Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-16

her way down the stairs to the shoe de-
partment. A pair of quilted satin fur
topped bedroom slippers for Edith, War
ren's younger sister, was what she
wanted. She had seen them advertised
for SIPS.
Warren had said most emphatically
that they could not spend as much on
presents this year as last Ana Helen
was now confronted with the very diff
ficult problem of getting great many
presents with very little money, Icys 1.
An the clerks were busy, but when at
last she was waited on, she made her
purchase with a swift precision which
mildly astonished the salesman, who eN-
pected women not to know what they
wanted, and to look over the entire
stock before they decided.
Il want that slipper" poinhng TO
sample pair in the case marked-'As
advertised, S1.29, 'in black, size S-A'
The next on her list was bureau scarf
for Aunt Mary On the first floor was
sale of bureau scarfs-twO large tables
in the aisle. 'S1.49, reduced from %0o
read the placard over the first. $lSS' re-
duced from $S.25," ives over the second
A crowd of eager bargain hunters as
many as could get around the taples'
were paving over and pulling out the
piled up scarfs Every one seemed trying
TO get at those on the bottom. why Is u
that the woman shopper always thinks
the best article is underneath? lnvarl-
ably if an odd lot OF goods are thrown
on the bargain counter every woman VIII
ignore those on top and insttnctiVely PICK
out those beneath.
And now for a moment Helen stood
watching these women pushing, showing
rudely Glowing each other to get at the
tables and then pulling out the scars
from the very bottom of the pile.
AS there was only one clerk at each
table, il was hopeless to expect to be
waited on soon, so Helen passed on to
get her bureau scarf at some other store
where they were not having a sale
She might have TO pay few cents more
but the saving of time and temper and
wear on clothes would be worth II.
A little further on was another large
table with a sign Desirable Gifts, choice
sS Cents" Around this, too, was an
eager crowd, for there is always a Curl
GUS attraction to women I'm any assort-
ment Of articles marked Choice for so
much. 1t is a subtle compliment to their
Judgment, their knowledge Of quality and
value, which every woman believes she
has, TO an exceptional degree. She is al
ways convinced that IL there is one ar
ticle in the lot of more value than the
others she will at once discern it,
Still another table marked Appropriate
Gifts, Choice 50 Cents" was In the next
aisle.
There were innumerable ash trays (dio
you ever know a man that didn't get al
least two every ChristmasO, hatpin hold
ers, vases, pin trays, stamp boxes, paper
weights and an endless variety OF brie-a'
brac articles.
And now Helen hurried by this tabl'
with it's aluring sign OF Choice s
Cents" firmly resolved that whatever sh'
gave this year would be somthing really
useful-though It was nothing more thai
a dozen good lead pencils.
II was after 5 o'clock before she at las
left the shops, carrying with her MIN
Der OF packages. for she, had eonscien
tioualy needed the placaTded requests 4
please take small packages with YOU
outside Il was already quite dark
There was u faint mittinE snow whicl
yelled the brilhRncy OF the electric sign
and street lights A surging crowd 0
homeward bound shoppers with thei
many packages filled the sidewalks AM
overlooked into the streets.
The surface cars were packed 10 IN
platforms Helen hurried over 60 tn
subway. but here, too. tho cars wer
crowded to suf1oeation. The force OF Ia
crowd oarrled Aer 10 and Wssged her u.