The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1919-12-19

with the Fax household. There was Mrs. Fax
crochetng like mad all Christmas eve to finish
an edge on dolly for Mrs. Bennett down the
street, tho she had fully intended cutting Mrs.
Bennett out altogether this year having heard
thru a mutual friend that that malicious
tongued neighbor had remarked that she Mrs
Fax, was too old and too stout to be learning the
new dances. But it was obstinate, the Christ
mas spirit, and, it got her at last. And there
was Mr.. Fax, who had certainly not intended
more than dollar bill for Leonora, the thin,
shabby young school teacher cousin who had
come to spend Christmas with them because
she had no place else to go; there was Mr.. Fax
all of sudden, deciding for no reason whatso-
ever to make that dollar bill So gold piece!
That's the way it goes.
Nettie the fiancee of stout middle-aged son
Henry-she was a nice, plump, stylish kind
hearted little soul-was always weak as water
at this season. and she had already tied up in
tissue paper and holly ribbon two pairs of silk
stockings and a sweet lace blouse for Leonora.
1t was stout son Henry, from Milwaukee,
home for the holidays, who held out best He
wasn't the sort to lose his head at Christmas
time, you may be sure. Whatever left his pocket
did so after accurate calculation as to the re-
turn it would make to himself. He found it
most satisfactory of all to spend his money on
himself, but since his income was so much
larger than his own receptive capacity he came
to think of his parents and sweetheart as sort
of anneXes to himself and consequently salts
factory gift receptacles. But as for others
well, you ought to hear what his employees back
in Milwaukee said about him.
He lolled back in his morris chair and Smok-
ed fat cigars with the bands left on, and the
spirit of Christmas left him unscathed. From
time to time he leaned forward to admire the
bracelet watch he had brought his mother and
which was exhibited conspicuously in a plush
case on the sitting room table.
Look pretty neat on that fat little wrist of
yours, won't it, mom?" he remarked.
It's too gddy for an old lady like me-" hypo-
critically protested Mrs Fax.
TOO old? NONSENSE" Nettie made the
awaited denial.
Henry went on "The works in that watch
ought to last as long as your own, mom-judg-
ing from what it cost" he added modestly.
"And if you get tired having it as a bracelet the
watch can be taken out and you can have those
diamonds set in a pin They're eight of them"
Dear dear" exclaimed Mrs. Fax 81 should
think Nettie here would be jealous"
"Well, hardly" Nettie replied. mot when
Henry brought me this" And she proudly
handled her bar pin Of alternate pearls and dia-
monds.
"You wait until tomorrow, Pussy" promised
her lover.
But I've got my Christmas present" she
protested nnocently.
"Oh Have you?" he inquired with heavy
playfulness. That's nice. Then you won't be
interested in tomorrow"
Henry What do you mean? You aren't
going to give me anything more?"
81 didn't say | was Just said wait TIL to-
morrow | can say wait TIL tomorrow with
out giving you another present, can't II"
81 think you might tell me-" she coaxed
Tell you what? ! don't know what Santa
Claus has for you. AS you say I've given you
my present"