The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-08-04

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~-A>-LG% E1phinstone nose
glanced over their rims at his sister,
and then trained his gaze upon the
plate that she held firmly in her grasp.
What is the price of these?" he
asked the clerk.
The salesman glanced dreanily out
into the street. Zone hundred and
twenty dollars dozen, he replied.
Uncle William took a firm hold
Upon the counter and steadied himself.
"Ahem," he haughtily returned,
can't you show us some expensive
goods?"
William, demonstrated Miss Caro-
line, through her glasses, don't be
fooIi"
Wen, but" protested William,
his eyes innocent1y widening, but
these dessert plates are only ten dol
lars apiece. don't think this gentle
man quite understands the situation
He thinks we're stocking up the htch-
en-. Whereas, as a matter of fact,
young man, we're buying wedding
presents. Haven't you" he pleaded
with the salesman, haven't you got
some Looey Cans or Looey Cats-or
something that's worth while?"
The salesman, unblinking, kept his
dreamy eyes on the lady. The lady
snorted in disgust. William" she
repeated, don't be a fool!"
Her brother wiped his glasses and
settled his collar. All right, Caro-
line, he returned, genially, " I'll stop
being fool What in the world do
you want to buy dessert plates at a
hundred and twenty a dozen, for a
girl who's marrying an uncompleted
Smoke Consumer? Whydon't you take
this hundred and twenty and found a
beefsteak fund-a fund to buy food
with! You give them the plates, and
ten to one, half the time they won
have anything to put on EN-"
William, interrupted Miss Caro-
line, Wilhelrnina is my niece. ,
Mine, toe" went on William, un.
perturbed, and that's why I'm Sc
particular. One hundred and twenty
dollars-why, for that you could buy
set of dining-room furniture, or, =
he coughed apologetically, " of course
I don't want to spoil this young man.
sa1e-or, without moving from Thu
spot, you can buy a dinner set
whole dinner set-for a hundred, anc
one that's downright hummer, too
Why don't you be practical ?"
Miss Carolines glance ate into his soul
cit is you, William she returned, "wh
are not practical. There is only one prin
ciple to abide by in buying wedding present
never give people the things they need
They must have those, and therefore the
will provide them anyway. AllgdyS Civ
something that they never will, or probabl
never can, afford to buy for themselves
that is the practical thing to do. That
one Of the reasons why have selected TIL
china. But have another reason. Thes
plates will go down to posterity. They wi
be treasured, year after year, decade aftt
decade, and when you and l. William, " :
the lady shifted and wiped her nose" al
dead and gone, our eat-great-great-gra
nieces and nephews viii eat reverently frol
these plates, and will say: This is the Fl
nous Elphinstone china It will go dow
to the third and fourth generation
William shook his head "Not after Il
first and second generation get their hool
on it, I'll wager-not unless they keep it
a safe deposit vault Why, say, Carolin
her kids won't do thing to those plates"
"Whose kids?"
"Wilhelmina's and the Smoke Consur
er's," cheerfully returned the old gent
man. eff those kids don't turn out to
dashers and crashers and smashers, III e
my hat.
WILTON" screeched his sister, "WiIh
nina IS my niece. Her children will revt
ence my gift"
Young man." sighed Uncle Villa
you had better do up dozen of the
plates in cotton batting right away.
there anything off for cash1 N
Vel, then, cough up, Caroline"
And Caroline coughed up.
In the gift room at the wedding, in a c
ner, In case, eloquent in their silence,
posed Aunt Caroline F. r. Elphinston
wedding gift-the plates Before tn
stood an enthusiastic admirer-iust one
mireI. To wit, Aunt Caroline. Over