Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17
AROUND THE CITY

+ This is the reign of the Bundle. Every
package you see In the arms of a man ar.
woman these days is a sermon. and the
text is peace and good WILL For ffty-ona
weeks in the year the bundle is a pariab 10
De scorned by fashionable women and
lodged by the best of men It is a brown
accumulation. to be borne only by express
men and saints-and the society girl forced
by the exigencies of fate TO carry home
say, her own slippers, is as shy of being
seen by her friends as thief would be of
the argus-eged man In blue.
but this is the week that tho spirit of
christmas claims SIS her very own She
mas cast enchantment over the shops and a
glamour on the parcel. She has given merry
smiles and jovial srias To the smirn1ine
masses who pack the stores from daers 10
counters, and with her gracious ward She
has touched the heart Of human nature and
made the whole world akin.
And that is why society win car-v-it.
bundles from now until Christmas eve.
man and woman entered The nionurnent
door as the elevator was about To ascend
and the man told the woman 10 hurry.
III walk up and ride down, she an
sWereu. m afraid of the elevat Or
II you are going to ride one way. WHAT'S
the diHerence between up and DOWN.
asked the man, Who plainly objected to tie
"A lot of difference. When Won ride nm
the danger increases every minute. When
you ride down the danger grows Legs
And the woman put her foot on The first
step.
The mans mustache went up and his mesa
came down, like the sneering man dickens
made-but he followed
The moneys on her side of The house."
said one of the bystanders, and the others
laughed.
Look. So-phee See what 1 eotr,
Sophy looked, and so did woman who
was passing. The voice belonged t, i, dirty
little girl. with skinny pigtail of black
hair and Irish blue eyes with sparklcs IN
them. She was crumpIed up in from. ~ a
grocery store before a little pile of r,ibbish
wood that had apparently been the TOYS Of
yaisin boxes.
sophy was shade less disreputable. with
the box tops
THE store man give it to me-" explained
the crumpled up one.
Tain't nothin'. if he did," snapped So
ply. "A store man give me a pickle
onct'
But maybe my mamma will give me a
cent for this kindlin'. And a cent is bet
What will you do with your cent?
asked the woman.
The Irish-blue eyes flashed a sunburst of
happy anticipation. She would save up
doll. The woman suggested that she
would get doll in her stocking, but the
child knew better.
II hung up my stockin' last Christmas
and Santa Claus never come a near
he brought me candy and nuts" Dragged
Sophy glad 10 even IN with the pros
pective penny.
Maybe he was too busy to get around
your way" said the woman. Tell me where
you live and II get him to send you doll
with long curls and pretty dress on-and
candy and nuts.
And the woman felt that she had evened
up with Miss Sophy.
The dirty little girl dropped the box tops
she was pling in her bits of arms, and the
motherhood of her being blazed out like
the Bethlehem star over a Christmas altar.
Then the glory in her eyes dulled to prac-
teal doubt. She was wondering what the
gift saint would have to do with an ugly
woman in a black frock Sophy had no
doubts.
Wont he bring me things. too?e
1T would be fine if he Will" exclaimed
the dirty little girl, whose doubt was
changing to a daze of bliss.
Sure. I'll tell him there are two of you.
And If Santa can't manage to get down
your chimney-he's getting SO fat and so
old. since I was a little girl--why. I'll tell
him to let me send the presents for both
Of you round to your house on Christmas
eve.
eyes an blue silk dress like them dolls
In the winders. were Sophy,s explicit or
ders.
aAII right What colored hair and dress
do you want, little girl?'' asked the woman.
The little girl didn't care, just SO it was
doll
well, yes. maybe it would be better to
have her dark, SO Sophy wouldn't think 10
was hers II one Of EN- got broke .
Wise little girl
And the spinster woman, who has always
mothers FOR furnishing the first
fickers of infantiie reason with the glamour
of deceit. went straight OF to shop and
bought two big dolls One with yellow
curls and one with black
He was big. tawny dog. with eyes tho
color OF sherry wine and the royal tread
OF a prize winner. Around his neck was
a baby blue ribbon tied in a l0opy bow
isn't It blamed shame TO cut necktia
on that splendid fellow?' said one man TO
another. Anybody can tell he belongs TO
q fool woman
Then a basso profunde call made the dog
bound forward to a very basso profundo
looking man. And the two turned the COR
ner together.