it deftly
around his forefinger and, behold, it was made up as if in the paternal
collar.

"Like it?"

John nodded and brought out a fifty-cent piece which he had forced from
the pig bank that morning. A moment later, the wrapped holly box was
given him, and he was off in the direction of the book department.

Still the crowds! They choked the aisles and carried him here and there
at the mercy of their eddies. Now he was forced up against a wooden
counter edge, now jammed against two fat women in rusty black who were
buying devotional books for the edification of less pious friends. At
last a sign, "Popular copyrights, fifty cents a volume," gave impetus to
his hitherto haphazard course.

The poorly dressed salesgirl behind the counter smiled down at him in a
manner which successive ten o'clock sessions had failed to eradicate.
"What kind?" she asked.

His gaze wandered helplessly over the bewildering array of volumes.

"Here's something everyone's reading," she suggested, holding up an
inane, pretty-girl covered book. He eyed it dubiously and pointed to a
title which hinted of the West and of Indian fights.

"Give me that one," he said decisively. His own love affair had proven
that heroes and heroines in every day life never have the easy sailing
which a limited reading of popular novels had implied. Anyway, cowboy
stories were the most exciting.

With the two packages wedged securely under his arm, he battled a way to
the elevators. The family shopping was over and the real business of the
day, a tour of the toy section and a present for Louise, called him.

"Fifth floor," droned the elevator man. "Toys, dolls, games,
Christmas-tree ornaments."

His words became drowned in a sudden babel which made ordinary
conversation impossible. A murmur of a thousand voices blended with the
rattle of mechanical trains and the tooting of toy horns. Impatient
salesmen called "Cash, cash, cash!" at the top of their lungs. Wails
arose from hot, disgruntled infants. Now and then a large steam engine
in operation at one counter corner, whistled shrilly when mischievous
juvenile hands swung back the throttle.

At the far end of the floor, where the carpet and rug department had
been shifted for the holiday season, a long line of people were waiting.
Heavily clad, perspiring women shifted infants from one arm to the other
as they walked patiently along. Poorly clad street loafers sought to
idle away their time with a visit