The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-04-12
The Gift

usual. They dropped into the same
seat, and each exhibited small pack
age as they had been wrapped by the
clerks in the stores where they made
their purchases.
"Some little present, mine," Seymour
offered.
The other grinned answer. "Good
thing we got together" he agreed.
"Say. it's lucky our wives birthdays
come on the same day, amt 1t? Friend
wife at my house is surely hard to
please"
Cant be any worse than the mlssus
at my place." Seymour retorted. but
two heads you know; better than one
woman's idea Of what she ought to get
for her birthday"
All the way home the men continued
their conversation, and they were still
laughing when Jermyn clapped Sey.
mour on the back at Seymour's steps
and went on to his own home next
door.
Mrs. Seymour was the first to sus.
pect. She saw the men laughing on
the sidewalk. and as she kissed her
husband she shifted for the occasional
Glove odOr. 1t was not there and she
was puzzled. though she knew it must
he something. 1t was after Seymour
had gone next morning that she
CHANGED to glance into his bureau
drawer and knew that he had been
there. Then an examination that
held nothing of chance revealed the
package Seymour had brought home
and hidden here. Then u peek and
longer look showed her that there
was Il necklace in the box. Not for
one instant had Mrs. Seymour forgot.
ten that tomorrow was her birthday,
and now she knew that her husband re.
membercd as well. And then Mrs.
Jermyn ran over.
Mrs. Seymour couldn't resist swear.
ing Mrs. Jermyn to secrecy and show.
ing her what splendid husband she
had and how much he thought of her
witness the birthday necklace. Mrs.
Jernyn looked. She could not help but
see that 1t was nice necklace, and
that Mrs. Seymour admired it. She
was half sorry that she came over. But
she managed to keep envy out of her
glance and tone and then she pro.
duced the box Jermyn had carried
home last night.
II just happened to run on It," she
confided. HE had hidden it away in
his den."
1t was gold watch. A pretty thing.
And as Mrs. Seymour looked at it the
beauty faded out Of her necklace in
some weird fashion. She had not
thought she would have preferred u
watch to necklace, but now she did.
Both the women returned the boxes to
their hiding places.
The morning after the joint birthday
Seymour and Jermyn caught the same
train to town. They looked at each
other, then they broke into laughter.
They clapped each other on the back.
"Say," Jermyn offered, "the wife is
tickled to death with her present. First
time ever succeeded in quite suiting
her, too"
"She can't be any happier than my
wife is over her present." Seymour
came back.
An acquaintance in the seat ahead
turned. "YOu fellows talk as If you
had discovered the original recipe" he
said. "Just how do you manage to
please your wives with presents, any.
how? I never could"
The two men laughed.
"Aiake them think" began Sey.
mour.
''They are not going to get them, !"
finished Jermyn.
GAS matter of curiosity" the nc.
quaintance went on, "what did you
iclIoNS give your WIVES LOT lilclF DlFtll.
, days, anyway"
Seymour thought of the necklace he
had hidden where Mrs. Seymour would
surely find it. "Why," he answered, II
gave mine u nice watch"
Jerrnyn chuckled as he remembered
how he had put that watch away in the
desk in his den. Sand l gave mine a
pretty necklace" he admitted.
"IIumph' the acquaintance re-
marked, "a watch or necklace
wouldn't satisfy my lady. I'd have to
find something more out of the ordi-
nary than that
"Oh. it isn't giving the gift that does
It," Seymour explained.
mo" Jermyn elaborated, tits the
gift Of giving"