Judge — December 1889 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A GIFTED WOMAN— XMAS GIFTED. (EXTRACTS FROM HER JOURNAL.) ECEMBER ist.—Only 24 days to Christmas ! I begin to feel expectant, but anxious. It is so hard to know just where to bestow one’s best gifts. If one could but look far enough into the future to see which friends and ac- quaintances would be most generous, what a convenient arrangement it would be. It is so trying to send away something valu- able and get in return a nonsensical present of no earthly use or beauty, Last year I experienced about a dozen such shocks. However, I carefully put away the things and think I can work them off ‘on some people of not much account, who always expect me to remember them. ‘These annual expecters are so tiresome and unprofitable. Speak- ing of profit, one new friend is worth more to me than a dozen old ones any way. Nobody is very enthusiastic after a year or two, That reminds me—I must call to-morrow on the four new families I am beginning to get upon such intimate terms with. They are strangers in town and seem to have means! (The following remarks were made to the four families.) “I'm awfully busy, but I thought I must get.in and see you, When the holidays draw near I always think about new-comers. It seems so hard to be far from familiar scenes during Xmas festivities. “T remember last year there were two strange families near us, and I was so sorry for them! I said at home we might better forget each other than to forget the strangers, and I was more than repaid for the little gifts I sent them Christmas morning. “No, I never fail to think of strangers at Christmas time.” (Extract from her journal.) Dec. 15th.—A capital plan has occurred to me. It is to. wait until New-year’s day to make my holiday gifts. Then any things I may receive at Xmas, not of value to myélf, I can send where they will do more good. In this way some one will be benefited. Also, I shall escape the discomfort of lavishing my gifts upon those who have been forgetful of me. (Copy of twelve letters sent in various directions.) DEC. 20th, 1889. My dear friend;—Be sure 1 have not forgotten you, nor the occasion, though Christmas day will arrive and bring no gift from my hand. Complications, which I will not stop to explain, have set back my Christmas plans. Yet, one week later, when the Happy New-year is with us, you may expect my season's greeting. Yours devotedly, DAtsy SKEEMER. (Extract from her journal.) Dec. 2sth.—I consider this the most successful Christmas of my life, Those four new families clubbed together and bought me an elegant scarf. Such an unusual attention from strangers! I wonder if they expected anything from me. If they did they were self-interested and don’t deserve it, and if they didn’t they won't be disappointed. Then I received twelve handsome presents from friends at a distance to whom I had written that I could not reach them before New-year's. Perhaps they thought if I intended to remember them they ought to TOO CLOSE A RESEMBLANCE. Mrs. Hority —"' Pat Horrity, av yez har-rms thot poor dog Oi'll tell th’ conshtable !”” Horrtry —"'Oi ‘ll not har-rm him. thot much like me, thim Nagle gir-rls wor bowin’ to him whin he looked out th’ windy this mor-rnin’.” It's only his hair Oi want t’ thrim a bit. He looks WINTER QUARTERS | SUNNY $1 DE___ VDEDESTABY SKELETONS AT THE FEAST. Mrs, Moutweavx has invited a party to open the Hudson-river villa for a straw-ride rendezvous, and has just proposed that the guests adjourn to the dining-room for a picnic supper. But Holey Mike and his gang have rather pre-empted that festive apart ment. comicbooks.com