The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-02
COSTLY HOLIDAY GIFTS
 AND SLIM PURSES

She prizes not such tr4nes as these The gifts she'd have from me are
 packsd and lock'd
 Up in my heart; which, I have given E already
 But not deIivered'-
 There's a lot of groanirag going on these days. It isn't because people are III or haven't any friends. They are out of sorts because they have so many relatives, friends and acq1aint- ances. The season is here. There are visions of present buying galore When the poc1etboolz is slim, no wonder the prospect is alarming
 l Why do people give gifts anyhow if they cannot afford it? It's baEbar- tdayS only to lose 1t a fortnight after. The man Of wealth doesn't have to worry over it. It's the man who has to make his money go as far as he can if he would not face want dn his old age who feels the holiday season the most. If he boards he cannot help noticing how effSlEive his Iandla,dy is becoming, She tells him how badly I.she needs silver sugar bowl for the | table. She goes into detail as to the pattern, declaring she cannot afford to purchase it herself, but hopes Prov fdence will see that some one presents her with it. s~
 1 Every mall is crowded with letters from relatives who never think of writing but once a year, just at this 1 time. His aunt wribes she hopes he is doing we'll and reminds him in ev- 1 cry other line that the holidays are here. Each Of his married sisters, in l different parts of the country, sends nlKn the same n1essage-that if he's thinking of making holiday gifts, it might be as well to send on the mon- ey, as it would be most useful l A few days later, the children of all the different families write to him that ma hasNrecedved his holiday mon 1 ey and she is going to treat herself to a new set Of fl1rs. They add in geniously: T hope you won't forget us, Uncle Ned Big sister says she'd like 8 piano. I'm to tell you she could | get one if you would pay down so much month. I should like a bob sled, a, classy one. Tommy wants I and tell Uncle Ned that I'd like a big i wax doll 7 Forty relatives in all, to 1 buy for, and as many friends. He must spend at one time an amount Of
 money that would keep e roof over his head and pay his board for a twelve
 month.
 New Years morn, he is aroused from his mlch-needed rest, by the in 1 te1ligence that he ds wanted at the front door. To his consternatfon. he beholdE a line of people which ex- l tends half way down the block wait ing to wish him a happy New Year! There stood the tadIor's 4pprentice. the cobb1eres cl1ore boy, his mnc11- l counter waiter. the daughter of his 1 laundress, the woman who sells hdnn papers, the chap who reblocls his hats; and the fellow. who gives his shoes a shine Occasionally each of them was accompanied by a bakers dozen of friends, all eager to greet him effusively. In despair he losses out. what's left in his pocketbook, tell ing them to heEp themselves. He's glad the day ds over and is mighty thankful it can't come but once 8 year.
 Miss Libbey's replies to your letters. Correct name and. ad- dress must be given to insure attention, not to print. Use link. Write short letters, on one side of paper only. Address Miss Libbey, e16 President St., Brooklyn, N. Y
 Losing One Girl Is the Gaining of a
 Better One.
 Dear Miss Libbey:
 I was working son9e tfrne ago at a neighbor's. The yonng daughter !