Mary Stewart Cutting

“ I never wait for anything. I have everything sent and charged, if it's only five cents' worth."
"I expect to get through all my shopping to-day," said Mrs. Lorimer brightly. "I didn't mean to leave it until so late, but—— The weather's lovely, isn't it? It makes it seem like Christmas!"
"Well, I shall be glad when it is over," sighed Mrs. Dove. "Really, I have such a cold, I oughtn't to be out. The shops are so heated, and they're so crowded it's almost dangerous to go through them. ”

“ Lorimer why she left her Christmas shopping until so late, she laid her dilatoriness to the measles, or the visit of Mr. Lorimer's aunt, or the making of the children's clothes, or to that condition alluded to colloquially in the suburbs as "being without a girl," but the primal reason was that she had to wait until the desperate nearness of the season squeezed out the money for its celebration.
The Lorimers lived, if modestly, as gentlefolks; what they could not pay for they went quietly without; but extra money for presents there never had been, though it always seemed as if there might be. ”

“ Run away, Gert and Tony; mama's tired. Well, they can just come and kiss you, then. Poor mama's worrying because she went and paid out all the Santa Claus money for a yellow majolica vase, and she's afraid little children won't get much in their stockings this year. But I'll tell you one thing, there won't anybody have as nice a mama for Christmas as you have."
Four small strangling arms around her neck gave emphasis to the family belief. Mrs. Lorimer broke down and wept, though not all with sorrow. ”

“ Lorimer when they spoke about the child.
"If you get too tired you must go home," she said now, with a little affectionate undertone as she noted the droop of the girl's figure.
"Oh, this won't tire me more than anything else," returned Jessica. "Mrs. Dove is speaking to you, Marian."
"Oh, good-morning, Mrs. Dove!" Mrs. Lorimer did not know many people; she had moved here from the South only a couple of years ago. "I didn't see you. I suppose you're going in shopping, like the rest of us." ”

“ Of course, she bought presents for every one at once; that comes of going to a reliable place." Mrs. Dove dropped her voice. "Your sister-in-law doesn't look well; she isn't going into a decline, is she? People who live in the house are so apt not to notice as much as outsiders."
"Thank you, she is quite well," said Mrs. Lorimer with some asperity.
"Maybe she's in love," suggested Mrs. Dove genially.
"Oh, no, indeed; not at all," stated Mrs. Lorimer. She turned away from her adviser to Jessica. ”

“ Walker, regarding her with what, nevertheless, seemed to her excited mind, deep suspicion. "Where a person desires to stand part of the loss, however——This is twenty dollars you have given me, madam."
"Yes, yes! Oh, please take it!" breathed Mrs. Lorimer. "My husband would want me to pay—he would indeed."
"We will consider this quite satisfactory. We wish every one to be satisfied with The Garden Store. If you would like to open an account here, madam——"
"No, no!" cried Mrs.°Lorimer. "Thank you very much. Will you please let me pass! Let me pass!" ”

“ No; he was not there! There was an unknown world between them; the romance was ended; nothing short of a miracle could bring him to her now.
"And what do you want for Christmas, Jessica?" asked Mrs. Lorimer, hospitably, inspired with the thought of an unbroken twenty-dollar bill, although part of it was to be reserved. She and Jessica were gazing in at a shop window.
"You might as well say if you'd like a new waist."
"Oh, I don't want anything," said Jessica listlessly. "I don't care about clothes." She could not say, "I want a young man,"
"Not care about clothes!" Mrs. ”

“ Lorimer was sensitive to mental atmosphere and Jessica's listlessness and depression during the last month had distressed the older woman, all the more that Jessica, although she had lived with them for a couple of years, was still an "in law" who couldn't be approached quite like one's own. She would have thought that Jessica was in love, but there did not seem to be any one to be in love with, as she had said to Mr. ”

“ Lorimer? Speak to Mr. Nichols about it. Just think what this must mean to them—a thousand dollars for a vase! It will take him years to make it up. Do see about it."
"Why, I suppose I might——" Mr. Callender looked considering. "We certainly have more than we can attend to, now that Willis has taken up the Western branch. I'd forgotten about Lorimer—nice fellow, straight as a string, and with brains, too. I'll look him up. Yes, indeed, this vase business seems pretty bad ”

“ Dove. a very large woman with tails of fur rising and falling on her capacious chest. and with other tails tastefully combined in a hat above. In one hand she carried, shield fashion, an enormous silver-cornered pocket-book. ”