Punch (103.1892)

December 24, 1892.] PCJNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI._299_

CHOOSING CHRISTMAS TOYS Mrs. S. I always thought cheapness was a question of what a

. . _ . ' person could afford

(A Sketch m the Lowther Arcade.) ^ ^ j Mrs Bloom. But I can afford it, dear Sophia—thanks to dear

Between the sloping banks of toys, and under a dense f oliage of John's bounty, and—and yours.

coloured rosettes, calico banners, and Japanese-Lanterns, the con- Mrs. S. You mustn't thank me. I had nothing to do with it. T

gested Stream of Custom oozes slowly along, with an occasional j warned John at the time that it would only-and it seems I was

overflow into the backwaters of the shops behind, while the Stall- right. And Reggie has a butcher's shop—a really good one—already.
keepers keep up a batrachian and almost automatic croak of . In fact, I couldn't tell you what he hasn't got!
invitation. Reggie. I can, though, Aunt Vinnie. I haven't got a train, for

Fond Grandmother. So you 'ye chosen a box of soldiers, have you, one thing ! (To his Mother, as she drags him on.) I should like a
Franky ? — very well. I little tin train, t« go by

Now what shall we get , J J*-^ .^Sls?^ \ clockwork on rails so.

for little Elsie and Baby ? ___j-^-^ I /-^^P^^^^^. \ ,/ /, mjN Do let Auntie——what's

Franky {promptly). I m/JX fill ill r? she staying behind for ?

Another box of soldiers j X~M\ \W&M^ \BE%lmMWSi^£^/ Mrs. Bloom, (catching

would do nicely for Elsie, A ^_ wr^i L^^^^JJ^^^^^- ^^^^MWW^^^^j^f lr £ them up. and thrusting a

Grandmamma, and — I All W^l^^xK^M^^^^y yyk^^^^ /^>J j ! 4 box into Rwgte?s hands).
know, a fort for Baby! 1 ' tii^^WM^^^^^^M^^^^^^ {Ll if There, dear boy, there's
Grandm. (doubtfully). Iff Y^tf*™^!] vTtTTIII L Wr^^MK^/M ill vour train-with Aunt

But they're such little 'II* I i({ I 11 \| !.| |-||f \, mlmM^^W wMM W Vennie's love! (Reggie

tots —they won't know <| MtilM [k I 1111 f ]\ mil ll^wP^ /*'// °Pens the box, and dis-

how to play with them. I ,1 f 1 Jiw \ XI 1$ \vW^Wm^W0t^^l eovers a wooden train.)

Franky. Oh, but I can J&BzSk » IK PPV Ki W !|i W/^4K'r>J~-l 1/4 What's the matter, dar-

teaeh them, you know, llffi 1 JKSk^k \ If NW'llW'fn >' AL^^ ' fU't ling? Isn't it-?

Grandmamma. | It |f» fW \$mEBlL* 1 \\\W'n3M^§$\ Vm^ST W ', Mr8' 8' He had rather

Grandm. That's right If I ,|| ^^^K^H ^Mfc W&3^^?h \\r ff^'/ se* ^s heart on a clock-

—I like to see a boy kind vl : ftS^WMBE^^Ss ''J Fk\^^W&^0^i\ work one with rails—

to his little sisters. \ll SMSwR "M^feffiLV /0WJ$3&J3lf *~ W, WW which I was thinking of

{She adopts Master ^JB»W3«fe:-•JS^WW# ^ T P^St b#th$i M getting for him —but I

Franky's disinte- mm^m^m^'^^^^mt^^^^^^^l^^!^ \ & ~**^*fflwmm/? am sure he's very much

rested suggestion. J^^^»W?WZ >il llfiffl»'//4iilll k^L*aS^ /K Wf I obliged to his Aunt all

^ Jf^Aer. Now, j^^^^^^P^^I^CO^^KH/i|ft3'v^it,-ltl ^fKfckhWW the same-you,

Percy, it's all nonsense wf^^^l^^^^^^PJf ^X^^^s'1 ^ ■ j^^j^^^f^i I'w Reginald?

