Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-19
UNIQUE PLAN
FOR GIFT GIVING
AT CHRISTMAS
How One Mother Who Was
Quarantined on Account of
Measles Made Her Own
Presents for All the Family

GstoreB. It IS not because She is pOOt'
for. although she is not rich, there Is no
scarcity of money in her family. Instead
there is a christmas presents" fund that
will 20 untouched In the bank this Yue-
time.
For several weeks now her house has
been in quarantine; Eve children, from
the girl of t6 to the little baby OF ., have
had the measles. Some of them were
very sick indeed, and, In spite of nurse
and servant, Mother has had hard
time Now they are all convalesclng. and
she could get out to the stores the week
before Christmas. But she decided some
time age not to attempt 1t, but TO do her
Christmas shopping at home!
Every other morning after breakfast,
when the invallds are gathered with their
books and their nurse and their toys in
the sunny living room, Mother bids them
all good-by. BE good, darling, while
Mother is doing her Christmas shopping"
= she says, just as though she were going
out; and everybody enters into the spirit
OF the thing and pretends she Is. Then she
goes upstairs and does not descend until
Just before dinner. when she comes in
from her shopping tour. The whole third
ground; no child goes into them through
out the day. If the two youngest cry
for her, all the others tell them that
"Mumsy is way Ch interviewing Santa
Claus, and she can't come back till the
train brings herl" Lunch Is taken on a
tray up the backstairs to her; the house
is fairly large and she is woman of
quiet movements, so she is scarcely heard
on the first floor. The game, as a game.
Is working beautifully.
But IL Is ulso successful in another way.
This little woman is actually doing her
Christmas shopping in her own home at
great saving of time and nervous en-
ergy.
She began, first. on her young daugh-
ter's presents. She went carefully
through the girls wardrobe to see what
could be accomplished with the materials
on hand. She had asked for new mules.
The old, pretty pink satin ones were were
frayed and blackencd. These old ones,
the mother soaked in gasoline one day
and cleaned again on another day. She
then refined them neatly with n piece of
bright yellow satin ribbon found in the
general scrapbag that is tucked away in
every well regulated sewing room. and
painted them with gold paint. When they
were dry size sowed a slender black silk
cord around the edges of the slippers and
fashioned butterfly OF black and yellow
ribbon, wired, to perch on each toe They
were beautiful new mules.
A pair OF black satin dancing pumps
we're beginning to show wear. The shabby
1 places were mended with glue and bits
OF black satin ribbon. and these were gild-
ed also. and a pair of handsome bronze
buckles that she ripped of her own good
summer slippers used for ornamentation.
Such lovely new pumps demanded a new
dancing frock. There was a little sea
foam silk party dress laid aside to go to
the cleaner some day, but the mother got
1t out and cleaned 1t herself with gasoline
in the garret, and proceeded to make IL
new" A chiffon scarf of her own,
which was brought into use for this,
creamy one with great yellow and golden
roses shading to brown upon 1t. or this
abe made little overdress. caught at the
shoulders and on the skirt with green
and golden satin butterflies
She made her. too, the simplest kind Of
a neglge from one OF those saldy three
yard long automobile wells, dark blue at
the ends and shading through lighter tints
10 a very light blue in the centre. II had
not been worn a dozen times, and press
lng made 1t look like new She folded it
alraight across the middle. and then sew
ta up the sides from the ends 10 form
Ind OF sleeves. From the centre she cut
square neck and finished with light
ne chiffon ruffie, made from the goods
sd out. The neglige slips on over the
ntad.
tfice OF the gold paint.
Tor the son, 10, she spent days In the
ezbreroom, renovating the things he loved
sd She mended his baseball NIT. his
king gloves. his punching bag and his
#Dtball; she cleaned them all In gasoline
"a rubbed them until they were like
H4W. She gave his baseball bat a new
"a OF varnsh and painted on new red
ID black lines. Size mended an old
oken Indian head and painted it from
ny cans on the household paint shelf
til Il was herce enough to please any
Aud then she wrote for him this
ffomiEsory note; "On or before the
bring of 1915 | promise to give my son
I'd q room OF his own at the back OF
z8 house, and he may have il papeTed
81 decorated in any way II suits him"
hat viii be a great blow to the boy Of
ssho shares a room with him at present
Ia Ned may have all the red paper and
Hdians-and noise-he wants I'm his very
IN FOoml His presents cost the price
the gasoline used in cleaning them. In
bed, gasoline was the only expense in
ost OF the Christmas shopping.
Shopping for the boy OF 8 and the babies
20 are and T. respectively, consisted
- fesurfeeting old toys and nendins and
lnting them In every house where
Hefe are children there are discarded
zs- NO one realizes the Possibilities
these until at work upon them. Chill
41h Aof8eA from year 10 year menued
are new toys to them, and make
IN happy. This little woman worked
hammer and nails. with glue and
h tinkers Lead She repaired hre en-
es ana trains OF cars. tin soldiers and
#odeu soldiers wooden horses and carts
fo'ls ana dolls furniture and a dolls car
lage- She made q aat of blocks new by
painting the alphabet and the anina4s
back aEain! Tha outlines we're there: any
mature person might have done H. Plenty
y bright paint Vas used on everything.
eania Claus Is bringing a full bag II TOYS
50 those klddlssi Il Is doubtful IL they
Niii recognize one OF them.
Fer ietner she made . bathrobe OF the
blanket she bought last ChFistmas. but
hica vas never made up. she has
saneQ ana oiled his old morocco slippers
aa mAae them look respectable aEain
~ on the afternoon before Christ
- sne is going % clean up ana arrauaa
9'3 dezk, labelling every plgeonhoia
aE4uer ana attins ~ Hith new hIat-
1'oitins pad. pens. INK. penUlrersl
4aef4 account ana nleuio booka
e-c. When the aergant goes 70
tfet splne day she can bring home
se thnfs from the corner draF store