The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-08-21
Foolish People
Josephine Discusses the Gifts
They Give

- winch VIC maui lNSPOh9S, 90
ever:
my love?"
Whereupon Josephine clssped her
knee, sighed, shook her head, looked
at the fire again and murmured:
Augustus! What f-o-o-o-o-o-oolish
things some persons buy for pres
ents"
She turned and lifted her wistful
F., little mouth, tren 1lous for my judg-
ment upon this the fruits of her philos-
ophy, and ] kissed her then and there
right tenderly, knowing that if
seemed to scott or scorn the erudition
of her saying or the depth of the view
with which she regarded life her
bright blue eyes would fill with tears
and her gentle heart would break.
Those folks next door began
Josephine with sniff
She stopped so that we might sniff
together a conjugal sniff of utter con-
tempt and derision at the folks next
door
Those folks next door," repeated
Josephine. What do you suppose he
bought her?"
"A new bonnet, / hope!" / cried
with sudden energy, Masking already
in Josephine's smiles, for the bonnets
Of the woman next door were to Jose
phine the theme for many a busy hour
and a shining mark at which We ever
aimed the polished darts of our irony
and the daggers Of our wit.
"No, not a bonnet" exclsimed Jose
phine, and we laughed right merrily
together until Josephine checked her.
self with a start of disappointment
and murmured in sad reproach:
"Augustus!"
To which we lovingly replied:
"My love?"
Augustus! You are smoking!"
/ looked at her in sudden guilt and
with a premonition of what was now
TO come.
"Augustus!" she breathed.
my love?"
Augustus! Your smoking CAPT"
With a feeling of despair and sor.
row | arose to my feet, but Josephine's
eye was on me and Josephihe's mouth
was dropping and knew that if were
to refuse her implied request she
would wither and droop like gath
cred flower and her dream of love
would end in darkest night.
Wherefore I went to the hall rack,
placed my smoking cap upon my head
and returned to Josephine. 1t was a
round smoking cap of light blue vel
vet (such, | believe, as the gentry of
Turkey wear and call fezes) and it
was trimmed with beads. On one side
was a dragon rampant, with his tongue
stuck outfits detail Being ingenious
ly executed with beads of a scarlet
color-so that, being seen from this
side ! was an inspiration of horror
and the terror of all beholders. On
the other side was a butterfly slipping
honey from a flower and looking peace
full and pastoral beyond words-so that
being regarded from that side, | mute
ly bore reference to jocund life redo
lent with tie scent of new-mown hay
and musical with the lowing of the
kline. This inspiring cap was crowned
with golden tassel which tickled my
nose and my ears with a titilative
impartiality that | could only escape
by coiling the tassel upon the top Of
the cap and balancing it there
And thus equipped I sat me down
to smoke.
81 never" cried Josephine, clasp
Ing her knee again in transport II
never saw such a handsome cap!
Never! He looks so fierce!"
"The butterfly, my love?'
augustus, No! The dragon!"
I turned the saUcy dragon to the
back of my head so that Josephine
could feast her eye upon the butterfly,
and then I smoked as though my to-
bacco were never so sweet as when l
smoked it i'm my smoking cap.
"The moment l saw it ] knew it was
for you,' cried Josephine and I
was so afraid that it would be sold
before I could find a sales5irl to wait
o. me-"
But it wasn't"
"Nol And, Augustus! She was the
incest salesgirl, | told her, love, that
your eyes were blue and she said it
was just The thing for you. Oh, was
trembling with excitement. She said
you would look so distinguished in it,"
The tassel slipped down and tickled
my ear. | coiled it back and smoked
on.
And what do you suppose she
bought him next door," laughed jose
phiRe, and breathlessly answered. "a
walking stick"
"Never!" l cried.
Augustus! Yes! A silver-handled
walking stick, and he came out swing
ing it this morning Such 100000
oolish present. If it were something
useful like that jewel case you gave
me-"
The clock interrupted her by begin
ming TO strike nine. 1t was the hour!
Josephine gave me a solemn look and
nod and Immediately | fetched her
Jewel case.
With another solemn look Josephine
unscrewed her earrings and placed
II.