Middletown transcript., 1919-02-22
Ana a carofrnss etdest son,

"a. ANA a. Carofines eldest son.
STEPHEN, had no desk save the office
one 10 toi1ed at eight hours day.
and knew no sports save struggling
with the crowds on his daily trip to
anc from that ONCE. Babette's choice
was limited to books.
He liked the Stevenson and the Kip
ling she had given him, but how much
sooner they could have been married
II instead Of those books she c0ul0
have given him something that would
do for the little fat-chairs and ta-
bles, or a rug, perhaps!
| II was three weeks before Christ
mas and Babette and Stephen had
each secretly decided to linger after
Office hours to make the Christmas pur-
'chases. Unknown to each other they
were both part Of the great throng
that swarmed one Of the department
stores not far from their own places
Of work. At the door Of the store
8atette had received little molly
decked card, and on 1t were words
something like this:
"Tht patriotic gift this year Is the
useful gift. We feel it our duty to
urge our customers to refrain from
buying nonessentials. So, instead OF
Displaying a large stock Of Christmas
candies and our usual Christmas
books and flowers, we are recommend
ing gifts Of useful household articles
and articles Of apparel"
What If Caroline could see It that
5. way? unused Babette. and then, Yield
.ne to the temptation. she took the ele-
| vator to the floor where were SOLO
| the household articles, dishes and fur'
niture and kitchen things. There she
/, ran almost precipitately into Stephen
he, too, was holding one Of the little
holly-decked cards.
Il have been looking at set o.
Dishes" he said. Maybe after VIC
are married we can get one. He
pressed Babette's hand-perhaps tina
wasn't exactly good form, but the
crowd was pushing close beside then
and no one could have seen. ITS
pretty hard to watt" he said. "Ba
bette, II we had the things to star
housekeeping on, perhaps we wouldn'
have to wait so long. Perhaps II
Tebruary-1 heard today I'm to get
good raise at New Years"
IF, instead Of getting each othe
. set Of Scott or Dickens we could &c
that set Of dishes and some thing
TO cook with" faltered Babette.
81 could give mother $40 ever
week, and still have enough t
run orr little fiat on" whispere
Stephen, "and Roger will be bringin
in more after New Years"
There was little further explanation
It seemed as If they were compelle
" a force greater than the will powe
Of either, greater than the silent II
ssuence Of Caroline or the bindin
force Of that book on the parlor Il
Bile. Yes, they did 60 and they O
dered that set Of dishes-that with tt
money Stephen had expected to spen
on the leather-bound Scott wit
: Babette's money saved for the editio
de luxe Of Dickens they went an
after a half hour with a patient sale
woman, bought everything that ar
clever bride ever needed to make II
lie fiat kitchen complete.
Then they turned their steps HON
] ward toward Caroline.
"Perhaps we can arrange it in Jan
ary-would you, Babette? I've g
5 enough saved for the bedroop set, al
8 with the dishes and the kitchen thin
J, rye enough for the other things. I
s you suppose your mother"
t There was pause, for traffic MAJ
+ It hard to understand; then a lul
t ''There's something in that Tenn
son on the parlor table that goes IL
D this:
e ""The old order changeth. yieldi
e place to new,
3 And God fulfills himself In ma
IS ways
A. perhaps mother will see It tn
t way, and l brought this little ca
It home. Mother is very patriotic"
And, strangely enough, Carroll
z made no protest, 50 busy was she
d once in reading what the book on 60
N form had to say on wedding 6