Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 10, 1913, Page 28

Trade. SURPRISE SHRISTM By THOMAS L. MASSON. WANT you to prom- ise me that you won't give me any Christmas present this year.” Mrs. Whittler looked at her husband em- phatically. “I mean it,” she asserted. “Absolutely.” “And you won't give me any?” re plied Whittler ex- perimentally. “Positively. Now is it understood?” Whittler, who was just going out, shut the door, | came back, and sat down in front of his wife. “My dear girl,” he said, “I am glad that you have brought this up, because we may as well settle it now as at any other time. You know that for years we have been doing this sort of thing welcome as a gift. We have just put in an exceptionally fine line of Gent's Neckwear for the Holiday Nothing is more appropriate or All styles and prices The John B. Stetson Hat The Mallory Cravenetted Hat The Gordon Hat All ofa standard that cannot be disputed as to value. The Amery Shirt Used bv the best dressers in the land, is carried by us in fairly large stocks. Our Working Apparel For general wear, is selected from the goods of geod, reliable concerus who make an effort to place their output on the market with the merchants carrying the best goods in other lines. Trunks and Valises comprises the best of everything in Trunks, Valises, Suit Cases, Telescopes, Satchels and Hand Bags. these goods stored in the basement, so if you do not see what you want in the store, tell us of your needs. avery Christmas. About this time we voth declare that we'won’t give each other anything; then, just before Christmas, we sneak out, and each of as buys the other a present. This year it will be the same. We will promise taithfully not to do it; but, just as sure as fate, we shall break our word.” “In view of this alarming fact, that we are apparently the slaves of a yearly habit, what have you to sug- gest?” “Simply this—that we each of us agree now to buy the other a present.” “T know that you will get me some- thing I don’t want!” “And I know that you will do the same; but isn’t that what we have been doing all along?” “Then I don’t see that we have gained anything.” “Haven’t we? Why not? Aren’t we doing it openly? Think of the moral uplift!” Mrs. Whittler shook her head. “I don’t agree with you,” she said. “I think it would be much better for as to select ourselves the presents we want. If you like, you can come with me while I get mine.” “Nonsense! That won't do at all. It is absolutely necessary for us to carry HIS FIRST CHRISTMAS SURPRISE out the element of surprise. There is some sneaking, contemptible trait in human nature which makes us want, once a year, to surprise others. That is at the basis of all Christmas giving. [t's a kind of impulsive, irresponsible attitude which impels us to buy some- thing that we delude ourselves into believing the recipient is crazy for; while all the time we ought to know that it’s probably the last thing on earth he or she wants. Would you rob us both of this fiendish pleasure? Never! The only thing to do is to be natural. I therefore announce to you that i am going to surprise you with | a present; and you must promise to do the same with me.” Mrs. Whittler considered. “Well,” she said at last, “I suppose that is really the best thing for us to do, and I here- by agree to doit.” When Christmas eve came, there- tore—the time when the Whittlers were accustomed to “spring” their annual surprises— each of them bore that perfectly con- fident and identically joyful air which usually preceded the presentation of something we think the other person has been longing for. Whittler advanced with a smile. “My dear,” he said, “I have the sur prise of a lifetime for you.” “Oh, do tell me!” said Mrs. Whittler, with a hypocritical air of gaiety and anticipation, although inwardly she shrank from the ordeal. “I know it is something that I want!” “What do you suppose it is?” her husband cheerfully inquired. “Haven’t the least idea.” “Well—it is—it is—guess!” “Oh, I couldn’t! Tell me, quick!” “Well, it’s absolutely nothing. Now, isn’t that a surprise?” Mrs, Whittler burst into tears. “You horrid thing!” she exclaimed. “I shall never forgive you!” “But—” “Don’t you know that it isn’t the value of the thing. I might not have liked it; but the thought that you had tried to please me would have been everything. I didn’t do that to you!” Whittler, beside himself with sudden remorse, sprang to her side. “J was only joking.” he exclaimed oreathlessly. “Honest, 1 was only jok- ink. What have you got for me?” She drew from a neighboring closet a dressing-sack, over which Whittler went into raptures, all the time feeling like a criminal. Then, with a solemn | air, he drew from his pocket a twenty- dollar bill. “If you don’t like it,” he said, “you can exchange it for something else.” Mrs. Whittler shook her head. CLOTHING Our constant aim is to procure for our customers the highest grad “You didn’t intend to give it to me, and I’m not going to take it now,” she said. “it was an afterthought.” “But—” She folded it up and put it back into his waistcoat pocket. “Tll forgive you this time,” she smiled; “but remember, my dear, that it is very much better to go on year after year giving each other things that we don’t want than to attempt to break up an old habit; which, after all, foolish as it seems, is founded upon @ genuine human sentiment.” : onvright. by the Frank A Munser:Gsd First Actress tn Lonaon. It was a warm reception that was given to the first French players to appear in London in 1629. Their visit was an utter failure. It was notable. however, for the important innovation which was the chief cause of their unpopularity. The tuckless troupe introduced ac- tresses for the first time on the Eng- lish stage—“thereby giving just offence to all vertuous and well-disposed per- sons in this towp,” wrote Thomas Brande. retiecting the spirit of the Playgoer of that time, who was used to seeing boys take the female