The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-12

Going to get all my shopping done today. wifey." he said. How about yours7"
 70. mine was done long ago." re- piled his wife.
 Somehow or other he landed in the glove department. once there he re- membered having heard his wife say that nobody could possibly have too many gloves. He thought of several friends of his. and decided he would start in with them. He would got them each a pair of gloves. Hut he didn't--for he had no idea of what sizes they were. and so. after having inspected the stock. ne turned away. muttering to himself These crowdsl These crowdsl wish I was through Instead of just beginning. Tomorrow------'''s' December Fl. It was simply terrible in the book department that next day. Terrible' Everybody, Mir. Pro Crasty Nate in- cluded. wanted to get books for their children. and everybody was having the worst time imaginable. Hurried clerks made mistakes in their checks. Angry women refused to pay more than they should. and worried men clutched at their hats and swore un' der their breaths as their favorits
  My goodness" he faltered to him- self as he reached the door. My good ness! I wish I'd gotten those things when I was in here the other day. There wasn't much Of crowd then. [ would have had the express wagon and the doll and the gloves and the ring-everything and wouldn't nave had to be bothered this way. Weii. I I'll put some corn cure on tonight ana get a good rest. and tomorrow December 22. Trodden upon are mild words for what happened to Mir. Pro Crasty Nate the next day. He came ooWh early but early as he was the mulu- | tudes were earlier. and he moved m sodden mass of humanity. all hurry | in0 hither and thither and carrying him with them as though they hAu been the four winds of heaven
 MT. Pro Crasty Nate on his way to | the little red express wagons was pitifuI object to behold. His hat was dented. His collar was torn. His tie was sadly awry. His corn was ach- ing as 1t had never ached before' and his tortured feet slipped. once pre- cipitating him headlong on to the | ground.
 Help" he called feebly. But there was no help in sight. The hurrytng multitudes merely cried: Get up! Get up! You are in our way?
 "Tomorrow," he whispered, as he limped from the store. Tomorrow-
 December 23.
 will Mir. Pro Crasty Nate ever for get that 23d of December?
 All that day he fought valiantly to | obtain entrance to the stores. He managed to squeeze into some of them only to find that they were out of everything he wanted. Then. the clerks were busy with multitudes who had got there before him. and who de- manded that they be waited on in their turn. e'Si
 At last he found himself just half an hour before closing time battling with crowds surging into the only store that had any fur coats left. He push ed and showed, and atgry ones near | threatened him and jeered at him
 when he walled:
 "But you don't understand-Tve got to get in! I've got to. I've GOT tor
 He had to-but he couldn't, you see.
 l December 24.
 On this. his last day of grace, the Hates lost all patience with him. and
 somebody stole his purse. Who was itP If he had known ho would imme- dIately have gone to them and talk en it away from them. But he did not know. Somebody grabbed 1t as he was fighting to get Into tho store where he had discovered there were