The Washington times., 1908-12-19
Giver'S Misfortune to Hide
Them Where They Can
Be Found.
CHILDREN PEEP
IN EVERY PLACE
Youngsters Also Have Keen Ewes
For Seeing Things
Come In.

Looking through the drawers Of a bu-
reau in an unused room yesterday,
came upon a beautiful Gauzy scarf OF
the sort one uses to wrap about the
head when one goes out n the even
ings. II was perfectly new ard unworn,
and evidently some member Of the fam
ily had bought Il 70 present 10 some
other member.
Then II occurred 10 me that 7 had
mentioned IN the presence OF my beloved
ones not long ago that I needed such a
scarf, and also that Margaret had
pricked up her ears when / made the
remark.
Putting all these things together II
seemed 70 me not unlikely that the ar
ticle was intended for me, and so 1 put
1t back carefully and stole from the
room.
on the way downstairs I met Mar
garet- BY the way, Leonore." said
she, 4 hope you viii restrain your in
stincts 20 ramble all over the house this
year. looking into hiding places, for
there are some things which l should
not IKE you TO see.
Very we'll" I returned humbIy, and
hoped she did not notice the guilty flush
mat hlumined my cOUntenanCe.
Lack Originality.
I approve OF Christmas secrets most
heartily, but sometimes wish that PEG
pie showed more originality in selecting
hiding places.
Recently a masculine friend OF mine
came and sat on the edge Of my desk
and talked about that very thing. Il
made an awful blunder the other day."
said he, whispering.
What was itZ'' I asked n alarm.
Il came upon the Christmas presents
my wife had bought for me- said he.
and mOOduy looked at the floor WHY
did she hide them there, anyway he
asked Indignantly OF no one in partic-
ulsr.
-.where?" I Inquired.
In my own c-ess-suit case. IoIne1
the suitcase 10 Jones arG carried f. off
20 MIN without looking into u. II had
been empty since Z returned from Maine
last summer, and how was 7 10 know
-AnyhOU, Jones sent me q package and
a note by a messenger boy THIS morning.
/ read the note, and IL said thar he re-
turned the few things which he had
found IN the bag.
You can imagine nv feelings fHay,
when 1 opened the parcel and discovered
within several cravats of Iurid tiuts, =,
silver craVat holder, a dozen handker-
chleIs with my initials an inch high in
oi.e corner a cneSU protector 20 wear
with my dress suit a pair Of bedroom
slippers and a small silver arraugement.
the use Of which I have not yet DIS
covered
The weight or all or these taken To-
sether was almost nothing. that is the
reason did not discover they were Ia
the case when loaned 10 20 Jones'"
But what did you 90 with the
things p / inquired
Another Suit Case.
Wei. there was the rub. YOU see.
Jones had gone or TO Chicago with nv
bag and my Wife would he sure 10 look
At the things she had bought for me
during the next forenoon, after The way
OF women Curious thing about women
that they eau never be satisfied 10 mack
things away and let them alone. but
must forever h running TO look at them.
VOL. TO get on with the story know
that this idiosyncrasy was articrlarIy
developed IN my wife. an so I borrowed
a suitcase from one OF the chaps in nav
office and sneaked in with IL late In +be
afternoon and tut Il back in the close
with the presents in IL. The case TorL~s
enough like mine TO deceive A Iad,- 80
ism I thinl Ing about II, and SO I SljD~0s.
nothing VIII sUperVeEe before Zones
comes back 10 give the trick away 80
Heaven send she doesn't discover the
fraud; she would be so disappointed. )"
said T.
- Amen" replied the man, piously.
Iheu he started Off on "A fresh tack
IT'S the hardest thing in the world 70
set Christmas packages Into the house
without the children seeing them. said
he Il went in with a doll as long as
my arm the other day J. was Ia
box, and the box, I fOndly hoped was
concealed under my OVerCp-t - SIR
prised the cook by coming IN At the
Kitchen door, and was going NJ the hack
stairway -iIen two OF the little rascals
saw me and precipitated themselves
upon me-"
What Z ave you, father?' they cried.
and almost pulled my coat from nv
back
I'm a very poor liar, very Door. in
deed. and 50 when I replied that ID was
a pair OF shoes ] met looks Of distinct
incredibly
90 'ShOes2' they cried. Why they must
be for a giant We never saw such
shOeSi Let Us look at them The doll
is now locked in a closet in a room
which Is also locked, and nv wife homes
that the toys which are therein NAV
not be discovered before the 18th. but
she has grave doubts"