The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-12-20
A CHRISTMAS DILEMMA.


A CHRISTMAS DILEMMA.
Lansing had pondered before on the
fmpossibi1fty of making one dollar do
The work of two-Or more. II had
been borne in upon him frequently
since he came to the city and went TO
work That first year made him shud
der even now. when he had achieved
desk and the magnificent salary OF
$40 week from his firm.
That is, SIS had seemed the embodi-
ment of wealth when ne first realized
that IL was his. IL was not possihle
that the shah OF Persia, gazing on his
store OF gems, ever felt richer than
Lansing did while gazing at the con-
tents OF that first plethor-ic pay en-.
pelope.
He still remembered tine letter he
mac written home that night telling
OF his good fortune. sHe had not boast
ed. He had tried to write of mis- nro-
motion in casual calm manner as,
befitted budding business man in a
metropolis, but he could see his moth
err and father and the girls deIightedIy
reading the news. 1t makes one feel
very comfortable and extremely well
satisfied to know that people connect
ed with one are proud of one-and
with reason.
Like all supreme moments this one
of Lansing's faded. It faded quickly.
After he had handed over IS a week
for his little bedroom and plain fool
had paid so cents car fare, had pur.
chased his frugal downtown luncheon
and had liquidated his laundry bill.
there was about 81 remaining.
IL rs marvellous how quickly few
too, .-f<.
paper and handkerchiefcs and collars
to replace those lost or ruined by the
cheap laundry will devour 81, 10 sew
nothing OF the tragedy of a new suit
OF clothes Or a hat. Lansing HAD set
MS jaw and tried a cheaper boarding
place, but he had been ra:sed on
generous country table and a cleanly
one and he was homesick almost to
illness, and me foresaw an early death
from starvation or dyspepsia. So he
went back to the So extravagance with
a logged hopelessness.
However, it was not so bad until he
met Kitty. She was-weH, she was
KITTY This 10 Lansing meant many
things
Kitty came to board where ne did
and she also worked downtown. She
WAS as excellent stenogTsapiner az
she was remarkably pretty girl The
real value OF a silver dollar was not
fully borne in upon Lansing till the
evening when, instead of Joining the
others Ia the parlor, Kitty came down
stairs after dinner with hat and wrap
and went to the theater with a tall
young man in an aggreSsively pros
perous-looking overcoat who had call
ed for her
To take a girl to the theater meant
SO, and more for tickets and car fare,
to say nothing OF supper afterward.
And Kitty went to supper with the
tall young man that night, for Lancas-
ter heard her telling one OF the other
girls about it the next evening.
IL took Lansing a month TO scrape
81 or So together TO spend on the the
alter. fbut he did it. That month of
struggle was well balanced, he
thought. the evening he took Kitty TO
the show. 1t was not such an event
to iler as to him, although she enjoy
ed it and apparently enjoyed his so
ciety He realized that she was quite
used to being taken to the theater and
ne sounded the depths of despair, be
cause he was much in love with
Kitty. She was the sort of girl "a fell
low is proud OF being in love with.
OSVcT2i WEEKS dSO NE IOTSSdW
Christmas and redoubled his scrim-
ping. He got his news by the head
lines of the paper in the hands of the
man across the aisle in the morning
street car If he could manage to
work till 1880 O'clock without going
out for lunch he told himself that it
was so near dinner time he did not
really care for anything to eat. He
trimmed his collars and cuffs with
the scissors and if he got out of the
Office in time he walked the four
miles home. The little sum grew by
nickels and dimes. Lansing began TO
feel the pride OF the victor He
would be able to send Christmas pres
ents home and 10 get something for
KITTY that would be worth while.
He had seen a belt buckle that ap-
pealed TO him as being what would
best show her how much ne thought
of her. and its price was $3.50 In his
spare moments he liked to imagine
how she would look when she received
IL. Even the hated man in the pros
porous coat who came frequently
collid not give her anything that she
would like better He had also de-
cided what presents he would send To