— you can'*! want any /^^^^^ff(^^^^^^^millvfBfc \\ C''''x^^^^^Pl v~ \ Reggie (with a fortu-

more toys—those you've /, \J^W$^J i ^^^^^m^S^k^^Ti ~ ^MWl \ nate ^nsP^ra^on)' Thank

ot are as good as new. //^^^■J^^t if/ \ VW^^2^\% 11% ^^^^^Ml^^^^S^^ESBl^^^L^- li/fl' you crer so much, Auntie?

such a boy for taking care ^^^^^SJfr^^^^^^^^^ ^1^^^^^^^^^^ llliP .^^Xf^^x^, better than a tin one—
ofhistkings—he'11 hardly ^\^^^^ i l/J ^ ..^ -^>N because all the doors open

anyone else to £owA them! ^^^^^^^^^-^^ ^^^^^^^ Mrs. S. That's so like

TAe Friend. Dear little riba ^iwl^^^^^l^^'^Hl //h**1^?^^ .MS^^^^J^^y^J^ Reggie—he never says

fellow—then I'm sure he wh^'kml mS^^^^^^^^0^ W^%^mSm^Sl^^^^r Tim anything to hurt people's

deserves to be given a new J^^^jrwJ ^^^^^^^^^ ^ 11 ^^^^^^^^^^m^^^^^^^'' feelings if he can possibly

he '11 give me no peace ^n^^SSmU ^^^^^^^^ P ^ \\$ ambiguity). Ah, dear

till I do give him some- ^^^fjfmS^^Bt^yfl^&II WzY$, ^^^^^BK^nM^^ff/ff^^^Vj1f'<| Sophia, you set him such

thing. I know—but mind I IMM^^^^^W^^^ IB sT^fcf ^^^^^MUmSa^^^S^. WrWt^A '\ an examP^ vou see •

this, Perct, it's only to |M|M^^^p#^| ij [ij^f |. fjt^^^Bmjmu^S^M y/(VN [Reggie wonders why she

keep you quiet, and I'm ^^^pW^^^^^^P^ ■l^l^f '^^juj^m^^^M^^^^^A^' 1^^^ squeezes his hand so.)

He gives all' Aw things ' H^^^M^^P ^^^^^P ^ J'ImP^''' toy °f 'some sort—for a

[Master Percy fa/ces oo^A ^^m w^^m ^^^fejfTBl^i ^ ^ I^^^^BBotK^S^^ ^ 4/(As if he might require

these valuable moral JlTO^ral^fffl mSt^^^^m^'''^/' ^/ffl^mif ^'■r~~^' -' it for an elderly person.)

lessons to heat t. wMwlflW\ Mm wflffiW- 'wl H11 \)Umaffmt iI^m/a^^/A wC{^==M> At least, it's not exactly

Mrs. Stilton (to her less^ ^^^^^M ^ffl^ | f |f '^^nU/l^m imji ^^^^^ ^^'"^^s''' a child—it can te/A, and

/;ear of it! T Reggie has ^^^^^ffil'lwSW I j 1 ' >-^^ large assortment Avithin

more toys already than he -^P^^j^^^ "^^Ijpj^ j' to select from. Is it for

colly). Of course, my w'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. \ ^^m^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^i ^ ^at ^"S' ^S Dame's

your children are born x '/^^^^^^^^^^^p^^^^^^^^m^^^^^^^^^^' that's a girl's name too;

to every-but still, I M'fi/£-7~T\gsM -Wmw!^ ^ut ^ na<^ ^e^er De some

have no one but myself 'W-' ' / / ^^m^^^^MSM^^^^C^^^ thing that doesn't — I

now, you know— and if I / [ ^^^^^^^^^pB^HMjp^^^^i—. mean something it

a pleasure! *^sss3sBs^Vfge' {lie runs down.

Mrs. Stilton. I have " Er—1 want a T°y of some sort-for a CAiW, don', you know! " Salesw- I gwi'te under-

already told you there is not the slightest ocoasion for your spending I stand, Sir. One of these little 'orses and carts are a very nice
your money in any such foolish manner. I hope that is enough. I present for a child— (with languid commendation) —the little 'orse

Mrs. Bloom. I'm sure he would like one of these little water- \ takes out and all.
carts—now wouldn't you, Reggie ? [Reggie assents shyly. I The V. M. Um—yes—but I want something more—a different

Mrs. Stilton. Buy him one, by all means—he will probably take kind of thing altogether,
the colour out of my new carpets with it—but, of course, that's of Salesw. We sell a great many of these rag-dolls; all the clothes
no consequence to you ! take off and on.

Mrs. Bloom. Oh dear, I quite forgot your beautiful carpets. No, j The V. M. Isn't that rather-and then, for a boy, eh ?

to be sure, that might-but one of those little butcher's shops, | Salesw. P'raps a box of wooden soldiers would be a more suitable

now!—they 're really quite cheap! I toy for a boy, certainly.