Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-30
The Business 0
Living ~ % -
PLANS FOR A HAPPY BUT MEX.
PENsivE cHRIsTMAs.
DW MRS. EVA LEONARD.


"Of course we will have Christmas
dinner. and have Patty here. No
Christmas would be Christmas with
out her. but that will be the limit this
year Eleanor and her husband were
talking finances over one evening not
long before the Holidays.
"Of course we are old enough to
realize the strain we have been under
financially as well as every other way
with the babys sickness and shall not
expect or care for presents. But the
children, ] hate to disappoint them"
Douglas had always made q great deal
Of Christmas In his home.
'Oh, don't mean we shall not get
them anything, but let us get some
Inexpensive toy for each. We can
have some home made candy, and de-
pend on the united efforts of the fam
lily to make the day seem cheerful"
Eleanor sat looking into the fire with
thoughtful little wrinkle between her
eyes. 4 have an idea" she exclaimed
after a silence. ~ have . funny pres
emit I am going to make for you. Just
joke. you know" she continued. for
Douglas started to object, "and you
must think UP something for me. 1t
will add to the merriment."
That's easy" Douglas stretched out
his leen before the fire and thrust his
hands In his pockets. Il have q good
one for you." Eleanor nodded her ap-
proval.
Il am going to get Jack interested
in making furniture for Margaret, like
that my brothers made for me when I
was a. girl. I had dear little cradle
and quite an outfit of doll furniture.
That was in the days when children
did not have everything done for them.
They made most Of the playthings they
had and It encouraged ingenuity"
His manual trainging in school
ought to help him in that" remarked
Douglas.
There was not much skill displayed
except in the making Of the cradle;
that was a fine piece Of work. They
took a thin cross section of branch
of cherry tree for the top of table
and nailed it onto a smaller limb for
a pedestal; oiled and waxed 1t and
presto! have table. My couch was
an oblong block Of wood with back
nailed on and all comfortably uphols-
tered. The chairs were made from
short lengths of cherry branch. A
notch was sawed in for q seat and the
back was dug out into q curve and 1t
was covered with cretonne to match
the couch"
Good, he will have lots Of fun MAX
ing an outfit like that" Douglas was
silent for time, then said: did you
save that map of Europe showing the
countries grouped in three divisions,
allies, central powers and neutrals? 1t
came with the Sunday paper"
Eyes. why?"
II will paste that on q stiff card
board and then cut 1t up into a puzzle.
1t will interest him in geography ana
history both"
Good work! Who says we are not
going to have Merry Christmas"
Eleanor rose and went over and sat |
on the big arm Of her husbands chair.
"Of course Patty will do something |
for the kiddies. She always does"
7 wish she would not" objected |
Eleanor, after paying for that nurse.
We are all SO happy to be an unbroken
band that we do not need presents to |
make us glad. When feel my darling
baby in my arms I realize that my
heart Is as full Of happiness as it will
hold" With her arms around her hus-
bands neck she rested her cheek
against his hair.
I'VE surely have happy home even
II I can't make big money" This was
a sensitive spot for Douglas, that 9TH
or men had so far passed him in the |