"I'm giving Father cigars."
"I know, I thought of cigars too. Men always like cigars
and cigarettes. You can't go wrong on them. Say, would
you like to try one or two of these cigarettes? We can
take them from the bottom. You'll like them, they're
Russian--away ahead of Egyptian."
"Thanks," answered Willie. "I'd like one immensely. I
only started smoking last spring--on my twelfth birthday.
I think a feller's a fool to begin smoking cigarettes
too soon, don't you? It stunts him. I waited till I was
twelve."
"Me too," said Edwin, as they lighted their cigarettes.
"In fact, I wouldn't buy them now if it weren't for Dad.
I simply _had_ to give him something from Santa Claus.
He believes in Santa Claus absolutely, you know."
And, while this was going on, Clarisse was showing little
Ulvina the absolutely lovely little bridge set that she
got for her mother.
"Aren't these markers perfectly charming?" said Ulvina.
"And don't you love this little Dutch design--or is it
Flemish, darling?"
"Dutch," said Clarisse. "Isn't it quaint? And aren't
these the dearest little things, for putting the money
in when you play. I needn't have got them with it--they'd
have sold the rest separately--but I think it's too
utterly slow playing without money, don't you?"
"Oh, abominable," shuddered Ulvina.
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