The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-16
MY WIFE'S
BIRTHDAY
Bs CARR SARGENT CHASE

o<ho" HoN iiiSy diii dHt tlHW tie tuF'
nishing of gifts for menli.ers OF the
family diStreSSes me- hubby must
have a birthday gift for you as well
as nle. and must provide his as wet
as mine viii yon please relieve me
OF the responsibility by buying. some
/ thing for me to give you and sonic
thing for Robb! to give YOU
This WIS. iot Dispensing tn my wife
for size is Il fruSai woman and would
rather buy gifts for herself than that
] should buy them for her. fearing
that would be-tpo extravasant in the
matter. i'essideS. she, has for same
time provided the family gifts for
birthdays and Christmas. However
there is one feature of the matter that
needs careful attention Our hoy. Bob
by. aged ten. IS not taken into the
secret. He is supposed to ASSUME that
! buy his AMI my own gifts for his
mother
On this Anniversary. being very much
engaged. after throwing he burden On
my wife's shoulders | did not even
take the pre.aution to -have the usual
consultation with Bob as to what l
should procure for him for his mot her
birthday. The day before the anniver-
safy came round suddenly remember
ed the matter reminded him of it and
asked him what he would like to give.
He prefers to pay for his gifts out of
his own money and. having an eye to
business. suggested candy. well know
ing that nine tenths OF it would go into
his, own stomach. He gave me the
MONEY for the purchase. and straight
way informed his mother of his choice.
telling her just what kind Of sweets
he preferred for her. or. rather. for
himself
My wife left box containing my
gift for her in my closet. and SO busy
was that ! never thought to look 1T
it. The afternoon before her birth
day we walked out together. and dur
ing the walk she dropped III at IA candy
store and. finding Il better article than
Bob had suggested for less money.
bought it. carefully instructing me as
to the REASONS should give Bob for
the change from his order.
That evening took Bob into my
study. shut the door so that his mother
could mot ovrrhear our conversation
and showed him the candy. explaining
at tile same time why the change had
been made Unfortunately told him
nnpt1i., t,. 10 bnard u,.i
through then said
"I';lia didn't suppose you wouId
ailosA iRl one 10 make such Il @uy of
."Whar do you mean?" ASKED quite
taken ab;,ck
ITO charge you 30 cents for half a
pound Of candy" s..
Not being able to explain the matter.
tried TO get out of il 10y directing his
attention elsewhere. so | took the box
containing. my own present for his
mother from the closet and began to
open 1t.
Now. it sud 'enly occurred to me that
was ignorant of the contents OF that
box While unwrapping il Bob asked
me several times what it was.
You shall see" said But the i'm
patieut Bob did not see. for there WAS
a knot in the string that bound it
which found il difficult to unite, so I
kept repeating. You shall see. my boy,
what it is If you will only be patient"
When | got the cover off ] discovered
that the gift had been packed in ex
reIsiar. and | was obliged to hunt tor
it This cinsed more delay. during
which Bob continued to ask What is
it," and ! to reply You shall see. :
But + was cornered after all. for wheh
predured little round glass recep-
tacles profuseiy gilded. with a, hole in
the cover. I didn't know what it was.
What is it. papa?" again Bob que
Red. this time With new u,eaning,
for he had never seen one of the kind
before any more than had.
Here w;is pretty lnedicament
had maght a present for mother with
out knowing to what use it was 10 be
put That was dead giyeaway.
locked il over. turned it upside down
and took off the lid. but for the life OF
me ronll not make out for what il
was intended. Finally ! haZardei:
WAY, duu't you know what that is.
Rot? Why. it's IA thing Il lady puts
on her bureau tn hold powder. and
that hole in the top is for the handle
of the thing she pnts the stuff on her
face with. The handle sticks out
through the hole"
Having said this ! directed Bob's at
tentiou again to his own present and
he asked me IT it would be allowable
for him to take just one.
Having staggered through the matter
with Bob and come out whole by the
skin Of my teeth. went to his mother
and said:
.tror heavens sake. Why didn't you
tell me what was the gift you had
bought for me r. give you and what il
was for:"
! Il did. hut you forgot"
What is the thing anyway: ! told
Bob Il was for face powder"
Its hair receiver"
What 3 IL hair rptriver?
Its to put the hairs in that come
out of womaii'S head when she
comlls her hair /"
'sE,o they go in at the hole in the
top;''
''Of course