The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1910-12-24
HER GIFT
TO MILES
A Christmas Present That He
Didn't Expect.
By FRITZ KoRsMEYER.

When the maid opened the door q
gust of December wind, carrying with
It a few fakes Of snow, followed the
tail, stif form Of GRANGER through the
Vestibule and into the hall As the
maid had spent years in the service Of
the Garrisons, she ventured restrain
ed Good evening" but GRANGER calmly
stalked by her over to the hall tree.
When he had put aside his things and
turned to her again she said:
"Mr. Robert is In his room, sir. Shall
tell him you are here or will you
I'll 60 up. He's 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
your"
GRANGER took the proffered cigar and
smoked in silence a few minutes while
his friend worked at his crayat
Il had a rather peculiar talk with
Miles today" began GRANGER In a tone
that led Garrison to stop whistling and
humble an encouraging monosyIlable;
Happened to meet him on the street,
you know, Just as was going into
Hopes to look at a few Christmas
things. He had such a long face on
that I thought he needed joIlying up a
bit Not like him to need cheering, Is
HP
Scarcely" assented Garrison, with
an uneasy laugh. But Of course you
know that Charlie has had some coca
SION to look glum lately"
~Oh, yes; I've heard the family for
tunes have been rather going TO pot
Vel, as / said, I started in to chat
him about Christmas gifts. bought
q few tribes, but most Of the time !
was showing Miles things that said
q man with a iancee ought to be in
tarested In, and he was. Several times
I thought he was in the point Of buy
ing something worth giving, but he
finally said he couldn't decide. We
walked up the street together, and
Niles fell to specializing In a general
way as to what girls expected Of their
dances at Christmas time. he seemed
to want my opinion Queer Of him to
come to me with that sort Of talk,
wasn't it, BobT'
Yes, but suppose he thought you
didn't know enough about his affairs
% suspect that he was talking Of his
own case. Men who are in love always
talk glittering generalities, while they
haven't a thing in mind but their own
particular affair, supposing other peo-
pie won't know It. What did you tell
him?
"Weu, l said it depended largely
upon what girls had been taught to ex-
pet. From that we drifted into dis
Cussion as to what a man should do
when bis prospects changed during his
engagement Miles said that to the
sort Of girl a man would really care
Tor It would make no difference. Good
Lord-the sort Of girl a man would
really care forr I told him a man
never knows what kind Of girl he Is
Hkely to care for or what kind he is
caring for, 50 far as that goes, and
said that If 1 were engaged to a girl ]
wouldn't take any chances at Christ
mas. he responded rather weakly
that most girls Of our acquaintance al
ready had everything they wanted"
(which Is quite true" put IN Carl
ION.
~Oh, yes, true as far as it goes, but
you know very wen that the average
RtrI likes TO think her lover has search
Cd the town over for something out Of
the ordinary. Now, we men know that
nothing remains to be bought as q
Christmas gift that We wouldn't Just
- soon be without, but women don't
know It and never win. and 50 they 90
On, expecting joyous establishment
every year"
''Stm, I don't believe Martha's Just
IKE other girls IN that respect"
ooh, don't mean that she cares
particularly for what Miles may give
her, II I may touch on gnch matters.
Bat wouIdn't any slr1 Of TIE proper
,pirit expect By the way" GRANGER
rOke Of, inteEupttng himself and
'aanclng toward the bali open door,
4 saw . light across the han when i
,ame I'D. Il that
-, 8ats - ~ I