Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-19

THE GIFT OF
THE WISE MEN

By O. HENRY
Copyright 1906, by Doubleday, Page Co., and
Published by Arrangement With Them.

VSV GVG V0V ava VNV ava VGV q
went to work repairing the ravages
made by generosity added to love-
Which is always a tremendous task
dear friends-a mammoth task.
Within forty minutes her head was
covered with tiny, close-lying curls
that made her look wonderfully like
a truant school boy. She looked at
her reflection In the mirror, long,
carefully and critically.
IF Jim doesn't kill me-" she said to
herself, before he takes a second look
at me, he'll say look like a Coney
Island chorus girl. But what could /
do-oh! what could do with a dol
lar and eighty-seven cents?"
AT o'clock the coffee was made and
the frying pan was on the back of the
stove hot and ready to cook the chops.
Jim was never late. Della doubled
the fob chain In her hand and sat on
the corner of the table near the door
that he always entered. Then she
heard his step on the stair away down
on the first flight, and she turned white
for just a moment. She had a habit
Of saying little silent prayers about
the simplest everyday things, and now
she whispered: please, God, make
him think am still pretty"
The door opened and Jim stepped in
and closed 1t. He looked thin and very
serious. Poor fellow, he was only 22
and to be burdened with a family!
He needed a new overcoat, and he
was without gloves.
Jim stopped inside the door, as i'm
movable as a setter at the scent of
quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della,
and there was an expression in them
that she could not read, and 1t terri
fed her. 1t was not anger, nor sur
prise, nor disapproval, nor horror. nor
any Of the sentiments that she had
been prepared for. He simply stared
at her fixedly with that peculiar ex-
preston on his face.
Della wriggled off the table and
went for him.
Jim, darling" she cried, don't
look at me that way. had my hair
cut Oft and sold it because couldn't
live through Christmas without CIV
ing you a present. It'll grow out
again-you won't mind, will you? I
just had to do it. My hair grows aw-
fully fast. Say Merry Christmas,
Jim. and let's be happy. You don't
know what a nice-what a beautiful,
nice gift I've got for YOU"
you've cut off your hair? 2" asked
Jim, laboriously. as II he had not ar
rived at that patent fact yet even after
the hardest mental labor.
"Cut If off and sold it." said Della.
Don't you like me just as we'll, any
how? I'm me without my hair. amt
II"
Jim looked about the room curious
ly.
You say your hair is gomez" he
said. with an air almost of idiocy.
you needn't look for It," said Della.
Its sold, I tell you-sold and gone,
too. It's Christmas eve, boy. Be good
to me, for 1t went for you. Maybe the
hairs Of my head were numbered" J." she
went on with sudden serious sweet
ness. but nobody could ever count
my love for you. Shall put the chops
on, Jim?"
Out of his trance Jim seemed quick
" to wake. He EMBODIED his Della.
For ten seconds let us regard with
discreet scrutiny some inconsequential
object in the other direction. Eight
dollars q week, or a million year
what Is the difference? A mathema-
tician or a wit would give you the
wrong answer. The magi brought
valuable gifts, but that was not among
them. This dark assertion will be IL
Illuminated later on.
Jim drew a package from his over
coat pocket and threw 1t on the table.
Don't make any mistake. DELL" he
said. about me. I don't think there's
anything in the way of haircut or
shave or a shampoo that could make
me like my girl any less. But II you'll
unwrap that package you may see why
you had me going while at first"
White fingers and nimble tore at
the string and paper. And then an
ecstatlc scream of joy: and then. alas!
a quick feminine change to hysterical
tears and walls, necessitating the i'm
mediate employment of all the COM
forting powers Of the lord Of the fiat.
For there lay The Combs-the set
of combs, side and back, that Della
had worshipped for long in a Broad
way window. Beautiful combs, pure
tortoise shell. with jeweled rims-just
the shade to wear in the beautiful van
ished hair. They were expensive
combs, she knew, and her heart had
simply craved and yearned over them
without the least hope Of possession.
And now. they were hers, but the
tresses that should have adorned the
coveted adornments were gone.
But she hugged them to her BOSOM
and at length she was able to look up
with dim eyes and smile and say:
My hair grows so fast, JIM
And then Della leaped up like
little singed cat and cried, "Oh. OH
lin had not vet seen his beautiful
present. She held it out to him eager.
ly upon her open palm. The dull
precious metal seemed to flash with
a reflection of her bright and ardent
spirit.
Isn't it a dandy, Jim? l hunted
all over town to find 1t. you'll nave
to look at the time a hundred times
day now. Give me your watch. L
want to see how 1t looks on It,"
Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled