it is drawing near the festive season in this remarkable land, and there is a great bustle everywhere. some people are concerned about providing luxuries for themselves, and some are concerned about providing for those poorer than themselves.

mrs. delancy came in all fagged out from her arduous work of shopping.

"i have just been treating myself to a few little christmas presents," she gasped, as she carried a great, fat, pug dog and deposited him on grandmother's best white satin sofa pillow. she called the dog many endearing names, such as "darling," "little baby boy," "sweet one," and "tootsy-wootsy."

dogs are thought as much of as babies in america; those are the very same terms of endearment that the women address to their babies.

"i had to leave this little darling in a restaurant to be fed and cared for while i did my shopping," she explained. "he would come with me, the pet."

she then informed aunt gwendolin that she had been to the milliner's and ordered five hats, and had just completed the purchase of a three thousand dollar jacket at the furrier's.

the dog on the pillow whined in the midst of her recital, and she stopped long enough to go over and give him a kiss.

she was still enlarging on the beauty of the fur coat, when the housemaid tapped on the door, and ushered mrs. paton into the sitting-room.

"i heard that you ladies were here," she said, "and i thought you might like to have the privilege of helping a little in those charities," and she began to unfold some papers which she held in her hand.

"oh, my dear mrs. paton, do not ask me to-day, really," exclaimed mrs. delancy, holding up her hands. "i am among the poor myself to-day, and you know charity begins at home. i really haven't a cent to give to any one else. i'm stony broke, as the boys say. i have laid out so much money to-day for necessities!"

mrs. paton then turned to my aunt and said, "gwendolin, do give something out of the thousands you are expending on self-indulgence to help those who have not the necessities of life!"

taking the paper into her hand with an ungracious air, my aunt wrote down a certain amount, and then passed it back.

"dear me!" sighed mrs. delancy, as soon as mrs. paton had left the place, "how tired i get of those people with their solicitations for some y. m. c. a., or y. w. c. a., or something else eternally. they'd keep a person poor if one paid any heed to them, really! some one starving or unclothed every time! it does annoy me so to hear harrowing tales!"