Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-11-24

wy nature we prom.
Used to do the
family shopping. Among the thou
eand and one commissions handed
over in immediate response to the
thoughtless good-nature was the OF
der for purchase Of THE Fools
Calendar" We set forth. a list
three-times-forty long In our groan
ing, much-abused handbag. and
entered the first shop come upon
in our sub-consciousness feeling that
we, like the rest Of the jostlers.
fitted In pretty well with the title Of
that calendar. Down the aisle came
a rattled-looking. hair-disturbed, gen
orally disturbed gentleman whose
province seemed the directing of fren
lied fanciers to the respective De
partments of their fancy, but the
Christmas spirit 80 possessed him he
was not quite himself. not able tc
place his "Madames" and "Sirs." AS
short-skirted. rose-wreathed hated, we
steered his way. he glanced with
wrinkled brow and questioning worry
you sell calendars here?"- We asked
In heat of hurry. to which ne replied
glibly, Yes. Sir" and never knew
he was not using the usual form oil
address to woman. He led us tler
with rapid step to the calendar
square. where spread out and uprose
floor, roof and pillars of calendars
1t would seem every time-chroniclel
for every taste. And then feeling very
like fool ourselves, we asked in
low voice, Have you The Fools Cal
endar?'" NO" says he. But" and
q CLEAN of keen intellect lights HIS
eye. I'VE have Saints and Sinners
We wanted to shrek with laughter
We forgot all the hurry and not-money
enough or time-enough. 1t paid fos
all the crowding and mobbing ant
back-ache and heart-ache of the day.
Funny enough was the woman en-
countered in mid-afternoon entering
the much-advertised. much-crowdet
book-room of department store in
haste to get at the forty-eight centers
and thirty-niners; she was high and
broad and muscular. an Amazon that
need not have put on extra effort tc
make her way-but the spirit OF
Christmas-the modern-was strong
upon her,-and as we passed her or
The way out into blessed out-of-doors,
even in our hurry we could not but
notice her wild look. her painting
breath. her elbows out on defensive
and offensive the way in which she
marched on, unswervingly. unrelent
ingly, like an avalanche, toward the
bargain books.
Overheard at the book counter:
Don't you think a nice little book
like this is good present to give?'
"a little book? What is the name?'
"Why don't know. but It's nice
little book in clean white binding ]
believe I'll get dozen. A dozen,
please, and see that they're all fresh
The calendar square again. Won
en- madly struggling; another Amazon,
this one brow-beating pale-face6
girl afflicted with a cold and. wearing
a too-much Christmas air: Cant you
get me envelopes to put those calen.
dars in?"-dimensions Of calendars IS
by "a inches-"It's so hard when you
get home to hunt around and pack
things. wouldn't have bought the
calendars II hadn't thought you
would pack 'em. Say, take that new
one out of that nice box. hang 1t up
and give me the box. Not allowed to?
What's the DIFF, they'll never know"
And the pale-faced clerk bends to the
Amazon's will.
A large. canny. prosperous gentle
man at candy store. carefully select
ing and considering purchase of 25
cents worth Of Kindergarten mixed.
Brave, foolish. big-hearted shop
girls many spending their present
all. and drawing on the future. 70
make Christmas for the army at
home.
We do a generous deed. one That
calls for large sacrifice. We have
gone down town all saddled, all
bridled. for the days work, three neat
long pencils neatly sharpened to long
points. when we become one Of moo
assailing the enclosure where blank
books. tissue-paper. holly-stickers and
all that are confirmed firm the greedy
hands OF thousands hungry to get
their share for the urgent necessity
Of doing up gifts with approved ornate
completely. The clerks here all pale
and grippe-y looking; one. so wee and
pallid, has momentarily lost her rea.
son because Of the loss of her pencil.
A line Of neonla wait with faxarish