Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-05-16
KEEPING UP WITH BESS
BY ANNIE sEIerHsAcHss.

about twenty-four Christmas bundles
on the floor az she did so, she heayed
even deeper sigh than one would
naturally have expected under the cir
cumstances
What's the NATTER asked her
friend. You look as though you'd
lost pounds and pounds from worry. :,
] think ! have replied the stout
woman, rather feebly. You see, it's
Bessie. Bessie's my fayorite niece, az
you know, and she's burdened with
oyer-induIgent parents who give her
everything she wants before she
knows that she wants it, Now. how
! - II possible 70 please such a girl
with any kind OF gift? She has jewelry
by the pound and she gets enough
candy every Christmas 70 feed an
orphan asylum SO whenever Decem-
Der comes around ! begin to wiring
my hands and say What under the
shining sun can ] get for Bessie?'
That's the way ! got my first gray
hairs get a fresh installment OF
them every Christmas"
She was calming down now Her
friend had politely assumed an air Of
deep attention.
After hours and hours OF brain
racking effort" went on the stout wo-
man, Il found out that Bessie wanted
Princeton pennant. There was one
Princeton pennant left In the sport
Ing goods section the day | went to !
buy Bessie's present and | wrestled |
for II with two husky youths, middle !
aged woman and half dozen giggly |
girls. got IT, too. although In the
process ! lost three perfectly good Jet
buttons and sprained my wrist
That night Bessies beau brought
her an atrocious big Princeton pen
nant about three times the size OF the
one ! had worked SO hard for Sweet
OF him. wasn't it,"
Go on begged her friend Your
thrilling recital makes a war story
look as fiat as plug hat that's been
sat on. What happened next?"
Bessie came over to my house one
day said the stout woman. and :
-ayed about an embroidered shirt !
waist OF mine that some poor soul had |
'pent six monts making. Wen. that y
rave me an idea and / Immediately
tarted to make Bessie one like II in
TX days. I embroidered until | saw
'renoh knots dancing all over the wall =
nd ] counted stitches in my sleep.
,ven my football playing son. who
cells on signals In his dreams, became
Harmed at the symptoms that dis !,
layed My family rose in wrath a
hen ! brought the thing to the table j,
dinner and embroidered between al
purses. And then when the waist al
as nearly completed Bessie casually bi
nnounced that she thought embroid. Ii
red shirt waists were getting com -e
ION and she wouldn't wear one for
lything" II
Dear dear" murmured her friend.
alphabetically
Il felt like telling Bessie that II she
ranged her mind again she wouldn't
i any present from me- said the
out woman. But next morning |
arted out on the warpath, all Spilled w
} in my Oldest clothes, 80 that |
uld grab bargains with the best OF lie
EN-. ] ran into sale OF jewelry
women six deep fighting over lit
} 80 cent reduced from 81 coin vo
rises. and all trying to get waited
at once. II took me half an hour
get next TO the counter. Really, II ro
II cruel the way | climbed over peo-
}, but II was for worthy cause.
yway, | got there, found the coin
rses all gone, took another half hour =
ting untangled and had to pay 50 -
the same thing In another store. \
After I'd been pattinK myself on 49,
} back for about day for having
we'd the problem ! met Bessie on .e"
street. She hailed me, and then NO
he into lamentations. What do 49,
] think. Aunt Holen? she said.
Icle Billy brought me another coin
SO last night and ! had three al
dyl' ri
When | came 10 was In q drug
re- and Bessie was rubbing my head
cooling You shouldn't worry so e-
r Christmas You know you do too
H. auntie n'S''
Yes, know. Bessie. said What diss'
iou want for ChristmasT files
Why. | don't know. she replied. win
hing much that can think OF. r,
4 diamond ring. but daddy won't 49,,
me one. Must you go SO soon?'
think now that I'll 90 florists nom
order a couple OF dozen roses for desc'
'ie-the stems 10 be at least throe so
long ! sent her some when she way.
appendicitis and she raved over ,,on
D then, but now-goodness knows.
may have developed a case Of
fever by this time. Heoi'
honestly, the thought of all the stand
stmases that are yet 20 come Is root
sh 70 kiu any one Yes. do feel purin
housh Ia been through a key rr,
rs.t u.~v ch-,u,, the
lessieslS thousl
tiers
Don't Shoot Erstef