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Onedollarandeighty-sevencents.Thatwasall.Andsixtycentsofitwasinpennies.Penniessavedoneandtwoatatimebybulldozingthegrocerandthevegetablemanandthebutcheruntilone’scheeksburnedwiththesilentimputationofparsimonythatsuchclosedealingimplied.ThreetimesDellacountedit.Onedollarandeighty-sevencents.AndthenextdaywouldbeChristmas.Therewasclearlynothingtodobutflopdownontheshabbylittlecouchandhowl.SoDelladidit.Whichinstigatesthemoralreflectionthatlifeismadeupofsobs,sniffles,andsmiles,withsnifflespredominating.Whilethemistressofthehomeisgraduallysubsidingfromthefirststagetothesecond,takealookatthehome.Afurnishedflatat$8perweek.Itdidnotexactlybeggardescription,butitcertainlyhadthatwordonthelookoutforthemendicancysquad.Inthevestibulebelowwasaletter-boxintowhichnoletterwouldgo,andanelectricbuttonfromwhichnomortalfingercouldcoaxaring.Alsoappertainingthereuntowasacardbearingthename“Mr.JamesDillinghamYoung.”The“Dillingham”hadbeenflungtothebreezeduringaformerperiodofprosperitywhenitspossessorwasbeingpaid$30perweek.Now,whentheincomewasshrunkto$20,though,theywerethinkingseriouslyofcontractingtoamodestandunassumingD.ButwheneverMr.JamesDillinghamYoungcamehomeandreachedhisflatabovehewascalled“Jim”andgreatlyhuggedbyMrs.JamesDillinghamYoung,alreadyintroducedtoyouasDella.Whichisallverygood.Dellafinishedhercryandattendedtohercheekswiththepowderrag.Shestoodbythewindowandlookedoutdullyatagraycatwalkingagrayfenceinagraybackyard.TomorrowwouldbeChristmasDay,andshehadonly$1.87withwhichtobuyJimapresent.Shehadbeensavingeverypennyshecouldformonths,withthisresult.Twentydollarsaweekdoesn’tgofar.Expenseshadbeengreaterthanshehadcalculated.Theyalwaysare.Only$1.87tobuyapresentforJim.HerJim.Manyahappyhourshehadspentplanningforsomethingniceforhim.Somethingfineandrareandsterling—somethingjustalittlebitneartobeingworthyofthehonorofbeingownedbyJim.Therewasapierglassbetweenthewindowsoftheroom.Perhapsyouhaveseenapierglassinan$8flat.Averythinandveryagilepersonmay,byobservinghisreflectioninarapidsequenceoflongitudinalstrips,obtainafairlyaccurateconceptionofhislooks.Della,beingslender,hadmasteredtheart.Suddenlyshewhirledfromthewindowandstoodbeforetheglass.Hereyeswereshiningbrilliantly,butherfacehadlostitscolorwithintwentyseconds.Rapidlyshepulleddownherhairandletitfalltoitsfulllength.Now,thereweretwopossessionsoftheJamesDillinghamYoungsinwhichtheybothtookamightypride.OnewasJim’sgoldwatchthathadbeenhisfather’sandhisgrandfather’s.TheotherwasDella’shair.HadthequeenofShebalivedintheflatacrosstheairshaft,DellawouldhaveletherhairhangoutthewindowsomedaytodryjusttodepreciateHerMajesty’sjewelsandgifts.HadKingSolomonbeenthejanitor,withallhistreasurespiledupinthebasement,Jimwouldhavepulledouthiswatcheverytimehepassed,justtoseehimpluckathisbeardfromenvy.SonowDella’sbeautifulhairfellaboutherripplingandshininglikeacascadeofbrownwaters.Itreachedbelowherkneeandmadeitselfalmostagarmentforher.Andthenshediditupagainnervouslyandquickly.Onceshefalteredforaminuteandstoodstillwhileatearortwosplashedonthewornredcarpet.Onwentheroldbrownjacket;onwentheroldbrownhat.Withawhirlofskirtsandwiththebrilliantsparklestillinhereyes,sheflutteredoutthedooranddownthestairstothestreet.Whereshestoppedthesignread:“Mme.Sofronie.HairGoodsofAllKinds.”OneflightupDellaran,andcollectedherself,panting.Madame,large,toowhite,chilly,hardlylookedthe“Sofronie.”“Willyoubuymyhair?”askedDella.“Ibuyhair,”saidMadame.“Takeyerhatoffandlet’shaveasightatthelooksofit.”Downrippledthebrowncascade.“Twentydollars,”saidMadame,liftingthemasswithapractisedhand.“Giveittomequick,”saidDella.Oh,andthenexttwohourstrippedbyonrosywings.Forgetthehashedmetaphor.ShewasransackingthestoresforJim’spresent.Shefounditatlast.ItsurelyhadbeenmadeforJimandnooneelse.Therewasnootherlikeitinanyofthestores,andshehadturnedalloftheminsideout.Itwasaplatinumfobchainsimpleandchasteindesign,properlyproclaimingitsvaluebysubstancealoneandnotbymeretriciousornamentation—asallgoodthingsshoulddo.ItwasevenworthyofTheWatch.AssoonasshesawitsheknewthatitmustbeJim’s.Itwaslikehim.Quietnessandvalue—thedescriptionappliedtoboth.Twenty-onedollarstheytookfromherforit,andshehurriedhomewiththe87cents.WiththatchainonhiswatchJimmightbeproperlyanxiousaboutthetimeinanycompany.Grandasthewatchwas,hesometimeslookedatitontheslyonaccountoftheoldleatherstrapthatheusedinplaceofachain.WhenDellareachedhomeherintoxicationgavewayalittletoprudenceandreason.Shegotouthercurlingironsandlightedthegasandwenttoworkrepairingtheravagesmadebygenerosityaddedtolove.Whichisalwaysatremendoustask,dearfriends—amammothtask.Withinfortyminutesherheadwascoveredwithtiny,close-lyingcurlsthatmadeherlookwonderfullylikeatruantschoolboy.Shelookedatherreflectioninthemirrorlong,carefully,andcritically.“IfJimdoesn’tkillme,”shesaidtoherself,“beforehetakesasecondlookatme,he’llsayIlooklikeaConeyIslandchorusgirl.ButwhatcouldIdo—oh!whatcouldIdowithadollarandeighty-sevencents?”At7o’clockthecoffeewasmadeandthefrying-panwasonthebackofthestovehotandreadytocookthechops.Jimwasneverlate.Delladoubledthefobchaininherhandandsatonthecorne