The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-17

| Christmas presents" said the bachelor
 as he sauntered lazily into the office a few mornings ago. where sat pounding l the keys of the typewriter, which buzzed and clicked, so that you might have | thought was playing a Hungarian dance l or an aria from one of Puccinfs lovely | things-if you hadn't known. I've been writing about that every l day since Christmas stories have been permissible" said I, rehecting that for weeks had done little else but harp | on this subject. Why, give them any | thing at all? What does it matter whether what they get is suitable? Of what importance are they that they | should have so much attention paid them at this time?'
 "As bad as that7" chuckled the bach
 elor, as my fingers once more fled over the keys. and he settled himself com fortably on the edge of the desk to have 1t out with me-"
 You heard what I said" reiterated, "and you are no exception to the rule" "Je wis en espoir," said he. Come now.
 
 as you do about that sort of thing"
 "Je suis pret." I declared. and quietly
 rested my elbows on the typewriter and
 assumed a listening attitude. "Proceedm Just suppose you were a man and at some period of your life you had received pipe for a Christmas present from a girl that you had liked. and the pipe was so embellished with silver and jew els that 1t bore a striking likeness to a scarfpin. Or if you were genuinely fond of Shakespeare and received an edition de luxe of Avon's bard illustrated. in which Juliet is represented as wearing directoire gown and Romeo in evening clothes"
 Quite impossible" sighed. as I lis- tened to his recital.
 If you were a man, how would you like to have your room at Christmas
 tide all Uttered up with stuff that smelled
 strongly of Hoyt's German perfume, and
 soft little messy pink and blue things that
 looked like a ladys lingerie, stuffed out
 with purry little bunny rabbit fur. upon
 which was embroidered the word 'Mou-
 choir done in What is home without a
 mother design? Now, what self-respect-
 ing man wants to keep his 'kerchiefs and
 cravats in a thing like that?' Then what would your royal highness demandT' I asked sarcastically Something practical" said the bache- Tor, who probably gives his best girl'' a gold pen when she never writes. or a collection of Sonnets of Moore's when she adores Ella Wheeler Wilcox and Gibbs, or Bliss Common"
 For instance, I arrived at home the other day just in time to enter the H. l brary as I saw the family cramming 1 things into the drawer of the table, and l which I felt savored marvelously of Christmas presents. My suspicious were
 naturally aroused, and so I waited for 1 them to leave and then took a peep" said | the bachelor.
 How dishonorablei' calculated. Not at all," he replied quickly. "A 1 fellow must be prepared for misfortune, and so I took time by the foreloclS, and ! sure enough there I found all sorts of funny little fancy brass articles with Love from mother and the girls on a dainty little Christmas card attached, tied with red and green ribbons"
 "What a lovely gift" I said enthus- astically.
 Absolutely the most nonsensical and asnine one in the world for me-" he
 replied My desk is not lady's desk. If was never intended to look pretty. I work at my desk. It's equipment is the