The Gift Of the Magi

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. She had put it aside, one cent and then another and then another, in her careful buying of mene dod or an fooghty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

There was nothi the next day would be Christmas.

There was nothing to do but fall on the bed and cry. So Della diShe h

Ohad many happy hours planning something nice for him. Something nearly good enough. Something almost wo Something nearly good enough. Something almost worth the honor of belonging to Jim.

The James Dillingham Youngs were very proud of two things which they owned. One o his wather.'s d, long ah. It had once belonged to his father. And, long ago, it had belonged to his father's father. The other thing was Della's hair.

If a queen had lived and drird her hair where the queen could see it. Della knew her hair was more bqueen could see it. Della knew her hair was more beautiful than any queen's jewels and gifts.

If aching ham lived in the same house, with all his iiches, met. Jlm kave lhat no king had anything so valuable.

SJim knew that no king had anything so valuable.

So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her, shining like a falling stream of brown water. It reached belo her knd then she put it up on her head again, nervou. And then she put it up on her head again, nervously and quickly. Once she stopped for a moment and stood still while a tear or two ran down her face.

She put on her old brown coat. She put on her old brown hat. With the bright light still in her eyes, she moved quickly out of the door and down to the street.

Where she stopped, the sign said: "Mrs.seofroniloor Della ran, and stopped to get her breath. Mrs. Sofronia ran, and stopped to get her breath. Mrs. Sofronie, large, too white, cold-eyed, looked at her.

"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.

"I buy hair," said Mrs. Safronie "Take e brown waterfall.

"Twenty dollar."

Down fell the brown waterfall.

"Twenty dollars," said Mrs. Safronie, lifting the hair to feel its weight. "Give it to me quickly," said Della.

Oh, anfrthe ne shop to another, to find a gift for Jim. She fone shop to another, to find a gift for Jim. She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and for the se es, and she had lo other like it in any of the shops, and she had looked in every shop in the city, It was a gold watch chain, very simply made. Its value was in its rich and pure material. Because it was so plain and simple, s are like this.

It was good enough for the watch.

As soon as she saw it, she enough for the watch.

As soon as she saw it, she knew that Jim must have it. It was like him. Quietness and

valuehJim andtwentyhane both rs fouiet. Andanhe hurried home with the chain and eighty-seven cents. rried home with the chain and eighty-seven cents. With that chain on his watch, Jim could look at his watch and leam the time

anywhere he might be. Though the watch was so fine, t aneveroked a fit onlyiwhen no metimes took it out and looked at it only when no one could see him do it.

When Della arrived home, her mind quly.ened a little. She began to think more reasonably. She started to try to cover the sad marks of what she had done. Love and large- hearted giving, when added together, can leave deep marks. It is never easy to cover these marks, head lioked a lerfully lier. With her short hair, she looked wonderfully lier. With her short hair, she looked wonderfully like a schoolboy. She stood at the looking-glass for a lorself, "before h a ooks at me a second time, he' what I look like a girl who works for money. But what cI look like a girl who works for money. But what could I do-oh! What could I do with a dollar and eighty-seven cents?"

At sevelate. Della held the watch chain in her hand and sat near the door where he always in her hand and sat near the door where he always entered. Then she heard his steps in the hall and her face lost color for a moment. She often said little prayers quietly"Please God, make him think I'm still p she said: "Please God, make him think I'm still pretty."

The door opened and Jim stepped in. He looked very thin and he was not smiling. Poor fetaow, hee of! He needed a new coat and he had nothing to cover hHe needed a new coat and he had nothing to cover his cold hands.

Jim stopped inside the door. He was as quiet as a hunting dog when it , anear ere was an expression in them that she could not understand. It fission in them that she could not understand. It filled her with fear. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor anything else she had been ready for. He simply looked at her wito the s

"Jim, dear," she cried, "don'tella went to him..

"Jim, dear," she cried, "don't look at me like that. I had my hair cut off and sold it. I couldn't live through Christmasn. Yhouton't care, wa giyou? My hair grows very fast. It's Christmas,will you? My hair grows very fast. It's Christmas, Jim. Let's be happy. You don't know what a nice what a beautiful nice gift I got for you."

"emed to labour to understand what had happened. He seemed not to fe understand what had happened. He seemed not to feel sure he knew.

"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Dohout my hair."

Jim lookhe aroun

"he roon't have tay your hair is gone?" he said.

"You don't have tay your hair is gone?" he said.

"You don't have to look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you - sold and gone, too. It's the night before Christmas, boy. Be good to me, because I sold it for you. May be the hairs of my head could be counted," she said, "but no one could ever count my regard for you. fhall we eat dinner, Jim?"

Jim folded h anotms direction.

Eight dollars a week or a million dollars a year-hoight dollars a week or a million dollars a year-how different are they? Someone may give you an answer, but it willat was not among them. My meaning will be explained was not among them.is cmean Jim took sometlained soon.

From inside his coat, Jim took something tied in paper. He threw it upon the table. "I want you to understand me, Del

cahe sss for you. But if you'll open that, you may know what I felt when I cau'll open that, you may know what I felt when I came in." White fingers pulled off the paper. And then a cry of joy; and then a change to te rs.

Fon in a hop win ow and loved for a long time. Beautiful combs,window and loved for a long time. Beautiful combs, with jewels, perfect for her beautiful hair. She had known they cost too much for her to buy them. She had looked at thet withoue the least hope of

own gg them. And now they were hers, but her hair was gone. But she held themd say:

"My hairl gift. Sh, oh!" it out to h yet seen his beautiful gift. She held it out to h yet seen his beautiful gift. She held it out to h yet seen his beautiful gift. She held it out to him in her open hand. The gold seemed to shine softly as if with , Jim? I hunted all overwatch a hundred times You'll have to look at your watch a hundred times You'll have to look at your watch a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how they look together." Jim sat down and smiled.

"Della," said he, "let'le. They're too nice to use now. I sold them a while. They're too nice to use now. I sold the watch to get the money to duy the wihe Magi, as you know, were wise men-wonderfully wihe Magi, as you know, were wise men-wonderfully wise men-who brought gifts to the newborn Christ-child. They were the first to give Christmas gifts. Being wise, their gifts were doubtry of two children who were not wise. Eato buy the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy a gift for the other. But let me speak the last word to the wise of theswiseys: Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are the most wise. Everywhere thfts, such as they are the most wise. Everywhere they are the wisest ones. They are the Magi.