The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-24
By MABEL HARRIET URNER

pings and looked at it disconsolatey.
To find on Christmas morning that
some one to whom you have sent
nothing has remembered you with an
expensive gift is. to say the least.
disconcerting.
Look. dear" insistently, for War
rem, who was going over some cards
and letters, had not troubled to
glance up. It's an expensive one.
tooi Is it too late to send some
thing? Lots of the Christmas mail
won't be delivered until tomorrow
anyway She wouldn't know. would
she. that I sent it after I received
hers?"
What's that?" he demanded, en-
crossed in a letter
Patiently Helen repeated her ques-
tion.
Well, if you didn't care enough
about the woman to give her some
thing in the first place. why do 1t
now?"
But don't you see. she thought 1
would, or she wouldn't have sent
this"
"Uh-h," contemptuously We'll.
you can't get anything. No stores
open today
WARREN Is CRUEL
"Oh, I've got plenty of things right
here! That lace collar and cuff set
Mrs. Dalton sent yesterday It's real
lace. too. and I'll never wear it. I'll
: send her thatr
BY George, you're about as small
as they make 'em. You've got the
rottenest ideas of gifts of anybody 1
ever knew"
But. dear" flushed Helen. that
isn't wrong! Mrs. Dalton wants me to
get as much pleasure as 1 can out of
her gift, doesn't she? And if it gives
me more pleasure to give it to Mrs.
Barclay than to keep 1t muself isn't
that all right?"
But Warren's disgust for this logic
was too profound for expression.
You breakfast'n get cold. ma am"
ventured Nora, as for the third time
she suggestively passed the toast.
The mail had come just as they
were sitting down, and Helen had not
yet touched her breakfast. There was
a great pile of Christmas cards and
letters and a number of small pack
ages.
"Oh, Warren, what an expensive
card? From George Thornton. That's
a real little water color. What a
waste TO put so much money in a
Christmas card-a thing that nobody
keeps"
who are Mr.. and Mrs W. L. Wal
lace?" asked Warren. puzzling over
card.
Don't you remember? We met
them at the Stevens. She called here
several times. I'm glad I sent them
cards. oh. they're too large-they're
ninesr glancing at the size on pair
of silk stockings. why will people
sond stockings and gloves when they
don't know your size? But they're
lovely quality suppose 1 can ex-
change them"
Did you send cards to the Mer-
wins?" asked Warren suddenly
NO, I DIDN'T! Did they send us
any?"
Warren's answer was TO toss over
a card And you forgot the Gordons,
too. Like to know whom you did
send tor
Helen started to say that he. too,
wanted to remember the people who
remembered them, but she decided
such remark might not add to the
enjoyment of their Christmas morn
ing
And now the Hoovers are fixing
their cards like our" triumphantly.
as she drew from small card en-
velope Mr.. and Mrs. Hoovers' calling
cards tied together with a tiny red
bow and the simple phrase Merry
Christmas" written on one of the
cards.
Last year Helen had conceived the
idea of sending her card and War
rens in this way. 1t made a simple
and dignifed Christmas greeting, in
quite as good taste as the usual
gaudy, over decorated cards It was
clever idea, Helen thought, and a
Saving u bOlN llf1e ana money.
This year several of her friends
had adopted the same plan, but when
Helen suggested they were copying
her, Warren had scoffed at her "un-
mitigated conceit"
Here's a picture of Ferguson's
kid" he announced, tossing over
Christmas folder on which was pasted
a kodak picture of John Kent Fer
guson, age 3 months" and under it
this rhyme:
I wish you were little boy:
Cause if you were. you see,
This might be a dandy toy,
Not just a photograph of me-"
What a sweet baby! Do you sup
pose they wrote that verse"
Bum enough. Why don't some
body write a few decent Christmas
rhymes? Here's an old timer Ought
4o've had 80 days for perpetrating
this chestnut:
ITO wish you joy
And Christmas cheer
And pleasant times
Through all the year"
ITS from Mr. Elliott. tool You'd
think he'd select something more
original" and, pushing back the
cards, Helen ran to answer the phone