char- acters. These “French women, or monsters rather,” were “hissed, hooted and pip- pin pelted from the stage.” The first move against this prejudice was not long delayed. however. Five years later another French company came to London with women players. under royal patronage, and were received “with good approbation” at the Cock- pit in Whitehall—London Graphic. Roaring Wags. The Red Lion club was composed of great Englishmen, and Huxley was one of the members. The club used to meet during the-session of the British association. To a certain meeting at Ipswich, England, which Huxley de- scribed in his “Letters.” some foreign- ers were invited. the Prince of Canino, Bonaparte’s nephew, among them, and greatly astonished they were at the exceedingly human behavior of the learned professors. The Red Lion men had a custom of roaring instead of cheering and of wagging»one coattail— the lion’s tail—-when applauding. The prince was much impressed by these proceedings, and when he stood up to respond to the toast of his health in- stead of making a speech he gave three mighty roars and three wags. Brevity In Legislation. Old time -Scotchmen realized that brevity is the soul of legislation. For instance, King James L.’s parliament passed an act which said simply: “No man shall enter any place where there is hay with a candle unless it be in a lantern.” ‘This is probably the short- est statute ever passed. In fact, one small volume is enough to hold more than two centuries of Scotch legisla- tion. are recognized by the public as being tt Fa% LL the stores along Main street were gay with Christmas decor ation. Even the win- dow of Scarvin’s curic shop bravely flaunted brilliant holly wreaths. Edwin Lander paus- ed before this window and stood for a long time apparently lost: in . contemplation of the filigree bracelets displayed there. At last he roused himself with ar effort and opened the door. At his en- trance, old Scarvin, the dealer, came smilingly forward rubbing his wrink- led hands. “What may I do for you this after. noon?’ he suavely asked, while his shrewd, beady eyes noted every detail of his customer’s tall, well-dressed figure. “I should like to look at something that would be suitable as. a (hrist- mas present for a lady,” Lander an- 8wered briskly, but.a keen observer would have noticed that his cheerful- ness was forced, and in his eyes was & lock of utter weariness, “Certainly, certainly, right over here,” said Scarvin, leading the way to @ case where some quaint necklaces were Cu. jlayed. “This amethyst. one has the antique setting that fs so much in vogue.” Lander gravely touched the silver links and thought: “My affair with Marguerite is what Aunt Collins would tall ‘between grass and hay.’ It is gast the candy-and-flower stage; but hes hardly arrived at jewels—” Then aloud he said: “No, I had in mind something different~a book per- aps.” > “Ah, the very thing!” Scarvin dived into a dusty corner and brought forth a foreign-looking yolume, whose brown leather binding was curiously inlaid We have a large stock of Copelan The (¢ an “Early English poems, after the old missal style, and hand illuminat- ed,” the dealer spread open the book enticingly. Lander turned over the leaves with interest. “Yes, I believe this is unique and costly enough to please even the tastidious Marguerite,” his thin lips curved in a cynical smile. “I'll take it,” he remarked with the brevity of the average masculine shopper when oe finds something which strikes his fancy. Ae he threw down a bill he was an- aoyed to see how his hands shook. “Burning the candle at both ends has had an effect,” he thought, and as he left the shop, added: “This mixing of business and society is the pace that sills. I suppose stimulants will be the oext resort.” He recalled last Christmas at his former boarding place, and of the friends there—especially Alice Glea- son. Whenever he thought of her now, it was with a sense of. remorse. They had been very warm friends, but since his sudden advancement in busi- ness had necessitated more commodi- ous surroundings, he had seen little of her. He had really not meant to neg- ‘ect the old friends when he began to! go more into society and make new, ones, but unconsciously he had dri: away from the little circle on itreet. “The shabby old place seemed far more like home than my new quarters ever will,” he muttered, and a realiza- tion came to him ‘that it was Alice | with her sympathetic voice and restfuli ways who had made it seem so. No | matter how tired she might be with her day in the schoolroom, she was’ always ready to rejoice or sympathize. “Tl send her some roses—the finest, [ can find,” he declared with a sudden’ tush of remorseful tenderness. He en- tered a flower shop and bought a huge: bunch of velvety American Beauties. “Send them to this address,” he told the dealer and gave him a card. Next door was the establishment of” an expensive furrier, and a Lander passed the window, he saw Marguerite. Fenton locking at a set of brown lynx. The rich tones went well with her- crown eyes and tawny hair. As she- stood there with the soft furs about her, she reminded him of some bar. baric princess. Ever since he had first _ met her at a dinner given at the home of the senior member of the firm, Lander had been greatly fascinated, and felt that her beauty and position Atted in with his ambitious dreams. Yet, strangely enough, today her beau- ty did not make its usual appeal to him that mingled with her sinuous grace, was also something of feline cruelty. ““ pesiecriertyeic is »” he muttered. “Her tasten itself, vampire like, on the life. blood of the man who marries her!” Our Shoe Stock the brands of footwear mentioned below will prove to you that we ; as standard articles. Whether in ladies’, gents’ or children’s shoes, he Florsheim The Ralston The O’Donnell Our line of goods of this character has been selected with a view to meeting the demands of the Holiday Trade and em, Z | ] | ]