The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-11-13

Dry Goods Exchange. plunged into
what they had come to say ,E. ..a-
"EbeneZer." he said with those vari
atoms of information which. mean an ef
fort to be delieate. isis there any
likelihood that the factory will open
up this fall?' .1
NO. there amt" Ebenezer said like
something shutting.
"NOr-nor this winter?'' Simeon pur
sued ls
mo. sir" said Ebenezer like some
thing opening again to shut with a
bang.
well. If you're sure said Simeon
Ebenezer cut him short. I'm dead
sure" he said. ave turned over my
orders to my brothers house in the
city. He can handle 'em all and not
have to pay his men d cent more
wages" And this was as If something
had been locked. o..
We'll" said Simeon. then. Abel.
move we go ahead." 49,. -. ....
Abel Ames. proprietor of the Granger
County Merchandise Emporium 1.-The
A. T. Stewards of the Middle West
he advertised .itD. sighed heavily-a
vast. triple sigh that seemed to sigh
both In and out. rs schoolbOy whis
ties. --s
Well" he said. - hate to do It.
But I'll be billblowed II I want to think
Of paying for a third or so Of this
towns Christmas presents and carry
ing them right through the winter !
done that last year. aud Fourth Of July
I had all could do to keep from wish
ing most of the crowd Merry Christ
mas. count of their still owing me-
I'm merchant and citizen. but I
amt no patent adjustable Christmas
tree"
ME neither" Simeon said. Last
year 1t was me give a silk cloak and
FIVE dollar umbrella and fur bore and
bushel Of knick-knicks to the folks In
this town. Ny name want ON the
cards. but it's me- that's paid for EN-
up to now I'm sick of 1t. The store
keepers Of this town may make Il good
thing out of Christmas. but they'd
ought to get some of the credit instead
Of giving 1t all. by JOSH"
What are you going to dor inquir
ed Ebenezer dry!y.
"Well. Of course last year was an ex
ceptional year." said Abel. owing
He hesitated to say lowing to the
failure of the Ebenezer Rule Factory
company" and no stammered with the
utmost delicacy. and skipped meas
ure.
"And we thought" Simeon finished
that If the factory wasn't going to
open up this winter we'd work things
SOS to have a little or no Christmas in
town this year-being 40 much of the
present giving falls ON us to carry on
our books"
1T amt only the factory wages of
course" Abel interposed. its the
folks savings being ct up IN
the failure" he would have added
but skipped mere beat, instead.
'"-and we want TO try to give 'em a
chance to pay US up for last Christmas
before they come on to themselves,
with another celebration" he added
reasonably ... .-~@.-
Ebenezer Rule laughed-a descend
ing scale Of laughter that seemed to
have no organs wherewith to function
In the open. and 80 never got beyond
the gutturaIs .-'.- ~
How you going to Ok it2" he inquir
ed again
"Why." said Simeon. -eyerybody in
towns talking that they amt going to
give anybody anything for Christmas
Some means 1t and some don't SOme'll
do II and some1l back out But the
churches has decided to omit Christ
mas exercises altogether this year
Some Thought To have speaking pieces,
hut everybody concluded II they hnd
exercises without oranges and ts,ndy
the rhiidren'd go home Disappointed
so they've left the whole thing slide"
ut don't seen, Just right FOR EN- moi
10 celebrate the birth of our EOrd just
because they can't afford the candy
Abel Ames observed mildly. hun Simeon
hurried on: ~ 90
slide. and my idea and Abel's IL
to get the town meeting to vote peti
ton to the same effect asking the town
not to try to do anything with their
Christmas this year We heard the
factory wasn't going to open. and we
thought II we could tell 1em that for
sure. II would settle it-and save him
and me ami all the rest of 'em Would
would YOU lie wiling for us to tell the
town meeting that: IT'S tonight we're
on the way there
Sure said Ebenezer Rule. tell 'em
And you might point out To EN-" be-
added, with his spasm Of gutturals.
''that failures Ia often salutary mea
sures Public benpfartions Fixes
folks SOS they. ,aIft spend their money
fool"
He walked with, them ncross the
lawn. gning between them and Guiding
them imonc the empty aster- beds
They think ! ~ mp their Swings IN
the failure. he. went ON. .when nh
-. k~..&..