The Washington herald., 1914-04-05

Dear Mrs R.:
Enclosed please find check for ten dol
| lars with which I am going TO ask you
| to do favor for me. The invitation for
| your cousin Mary's wedding with Mr..
B. reached me last week. and I have
been racking my brains ever since TO
know what I should send them. Now
will you be 80 good as to relieve me Of
this difficult ask? I feel sure that you
! will know Immediately what will be to
her liking. and ] shall be more than in
debted to you II you will see that she
receives 1t with the enclosed card Until
a week from Tuesday. ! am sincerely.
T. B. G.
Mrs. R-threw the letter rather i'm
patiently on the desk before her. and sat
back in her chair
"Bcssie." to her daughter who was
reading a letter of her own In an oppo-
site part of the room. Here's letter
from T c. asking me to select a
present for him for Mary. and ] haven't
yet decided what I'm going TO give her
myself. It's shockinGly late. too. to be
sending a gift TO ones own relative. but
can't make UP my mind just what to
give on the money your father has al
lowed me. and now with another one to
choose I shall he at my wits end
Il wouldn't give any present at all N
IL was as hard work as that" inter-
rupted the daughter OF independent spir-
It. I'm sure II IL was my wedding ]
shouldn't care to receive a gift which
cost any one as much worry as this
seems to cause you. mother"
las n matter OF fact" replied Mrs.
r.. laughing. there Is nothing in the
world enjoy more than buying wedding
presents. hut between you and me. I'm
bound that whatever we send shall show
UP as well as any other and finer gifts
which Mary may have. All OF which
means that 7 must buy something out OF
the ordinary which must still be useful
and within my price"
Don't you remember at Dorothy's $
wedding last year. the most striking
thing among the display OF presents was
a huge solid gold pitcher sent by her
husbands college ehum who is so very
rich? Yet with all its unusual msgnift-
cence and costliness II was not bit
more remarked upon nor admired by the
guests than a pair OF antique candle
sticks. duplicates Of which I found later
at a curiosity shop, and they cost only
ten dollars"
This question OF wedding presents,
which comes to the average person at
least once or twice a year. Is vexing TO
the individual and 10 the family alike.
Should the Individual be a man II is al
ways an unsolvable enigma and he gen.
orally falls back on some woman friend.
The result is that upon the mother or
feminine members of a household de-
wolves the task Of selecting not one but
many gifts at this season when wedding
invitations are making their appearance.
and in case each person In the family
gives personal Temembrances the prob
lem does indeed become brain racking."
This is the important question: What
can we give which Is out Of the ordinary
and still within stipulated sum-"
The amount OF this stipulated sum has
a very minor Importance. Whichever
member OF the household has charge OF
the purse strings allows as much or as
little money as can be readily spared at
the moment Then IL is the duty of the
feminine contingent TO Put their heads
together and study out the very smart
est. most unique bridal present which
their imagination can conjure up. And
woe betide that adviser who has her sug-
gestion accepted. and finally after a num-
ber of weeks discovers = similar offering
in the brilliant array spread out to the
view OF curious guests on the day of the
wedding!
And now as to the component parts of
that array which is of such a different
character to its predecessors in years
past crystal Is the very faVorite siit
this spring. and among the many offer
inss in this transparent substance is
first and most novel OF all a cutlery serv-
ice for the table with strong oblonG han
dies of clear. bright crystal The knives
and forks are most practical. and as
glass plays such large part in table
decorations. these new additions serve
admirably to carry out the sCintillating
prism effects which beautifully cut bowls
and compete dishes shower on the snowy
cloth. Handsome carving knives and
forks with the best quality OF steel
blades also make a wonderfully accept
able gift Rock crystal salad bowls
drinking glasses. decanters. etc. rivaling
as they do the very finest OF the more
usual cut glass. are coveted by every
young woman who loves perfectly
equipped dining room.