Judge — December 6, 1913 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

t for By HOMER CROY ee] WILL shop early this year,’’ I told myself, and so put it off until the morning of the last day before Christmas. Then on the way to work I rushed into a department store to get something that would gladden Catherine’s heart on Christ- mas morning. The store was packed and layered with people who all year had planned to shop early. I mustn’t be late to the office—a person should never be late to work Christmas week, and especially the day before Christmas! I walked up and down the aisles, hunting for something that Catherine would like. As the time grew shorter, I began to walk faster and faster. From floor to floor I hurried, with one eye on my watch and the other on the counter. This store must not be any good, so I rushed across the street to another one. “Here, give me a light street coat for a short, medium girl,’’ I said, rushing up to a counter. The girl did not hear me. I followed her down to the other end of the counter and stepped squarely in front of her. ‘“‘I want a nice street coat for a girl who goes in for athletics,’’ fingering my watch. The girl gave no sign, so I stepped up closer and told her again about Catherine's coat. SOMETHING ELSE ON HIS MIND Aunt—What makes the snow, Willie ? Willie—I danno, aunt, | 've forgotten. Aunt—You ‘ve forgotten ! Willie guess it 's the thing you forget with. “In a minute,’’ she flung over her shoulder. I stood looking at the clock over the elevator, watching the minutes leaving. I followed the girl patiently from one end of the counter to the other, waiting for my minute to come. At last I was next. “I want a coat for a girl— a walking coat,’’ I said. “Third aisle over,’’ pointing with her pencil. All this time had been lost. A lot of other peo- ple had been directed over there, too. Why didn’t people have bet- ter sense than to put off Well, then tell me what is memory? Catherine SHARP AND FLAT Mr. Phlat—I must come and play my no- lin for you some evening, Miss Sharp. You like music, don't you? Miss Sharp—I do, indeed, Mr, Phiat; but come all the same. their shopping till the very last day? I stood before the second girl for a while and looked at her with ap- pealing eyes. At last she saw me and asked me what I wanted. I told her about the coat. She was inter- ested. “*What color?’’ “TI don’t know—whatever is the latest.”” The girl began whirling the re- volving rack around and around. She liked to do this. “‘What size?” “Oh, I don’t know—whatever is the most popular.’’ The girl went back and talked it over with another girl. They seemed to be planning some change in the styles. Finishing her call, she came back tome. ‘‘I must.know the size.’” I could see then that she was a substitute girl brought on to help dur- ing the Christmas rush. A steady girl would know. “Catherine is about yoursize,”’ I explained, calculating on the clock, “only she is a brunette, with large, expressive eyes. She has fine taste in clothes and plays beautifully. She loves the outdoors and plays a good game of tennis.” When I got comicbooks.com