Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-05

That amt the idea" Mis- Bates In
sisted; 81 want them learnt to do with
out c'They'l learn that" Mis-
Abby Winslow said; they'll Iearn.'D
Happening as It does TO most every
one OF US TO have no Christmas. they
won't be no distinctions drawn. None
OF the children can brag-and children
is limbs of Satan for Dragging" she
added She was remembering a brief
conversation overheard that day be
tween Gussie and Pep. the minister's
son:
I've got doll" said Gussie.
1--WE got a dollar" said Pep.
My mamma went to a tea party
said Gussie.
My mamma give one" said Pep.
Gussie mustered her forces. My
papa goes to work every morning."
she topped it.
My papa don't have to-" said Pep.
and closed the incident
II can't help who's a limb of Satan"
Mis- Winslow replied doggedly.'T can't
seem to sense Christmas time without
Christmas"
'It won't be Christmas time II you
don't have any Christmas" Mis- Bates
persisted
"Oh. yes it WILL Mis- Winslow said.
''Oh. yes it will. You can't stop that"
1t was Mis- Bates. who. from the
high backed plush rocker, raped with
the blue glass paper weight on the red
glass lamp and. in the absence of Mr..
Bates. called the meeting to order. The
Old Trail Town society was organized
vTa - in
ed. dues nothing but taking turns with
the entertaining. officers to consist of.
president. the host Of the evening Cor
wife. If any. and no minutes TO bother
with" And II was to a meeting so
disposed on the subject OF Christmas
that Simeon Buck rose TO present his
argument
Mr. President" he addressed the
chair
ITS Mime. President. you ninny
geese" corrected Buff Miles. sOtto
voce.
1T had ought TO be Nine Chair
man. objected Mis- Moran. ''She amt |
the continuous president
We'll. for the land sakes. call me |
Mis- Bates. formal. and go ahead.'' |
said the lady under discussion. only |
! bet you've forgot now what You was !
going TO say"
Not much / did not" Simeon Buck |
continued compOsedly. and. ignoring |
the Interruptions. let his own vocatlve |
stand Then he presented n memoir
andum OF n sum of money. It was not |
n large sum. But when he quoted It
everybody looked at everybody else,
stricken For II was n sum large
enough TO have required. in the earn
ing. months OF work on the part Of
an appalling proportion Of Old Trai!
Town.
From the day after Thanksgiving
10 the night before Christmas last
year. SAT- -5IIueon. GEt r III,
amount that the eco sOuls-uo. I guess
IL must have been bodies-in our town
spent in the local stores. Now. bare
living expenses aside-w hich amt very
much for us all. these days-this
amount may be assumed to have been
spent by the lot OF US for Christmas.
OF course there was those" continued
Mr. Buck. looking intelligently about
him. who bought most OF their Christ
mas stuff in the city. But these-these
economic traitors only make the point
VI Wnut 1 say tne more 3D. "llnoul
them. the town spent this truly amaz-
Ing sum in keeping the holidays. Now.
ask you. frank. could the town afford
that. or anything like that?"
Bun Miles spoke out of the extremity
Of his reflections.
That's a funny crack" he said, ''for
, merchant to make. Why not leave
EN- spend and leave 'em payE"
'Oh. III leave 'em pay all right" re-
oined Simeon, significantly. and stood
silent and smiling until there were
hose in the room who uncomfortably
,hifted-
Then he told them the word he bore
rom Ebenezer Rule that as they had
cared and half expected. the factory
vas not TO open that winter at all