Judge — December 20, 1913 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

) z1zZBAUM ¥ “‘What’s the matter with you children? Ain’t the things what you wanted? Ain't they just as good now as they would be ten days from now? What's the difference? Ought to be glad to get ’em, I say.’’ “Of course we like them, and they are what we want, and thank you very much, pa. Only, you see, we—well—we thought it would be nice to have them for Christmas,” said Doris. “Nicer than now?’’ demanded her father. “Yes,’’ came from both. "| “Well, there ain’t going to be no Christmas doings at this house. When we need things, we'll have’em. They don’t need any tinsel-tissue-paper- ot) candle setting, neither.” And Perkins, decidedly ~ vexed, left the house. “Oh, mother, will it have to be that way?'’ asked both children. “Yes, dears. There will be other years. We'll let pa have Christmas his way this year. You know we've had it to suit us several years, and pa always has thought it was foolishness. And, anyway, we can have the idea of Christmas; you know it isn’t the presents we receive that make the Christmas spirit for us. We'll not forget our poor people."’ “‘Aren’t we to give you and pa any present, either?"’ asked Tom. “‘No. No Christmas at home. Just as pa said,’’ answered the mother. Christmas was a bright day, and all the children in the neighborhood were up and outdoors early, trying new sleds and skates and giving new dollies a ride in new dol! carriages. Only the Perkins children stayed in that morning. Tom moodily read, and Doris darned stockings and practiced her music lesson. Mr. Perkins read the newspaper. “There’s Ben Loomis signaling to you, Tom,” said his father. ‘Why don’t you go out?’’ “Nothing to go out for. I’m reading,’’ answered Tom, pre- tending not to see Ben. The quietness was becoming oppressive and getting on Mr. Perkins’s nerves. ‘What you kids doing, moping around so? Why don’t you go out and play with the others, same’s you always do?”’ growled Pa Perkins. “‘We don’t want to see Ben Loomis’s new sled, nor Jud White's tops, nor any other old Christmas junk. We aren’t having Christmas!"? snarled young Tom, with a very good imi- tation of his father’s most impressive manner. The door bell rang,-and there stood Polly from next door. Polly was Doris’s dearest friend. “Oh, Doris, I hope I'm not too early! I just couldn’t wait a minute longer to see your Christmas things! Doris hesitated a second before answering. Polly “Why, Doris Perkins! Not’’— Then the little girl stopped in confusion, but Mrs. Perkins came to the rescue. “We aren’t celebrating Christmas this year. You see, the children’s father doesn't believe in Christmas. He thinks it is all foolishness, and Doris and Tom have everything they need, anyway. But you tell us about your Christmas,’’ said Mrs. Perkins. The little neighbor began her account gayly enough, but soon stopped. It seemed out of place, and, making the excuse that her mother might be needing her, she went home. It wasn’t half an hour before all the neighborhood knew that the Perkins weren't having any Christmas. “Thaven't any, comicbooks.com