Johnr
Eyes, but We have two mouths"
"Well, I'll agree to Ill them both
with $3.50"
Then here II H." said John, "and
rou may begin tomorrow morning"
and he handed me out $3.50. but he
booked incredulous.
I spent Is cents out Of II the next
day and less than that the day follow
ing, and at the end Of the week had
90 cents left.
"How does II hold outT asked John
when he handed me the next $3.50.
II have not got in debt" l answered.
How did hold on to that $3.50 each
week! Sometimes l saved more and
sometimes less, and on one or two oc-
casions l spent more than the $3.50
when we had company, but nearly ev-
cry week I managed to keep some OF
It and put 1t in the savings bank. We
had enough to eat too. Did ! have ev-
erything wanted? OF course didn't.
There was many nice thing that
liked that l didn't get, but you know
you can't eat your cake and have It
too. We have to deny ourselves in or
der to accomplish our ends in anything,
and was none the worse Off for doing
without
One evening as John lighted his cigar
and began to read his paper ! said:
"John, we've been learning how to
live better since we've known each
other, and I've been wondering Tiff ]
dared to ask-why you smoker
because I'm a fool, Susie" blurted
out John and threw bis cigar into the
crate. l was frightened at what l had
done, and John went on:
II know smoking is no earthly bene-
at to me. I know 1t makes me disgust
ing to you. Don't deny it I've seen
you wipe your mouth on the sly after
I've kissed you"
1 slipped my hand into his. "John."
said l. you have one cigar left in your
pocket. Give that to me. Promise
me that this cigar shall be the first
one you smoke, and when you want to