The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1910-12-17
HER GIFT
To MILES
A Christmas Present That He
Didn't Expect.
By FRITZ KoRsMEYER.

W Qeu INC Uldlu OpcuGQ INC OOOE u
gust Of December wind, carrying with
q q few fakes Of snow, followed the
tail, sim form of GRANGER through the
Vestibule and into the hall As the
maid had spent years in the service Of
the Garrisons. she ventured q restrain
ed Good evening" but GRANGER calmly
Gtalked by her over to the hall tree.
When be had put aside his things and
turned to her again she said:
"AIr. Robert Is in his room. sir. Shall
] tell him you are here or will you
~T'H go up. Hes expecting me-"
At the head Of the stairs he knocked
at his friends room and entered.
''SOrry to keep you waiting. old man;
ready In a few minutes. Sit down and
make yourself comfortable. won't
yOu?"
GRANGER took the pronered cigar and
smoked In silence a few minutes while
his friend worked at his cravat
Il had a rather peculiar talk with
Miles today" began GRANGER In q tone
that led Garrison to stop whistling and
humble an encouraging mOnOsyllable;
Happened to meet him on the street,
yOu know, Just as I was going into
Hopes to look at q few Christmas
things. He had such q long face on
that thought be needed Jollying up q
bit Not Ike him to need cheering. II
M
Scarcely" a8snted Garrison. with
IN uneasy laugh But Of course you
know that Charlie has had some coca
G3on to look glum lately"
"Oh, yes; I've beard the family for
tunes have been rather going to pot
Wei, as ! said. ] started in 10 chan
him about Christmas GiftS- bought
Q few trines. but most Of the time l
was showing Miles things that I said
Q man with q haHcee ought to be In
tsressed In. and he was. Several times
] thou, ht he was in the point Of buy
ing something worth giving. but he
AnaIly said he couldn't decide. We
walked up the street together. and
Niles fell to Specializing In q general
way as to what girls expected Of their
1ances at Christmas time. He seemed
- want my opinion. Queer Of him to
come to me with that sort Of talk.
wasn't It, BObF
yes. but suppose be thought you
4idn't know enough about his affairs
% suspect that be was talking OF his
Own case. Men who are In love always
talk gittering generalities. while they
haven't q thing In mind but their own
particular AFFAIR. suppOsing other peO-
pc won't know t. What did y0u tell
kImT
"wsn. I said it depended largely
upon what girls had been taught to ex-
pet. From that we drifted into q dis
SuSsiOn e. 70 what q man should do
when his prospects changed during his
engagement Miles said that 10 the
sort az girl q man would really care
Cor It would make no difference. Good
Lord-'the sort Of girl q man would
really care forr I told him q man
never knows what kind Of girl be b
Mkely to care for OF what kind he q
caring for. 20 Tar ~ that goes. and
said that II I were engaged TO q girl
wouldn't take any chances at Christ
mas. He responded rather weakly
that most girls Of our acquaintance al
Ssady had everything they wanted
(which h quite trus," put n Cant
sSa
-oh. yeA true - far - Il goes. but
yOu know very wen that the average
girl likes to think her lover has search
Cd the town over for something out Of
che ordinary. Now. NE men know that
soothing remains to b bought a. q
Christmas gift that We wouldn't just
a. soon Be WitbOut. but women don't
know q and never win. and % they 90
81. expecting Joyous astonishment
oyery year
'-Stln. don't believe Nartha's Just
nks other girls IN that respect"
~Oh, I don't mean that she eareS
lartirularIy Tor what Niles may give
Der. r. I may touch On snes mattera.
But wouldn't any girl q the proper
Iplrit expect b the way Cr6ncsf
hroks q, iutsEFupting himself AMI |
dancing toward The half open DOE.
7 saw q light acro8 tn hall Whsa !
Iams Nd. Il thaf'-
SEA thafs HaglA1D -. but !