New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-11-18

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Dry Goods Exchange. plunged into
what they had come to say.
"Ebenezer." he said with those vari
atoms OF information which mean an ef-
fort to be delicate. Isis there any
likelihood that the factory will open
up this fall?"
NO. there amt" Ebenezer said. like
something shutting.
"Nor-nor this winter?" Simeon pur.
sued
NO. 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. i've turned over my
orders to my brothers house in the
city. He can handle 'em all and not
have to pay his men cent more
wages" And this was as il something
had been locked.
Well said Simeon. then. Abel, /
move we go ahead"
Abel Ames. proprietor Of the Granger
County Merchandise Emporium (..The
A. I. Stewards Of the Middle West"
he advertised it,. sighed heavily-a
vast. triple sigh that seemed to sigh,
both in and out. as a schoolboy whis
ties
We'll" he said. Il hate to do It,
But I'll be billblowed if want to think
Of paying for third or so of this
towns Christmas presents and carry
Ing them right through the winter.
done that last year, and Fourth of July
I had all l could do to keep from wish.
Ing most of the crowd Merry Christ
mas, count Of their stiA owing me.
I'm merchant and citizen, but
amt no patent adjustable Christmas
tree.''
"Me NEITHER" Simeon said. Last
year it was me give silk cloak and a
five dollar umbrella and fur bore and
bushel OF knick- knicks to the folks in
this town. My name want on the
cards, but It's me that's paid for 'em-
UP to now. I'm sick of it. The store
keepers Of this town may make good
thing out Of Christmas. but they'd
ought to get some Of the credit instead
Of giving it all, by JOSH
What are you going to do?" inquir
ed Ebenezer dryly. :.
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 so stammercd with the
utmost deiicacy. 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 little or no Christmas in
town this year-being so 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. 5@S
Ebenezer Rule laughed-a descend
ing scale Of laughter that seemed to
have no organs wherewith to function
in the open. and so never got beyond
! the gutturals.
How You going to fix it?" he inquir-
ed again.
why" said Simeon, every body in
towns talking that they amt going to
give anybody anything for Christmas.
Some means it and some don't. Some'll
| do it and some'll back out But the
churches has decided to omit Christ
mas exercises altogether this year
| Some thought to have speaking pieces.
but everybody concluded If they had
exercises without oranges and candy
the children'd 80 home disappointed.
so they left the whole thing slide
1T don't seem just right for 'em not
to celebrate the birth Of our Lord lust
because they can't afford the candy"
Abel Ames observed mildly, but Simeon
hurried on:
slide, and my idea and Abel's is
to get the town meeting to vote peti.
tion 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 il we could tell EN- that for
I sure, 1t would settle it-and save him
and me and all the rest OF en- Would
would son be willing for ,,s to tell the
Town meeting that: It's tonight re
on the way there"
"snre." said Ebel,escr Rule. tell ZEN
/ And You might point ont Ia en-" be
added. with his spasm or yutturals.
that failures is often salutary mea.
sures, Public benefact;ons. Fixes
folks SOS they can't spend their money
fool"
He walked with them across this
lawn. going between them and guiding
them among the empty aster beds.
/ They think ct mp their savings In
the failure" he went on. when all. i
Il 6ono to kwi,,r, Sxn,,o e..