Life — December 7, 1905 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

676 A Question for Santa Claus. MN Christmas all the boys who go To school with me get sleds and sk; nd blow, And books, and tra And oran; as that pu es and nuts and dates. why, k of toys, sme by, And when I ask my mi With such an endless st Old Santa Claus should pa And give to all the ot She looks at me with smiling eyes, (But ¢ And tells me when I'm c With all the wisdom of the years, ce caught them full of tears), and wise And then she bends d hugs me tight, ndles me up warm, a Til understand. And kisses me, And bu Me out to play. cd sends, But every night Before I go to bed I lie And wonder if it is because Ww And if his reindeer never pause ar At litt es long enough For bim to drop some presents down ; Or is it ‘cause he's proud and gruff And doesn’t like this end of town ? Perhaps he only cares for those Who welcome him down chimneys wide, ‘To fires where he can w And rest a little from his ride. m his toes, Sometime if ever I can see Him ch e, I'm going to ask him bold st why it is he misses And gives to others, young and old. I think it must be ‘cause we're poor, And not of much account; perhaps He thinks they prize his presents more ‘Than would we ragged little chaps, Verne Allen Washer. A Christmas Surprise. Mr. and Mrs. Crimpton idly walked along the street, week before Christmas, looking into the shop windows, she more keenly con- ic than ever of that feeling that most women are apt to entertain toward their husbands at this season of the year. She was afraid he might give her something that she didn’t want They stopped in front of a large jeweler’s—a place where they had often bought things before—noted for its reliability. “Just for fun,” said Mrs. Crimpton, scious 4 agK8A-LIFES fia IT want to get a stick pin for Aunt Sarah.” The showed them a tray full of stick pins, and the transaction completed, Mrs, Crimpton glanced eas- where a group of horseshoes appar- ently attracted her attention by acci- dent “Aren't they beautiful? Crimpton. Crimpton had just made up his mind “let's go in and look around. salesman ually into a neighboring diamond ** she said to Moast SMD A WISE OLD OWL, * WHAT A BOON, IT CAN STUDY ALL NIGHT, AND NOT INJURE MY SIGHT, WITH TIS CLEVER DROF-LIGHT FROM that he would be genuinely subtle, His idea was to find out what Mrs. Crimp- ton wanted without appearing to do so, and then surprise her later. He had had experiences with giving his wife things that she didn’t want, and this time he was going to be “foxy.” He had also calculated that $50 was strictly his limit. He thought he ought to get a present for this figure that Mrs. Crimpton would be delighted with. And so be looked at the horseshoes with an air much suspicic “Yes, dear,’ “very pretty. of faint tolerance and he said indifferently, Let's look at th pendants over here.” Mrs. Crimpton, with a woman's in- tuition, knew at once what was pass- ing through his mind. She knew that he had made up his mind to spend only about $50 on her. But the moment her eye fastened upon the diamond horse- shoe display a flood of desire swept over her. She felt that she could work her husband up to $100, but how could she get him to spend $150, which was what even the most modest horse- shoe would cost? She resolved to let thin course, “All right, dear,” she replied. look at the pendants.” s take their “Let's The obliging salesman brought out a tray of pendants, They ranged in price from $15 up to $75. “There's something pretty,” said Crimpton, holding up one marked $ Mrs the air. “Horrid! she exclaimed. “I don't like any of those things. They are not substantial. don't let's Crimpton’s nose went up in Come, dear, wait here any longer.” Crimpton thanked the salesman and they turned away. But he satisfied. He felt he must get his wife to express a preference for something, without her knowing what he was after. “Oh, let’s look around a little,” he said. “Wouldn't you just like to see what they have?” he added with what he considered a superb tuct. was not Mrs. Crimpton walked over in front of the horseshoe display. Her hus- band’s heart. sank. “I think,” she said, “those horse- shoes are lovely. them.” The tray was brought out Mrs. Crimpton wanted the horseshoe—or nothing, and she determined to get it She began on the mos in the tray. “Isn't that beautiful?" she picking up one marked $400, “It certainly is,” replied Crimpton, with a lack-lustre eye. “Do you know,” said Mrs. Let’s just look at expensive one Crimp- comicbooks.com