The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09
=. Whin1S of the IdLer :.
It's All Sentiment With Her This Christmas

babies-werl. I had enough string to ny
kite from hero to Kanschatka-
What's a string bsl5yT'' I venturod 20
ask This particular kind OF animal was
unknown to me, although I claimed
familiarity with the genus infant second
only 20 that Of the late Brigham Young
and this, too. despite tho fact that our
perarn bulator long had been in a state
Of innOcuous but delicious desuetudo.
AS much as you nose round tho house
and towsle up my room, do YOU mean
to tell mo you don't know what a string
baby is2' exclaimed the good woman
We'll. sir. that beats me. Why a string
baby is simply a dolls head and shout
ders. daintily dressed up and sewod over
ball OF twine. Tho string hangs down,
and when you want q piece you give Il
a pull and out comes the twine. It's a
cute little thing. provided twenty-five OF
the forty women you know don't each
give you one Christmas. while the other
fifteen are working on cretonne hand
kerchiof bags on you
'Methinks We understand" ouoth I.
though. RnatOmicaiiy speaking. l don't
suppose II would be quite the proper
thing for Us 70 ask detailed explanations
from anybody but our own wife As
take Il. a string baby IS something like
a mermaid. except that where a mermaid
abruptly turns on from a lady Into a
fish. a string-baby switches OF from a
dolls head ana shoulders into twine."
That's about IT." rplied tho Queen
Bee, and the idea IS quito a pretty ono
Ontil other women get to making your
house a whole kindergarten Of string
babies. But maybe 7 Oughn't grumble
about It. after all for I intend TO give
thirteen OF my twin darlings TO friends
this Christmas. and VIII likewise work
OF most OF the cretonne handkerchief
bags. AS for these latter thing hobs.
I could stand 'em n it wern't for the
fact that just after every Christmas
have moro handkerchief bags than do
handkerchiefs."
wen. Honey Bee" replied 7. 1.-The same
can't be said OF the homemade elder
down bath-robe Aunt Paulina gave me,
for you took TO that Ike bug in a rug
and on the days 7 needed it most. you
" ere always found to be utilizing II In
stead Of your hmona That, at least
was a homely instance OF two souls with
but a single thought. two hearts that ap-
peared TO have a conflict Of Jurisdiction
Tut tut" retorted the good woman.
Indignantly, I've never touched the
plaSue-it old thing I'm my life. except to
throw II over the children sometimes at
night when they were kicking or the
cover. You've gotten TO that second child
hood state when you don't want anybody
lay finger on any OF your things"
But speaking OF kinonos." said the
Queen Rec I've got one that will make
you stand on your head-yes, actually
make you stand on your head. You know
: N going TO give Il kfrnono 70 nearly
every body know-that is everybody that
IS going 70 give me something nice this
Christnas-Gnd So 7 bought enough stuff
as ] thought. 20 mako six. The pattern
was perfectly lovely-a Japanese lady.
under parasol-oniy she was awTully
hard 20 work Up and keep straight IN
putting the pieces together. Well. bless
my soul. didn't have some little rem
nants LETT over after had made all the
kimonos I wanted. ana go 7 decided 20
utilize the scraps FOR myself But, fust
my luck. when I went 70 buy a few more
Yards q the same STUFF only small
piece WIS left and 70 make things go
around. I've been compelled 70 have the
Jap lady standing on her head on both
my sleeves. whereas she's perfectly on
the level everywhere else II looks odd
admit but couldn't AFFORD to waste
the remnants had and so made trp the
kimono. ana tuFt resolved % laugh the
t-ing cr II anybody asked ne how the
LADY came 70 get inverted"
But here tho Queen Bee switched off
sgain--that IT, reverted back"-to my
Christmas present TO her. and once moro
reiterated her assertion that she desired
nothing IN the way OF a practical gift
'''TwOuld spol every bit OF the sentl-
nent" said she ia lots rather for you
to make a numbskuu Of yourself and
go OF and buy me some idiotic thing Ike
you used to do when we were courting."
And 7 guess r'l have 81 90 do.