The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-12-21
TWO GIRLS AND THEIR GIFTS.

''This Christmas business is nuis-
ance"
''What Christmas business, dear?"
20 this giving of presents, and
Christmas cards and all that sort of
stuff. I've been trotting around the
stores all day, jostling crowds of men
and women-mostly women of course
as stupid as myself; all of them
buying senseless nick-nacks for gifts
and remembrances and presents, all
breathing the miserable air of the
crowded stores, everybody scowling
at everybody else, because everybody
has to wait, and wait till everybody
else is served; and the clerks are
mean, and you can't get half the things
you want just for your most particular
friends-oh it makes me tired"
well, we'll; poor girl you really do
look tired and no wonder. And you're
cold, too. Sit here by the fire and I'll
have a cup of tea for you in minute.
The Christmas shoppers are not so
horrid as all that, surely, but you're
worried and tired"
While Mary was busy preparing the
tea, Nellie idly fingered the letters on
the table beside her.
"Why you must be writing letters to
all your friends instead of buying
Christmas presents for them"
mo, not to all of them. I bought a
few little gifts last week before the
rush of shopping began. But I am
sending a few gifts in those letters
too"
christmas cards I suppose; who
cares for them?"
30 they'll all be welcome, Nellie;
I'm sure of that-every one of them.
Money and checks to the poor, I'll
bet. You silly"
Then Mary's merry laugh rang out
as she made the plea Guilty and not
guilty, Nellie"
Nov no enigmas. I'm too tired tc
do any guessing What's this letter
addressed to Father Hebel?"
That's the five dollars you and
promised to give him before New
Years for his building fund"
THANK goodness. I'm so glad yor
found the money some place. I spent
a dollar and fifty cent of my share
this afternoon and I can't pay yor
back till the first of February now
But | hope you have enough left tt
buy something nice for Mrs. Burns
couldn't get thing that would sui
her, and made up my mind to leave
it to YOU
"Our gift to Mrs. Burns is in thi!
envelope here, Nellie
This! why this is addressed to {
Father Walsh in New York"
Eyes and it contains ten dollars fo
the Foreign Mission Seminary a
Maryknoll on the Hudson
What's that got to do with Mrs
Burns?"
"WeIl, the ten dollars is from Mrs
Burns and myself and two others. W.
fixed things up two weeks ago an,
decided that instead of buying pres
ents for one another we'd club to
gether and help the heroes of. tn
foreign missions"
"Deari dear! how nice that Mrs
Burns will not be expecting anything
in return for that beautiful
Hush, Nellie dear, she would neve
expect anything
"Oh, Mary, you're too charitable Blu
how about Miss WILDLY? We Gel
tain1y have to get something for hel
looked for an hour to find somethin
suitable and I just couldn't"
"Ha! ha! ha! Miss WILDLY is a
ready satisfied. See this letter to e.
tension Magazine?"
eyes,"
We'll, there's sixteen dollars in tina
and Miss WILDLY has contribute
five"
Why, Mary, what kind of game ar
you playing with all these friends &
ours? Why didn't you tell me abou
it? It's just too good that you'v
satisfied two of our most particula
friends; but | think you were res
mean not to let me know thing abou
it. What's the sixteen dollars for?
We'll half of it goes to the school
that Archbishop Pitaval is trying
build for the poor Mexicans who ar
too poor to support even their publ
cnhnc1c.- nd 1,n1a a