Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-19

| Va SON Sce
Simeon Buck Stood Wiping His Snow
Shovel With the End of His Muffier.
| His face was one that had never asked
: itself. say OF a winter morning. What
| else? And the winter light searched
I him pitilessly TO find that question
/ somewhere in him.
Before the Simeon Buck North
| American Dry Goods Exchange Simeon
/ Buck himself had just finished shovel
/ ing his walk and stood wiping his
| snow shovel with the end of his muf
fer. When he saw EbeneZer he shook
| the muller at him and then over his
| left shoulder jabbcd the air with his
] thumb.
Look a-here.~ he said. his head re-
enforcing his gesture toward his show
window. Look what | done this
morning. Nice little touch. eh:~
In the show window Of the exchange
dry goods exchange was just the
name of II. for the store carried every
thing-a hodGepodEe Of canned goods.
lace curtains. kitchen utensils. wax fig
ures and bird cages had been ranged
round 4 center table OF golden oak. On
familiar 10 Old Trail Town as was its
fire engine and its sprinklinc cart. Like
these. appearing Internationally. the
figure had seized on the imagination
OF the children and grown in assocla-
ton until it belonged to everybody by
sheer use and wont II was a papier
mache Santa Claus. three feet high.
white bearded. gray Gowned. with tall.
pointed cap. rather the more sober st
Nicholas o: earlier days than the roll
licking. red CARRIED st. Nick OF now.
Only whereas for years he had graced
the window of the exchange. bearing
over his shoulder little bough of
green for n Christmas tree. this season
he stood treeless and instead bore on
his shoulder n United States flag. On
placard below him Simeon had Ia !
boriously lettered:
HIGH COST OF LIVING
AND TOO MUCH FUSS
MAKES FOLKS WANT A
SANE CHRISTMAS.
ME TOO. sc.
"Ain't that neat?" said Simeon.
Ebenczer looked. What's the flag
for:" he inquired dryly.
ry something. | thought of toy gun.
but that didn't seem real appropriate.
A Japanese umbrella wasn't exactly
in season. seems though. 4 flag was
about the only thing l could think of
TO have him hold. A flag is always
kind OF tasty. don't you think
"Oh. it's harmless" EbeneZer said:
harmless.
NO hustlinG business" Simeon pur-
sued. can be contented with just not
doing something II amt enough not
10 have no Christmas. You've got TO
ind something that'll express nothing
md express ii forcible. In business a
minus sign" said Simeon. lis as good
rs IA plus II you can keep il whirling
-ound and round
This Ebenezer mulled and chuckled
,ver as he went on down the street.
lie wondered what the emporium
would do 10 keep up with the ex-
'hange. But in the emporium window
here was nothing save the usual mill
md display for the winter white goods
ale.
Ebenezer opened the store door and .
tut his bead In. .
|
he desk. Cant you keep mp with
imeon's Window"
Abel came down the aisle between !
he lengths of white stuff plated into !
olds at either side. The fire had just :
cen kindled I'm the stove. and the air a
n the store was still frosty. Abel. in :
is overcoat. was blowing on his fin \
ers.
II amt much OF any heart to-" said d
g. but the night before Christmas | = =
uessIl do about right for mine" q
"What'll you put up:" Ebenezer ask =
d. closing the door behind him J
well. sir" said Abel. Il amt made =
p my mind full yet. But III be bill y
lowed If I'm going TO let Christmas "
D by without saying something about q
i'm the window"
Might before Christmnsll be too
te 10 advertise anything" said Eben- =
ger. If / was in trade" he said. clos
x his eyes. I'D ill my window mp
ith useful articles-caps aud mittens I!
nd stockings and warm underwear j.
nd dishes and toothbrushes- And I'D
". Might as well afford these on -
hat YOU saved out OF Christmas a,
ou'd ought TO get all the advertisin; *