Judge — December 22, 1917 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

conscience. Once again he drew back from the cup; once again he bowed politely and murmured “ After you, Madam.” And then the whole world seemed to whirl and grow black. The great white pillars with their festoons of Christmas greens swayed drunkenly; the Santa Claus statues were crowding upon him from all sides, suffocating him. . . . He fell, unconscious. Two muscular elevator-men car- ried him up to the store’s first-aid hospital, where a disinfected doctor, after examining him carefully, shook his head in a professionally pessimistic way. In a moment or two the conscientious young man opened his eyes and gazed stupidly about him. A beautiful nurse raised his head and bending over him, held a glass of water to his lips. Suddenly his eyes lighted with startled comprehension. He looked up at her and smiled a fearful, shuddering smile. ‘After you,” he murmured, and expired, game to the last. Moral: Do your Christmas shopping early. THIS YEAR'S SANTA el en TT in the world is that?” asks Mrs. Santa - yeing the huge contraption which the old gentleman is packing with his annual assort- “Effie, come here and let. me cut your nails.” : ifts hildren. “But I want ‘em long, Mother, in case I get a chance to scratch that German boy “That's a tank,” answers! Santa, heaving’s lot across the street. of dolls, jumping jacks, toy trains, candy and He Who Hesitates Is Lost drums into the interior of the vehicle. armored. . We going to go over the top and through the trenches and get these Bg MELEE We WEES onde things to the kids again this year in spite of all the conserva- a happened in a large department store during the Christ- _ tionists, controllers, and other militant economists.” mas shopping rush. A young man stopped at one of the bubbling cups and leaned over to drink. At the same Stripped of its court garb, camouflage would pass in the most moment a woman stopped at the cup. Being a very polite democratic circles for our old friend “Bunk.” young man he drew back, murmured “After you, Madam,” and allowed the lady to drink first. While she was drink- ing several other thirsty females ap- peared. The polite young man drew still further back. All morning the proc- ess continued. Just as it would seem that the young man was to be able to drink another thirsty woman would stop, and always he would draw back with his politely murmured “ After you, Madam.” He might have gone elsewhere to drink, but a steadfastness of purpose, an iron-willed determination inherited from some remote pioneer ancestor held him to the resolve to drink from that particular cup, or never to drink again. All afternoon he waited; his face grew pale and wan; a great weight seemed to oppress him; but still he remained at his self-appointed post. Along toward six o'clock the crowd of shoppers thinned a little, and for one superlatively happy moment it seemed that at last he going to be able to drink. He bent wearily over the cup, and then, out the — 3 corner of his eye he saw a woman waiting. OH, DEARI Along with h s steadfastness of purpose “John is trying to sell our car.” and his iron-willed determination he had “But why? inherited the proverbial New England “He says the outgo for upkeep is more than his income.” comicbooks.com