The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1919-01-30

and from that office, 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
if instead Of those books she could
have given him something that would
do for the little fiat-chairs and ia
bles, or a rug, perhaps!
It was three weeks before Christ
mas and Babette and Stephen had
each secretly decided to linger after
office hours to make the Christmas pur7
chases. Unknown to each other they
were beth 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
Batette had received a little holly
decked card, and on 1t were words
something like this:
'Tho patriotic gift this year is the
useful gift. We feel 1t our duty to
urge our customers to refrain from
buying nonessentials. So, instead OF
displaying large stock of Christmas
candies and our usual Christmas
looks and flowers, we are recommend
ing gifts of useful household articles
and articles Of apparel"
What If Caroline could see it that
way? unused Babette, and then, yield
ing to the temptation, she took the ele-
vator to the floor where were sold
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
ho1ly-decked cards.
81 have been looking at set OF
Dishes" he said. Maybe after we
are married we can get one. He
pressed Babette's hand-perhaps that
wasn't exactly good form, but the
crowd was pushing close beside them
and no one could have seen. Its
pretty hard to watt" he said. "Ba-
bette, if we had the things to start
housekeeping on, perhaps we wouldn't
have to wait so long. Perhaps in
February heard today I'm to get a
good raise at New Years"
"f, instead Of getting each other
set of Scott or Dickens we could get
that set of dishes and some things
to cook with" faltered Babette.
81 could give mother $40 every
week, and still have enough to
run our little fiat on" whispered
Stephen, "and Roger will be bringing
in more after New Years"
There was little further explanation.
1t seemed as if they were compelled
by force greater than the will power
of either, greater than the silent in
f1uence of Caroline or the binding
force of that book on the parlor ta-
BILE. Yes, they did go and they or
dered that set Of dishes-that with the
money Stephen had expected to spend
on the leather-bound Scott with
Babette's money saved for the edition
de luxe of Dickens they went and,
after half hour with a patient sales
woman, bought everything that any
clever bride ever needed to make lit
tie fiat kitchen complete.
IuSu LlISy LulACu lhOlA otCPo hOh'N
ward toward Caroline.
perhaps we can arrange it in Janu-
ary-would you, Babette? I've got
enough saved for the bedroom set, and
with the dishes and the kitchen things
I've enough for the other things. Do
you suppose your mother"
"There was pause, for traffic made
it hard to understand; then lull |;
There's something in that Tenny-
son on the parlor table that goes like
this:
Z" The old order changeth, yielding
+ place to new,
And God fulfills himself in many
ways
perhaps mother will see 1t that
way, and 1 brought this little card
home. Mother is very patriotic"
And, strangely enough, Caroline
made no protest, so busy was she at
once in reading what the book on good
form had to say on wedding Ell.
quette."