Дары волхвов

           Onedollarandeighty-sevencents. Thatwasall. Andsixtycentsofitwasinpennies. Penniessavedoneandtwoatatimebybulldozingthegrocer andthevegetablemanandthebutcher untilone’scheeksburnedwiththesilentimputationofparsimony thatsuchclosedealingimplied. ThreetimesDellacountedit. Onedollarandeighty-sevencents. AndthenextdaywouldbeChristmas. 

           Therewasclearlynothingtodo butflopdownontheshabbylittlecouchandhowl. SoDelladidit. Whichinstigatesthemoralreflection thatlifeismadeupofsobs,sniffles,andsmiles, withsnifflespredominating. 

           Whilethemistressofthehome isgraduallysubsidingfromthefirststagetothesecond, takealookatthehome. Afurnishedflatat$8perweek. Itdidnotexactlybeggardescription, butitcertainlyhad thatwordonthelookoutforthemendicancysquad. 

           Inthevestibulebelowwasaletter-box intowhichnoletterwouldgo, andanelectricbutton fromwhichnomortalfingercouldcoaxaring. Alsoappertainingthereuntowasacard bearingthename"Mr.JamesDillinghamYoung." The"Dillingham"hadbeenflungtothebreeze duringaformerperiodofprosperity whenitspossessorwasbeingpaid$30perweek. Now,whentheincomewasshrunkto$20, thelettersof"Dillingham"lookedblurred, asthoughtheywerethinkingseriously ofcontractingtoamodestandunassumingD. ButwheneverMr.JamesDillinghamYoungcamehome andreachedhisflatabovehewascalled"Jim" andgreatlyhuggedbyMrs.JamesDillinghamYoung, alreadyintroducedtoyouasDella. Whichisallverygood.