The New York herald., 1879-12-18
CHRISTMAS-TIME.
The Toys and Fancies that Crowd
the Street Stands.
EVENINGS IN THE STORES
A Visit to the Markets and a Word
Concerning Dinner

saying after ALL II Christmas-time did nothing
more than bring humanity into generous mood it
would still outweigh the worth Of all our other holi
days. Just walk along busy street this afternoon
and what unmurmuring people
boy with q bundle chucks himself against old
gentleman with the rheumatism. You naturally ex-
pect to trouble. but you disappointed. Boy
and smiles; old gent peers at the
bundle and smiles without exactly recovering.
On the next block that boy and bundle
will possibly attempt to knock a policeman
out of time. Any ill-feeling recriminatons? Not
bit Of it. The boy smiles again. little doubtfully
to be sure. but the policeman looks in opposite
direction and acts as If nothing has happened. 1t is
understood thing at this season that nobody has
rights which anybody else Is bound to respect.
Other holidays have their charm but none like this
Thanksgiving is the holiday Of stomachs up to bed
rime, New Years the holiday of dress, but Christ
is the holiday of hearts.
STREET SCENES.
One Of the most arrant privileges Of the is
the monopoly Of sidewalks for the sale Of petty
wares. Does anybody growl about it or write
letters to the Complaint Book?" No, sir.
They understand that such course would
bring them into general contempt. They
know very well that sidewalks at Christmas-tme
the property Of the first claimant. Why. some
Of the streets filled up with small stands. men
with trays of knick-knacks hanging from their
necks. and women with baskets of Christmas mer-
chandise. Fourteenth street and Sixth avenue have
their share. but Grand street swarms with them.
They the gftstands Of the poor, generally speak
ing but now and then is one that richer folks are
glad to patronize. For three blocks east from the
Bowery Grand street boast abouta many stands
as it has stores. Some Of them are on Q
scale that betokens prosperity. Their principal
burden is toys. There dolls-street dolls
with hardly o stitch to hide their lank
bodies; . few with wax faces and golden hair.
but most of them with china heads which the
hair refuses to grow. There little dolls
made all of china. who can't sit down and made
to stand in q one Of the shelves. They don't
wear any clothes either, but then they imperv-
GUS to our bleak December. You get of these
dolls for Ave cents and when you get it you have
article that won't require much attention and won't
cry under any circumstances. There are wooden
dolls. gifted with one two joints, and they are
made occupy end seats or dangle by string from
the roof Of the stand. You even have doll for
q cent; piece Of china about rs big Q champagne
cork and uch easier to keep track Of. If you don't
want whole doll you can be accommodated with
q dolls head of almost any size required. You
not bound by any conventionalities such a case,
but can have . homemade body and legs and arms
equally "a feature OF these stands are our old &C.
quaintances, the clowns ana jumping-jacks. You
don't find them exposing their limbs to cold
weather; the contrary they dressed in the
most extravagant fashion Then there the mag
with the drum. the man with the cymbals and the
grim soldier who continually carries his gun at
"present." Every and then these little people
given an opportunity to show what they can do.
Of bringing people to halt before his stand. But
altogether they have o much easier time Of 1t than
to travelling companies and are kept in q constant
state Of activity while their owner sports his tray
along tho street.
Tinware is favorite article with street dealers 1t
is . versatile metal. and the to which it can be
adapted for toys perennial cause OF astoEish-
ment. The line of tin toys used to be limited to
dishes aud kettles. soldiers. wheels. Whistles tops
and such things. Now you can get tin houses full
Of tin furniture and tin people, TIN theatres and tin
taken from life tin guns. tin watches and tin
are 10 be got in immense variety. from a butcher
cart to Roman chariot II your children have
0s keep a ss'y fS%
noise as an II" railroad. and are war.
wheel has been known to lose itself. even to out
live its stage of usefulness. but tin whistle will
indestructible tin cheap. For half dollar
q Of these stands you could furnish . whole
contribute the stock of the street merchant. For
ten cents boy can buy moro marbles than he could
nos Of ans dshss
Of glass which your little girl would rather possess
than all the contents Of the sideboard Christmas
balls hang all around his premises muslin stock
ings full OF popcorn candy peep out from of
his baskets, aud two or three others overflow with
lady apples and oranges. candy hearts, candy cats
and candy dogs and men.
SMALLER STOCKS IN TRADE
1t is useless to attempt description of all the
things you find at one Of the big stands. Their
variety appears to be unlimited But there arc hun
dreds Of smaller ones devoted to the sale of one par
ttcuar line Of goods. There IL the useful line,
prising combs and buttons and hairpins and knives
tho brightest and cheapest description and orna-
ments for the hair the economical line. where there
Ia
circumstances will accept and the inventive
line. whore SEQ serpents sold in bottles and gold
fish walk on tight rope The woman who site
the corner with basket is moro likely to
have toilet articles than anything else. though
csndy The man With the e'''a trsy 0IsA' sot
to deal In watch chains button hooks, and you
may rely upon him for getting all his articles
For imposing stands. with pictures and picture
frames. grasses and flowers. you must go to Four
teenth street or Sixth avenue. Some of them CON-
pete n small scale with the big stores In the
neighborhood. and fail to secure fair share OF
the holiday spoils. No wind IL too sharp for the
street dealer while purchasers the sidewalk,
and no purchaser Is beneath his attention. They
far from being subservient fellows and will
never leave q penny customer 10 wait upon the best
dressed lady on the block. You can't say as much
that for some OF tho larger establishments that
could bettcr afford to be as independent.
UNDER THE aAsLIGHT.
The hour for seeing the holiday places in their
greatest spendor ~ after dnner- Merchants UNDER
stand that attention this to Sc
cure custom. Who stops fora good long look at
glories of the shop windows are not allowed
to pale so long as the citizens are out
the gas goes up. and. under n hundred jets the
stores of Christmas gifts look attractive than
Then the electric light In here and there
presseo into service. Two o. them can be seen on
Grand street and larger number Sixth avenue.
surely our forefathers did not know the full glory
OF Christmas nights without these grand illu-
minators. They at the with their
silver rays sunshine hts tho harvest.
To walk down one OF the crowded streets or into
one of tho great gay stores. bright with light and
Brighter yet with human Smiles IL worth the while
OF every citizen. Night exhibition time at these
bazaars. and whether you want to buy an ythng or
not your presence will be welcome. When you are
tired OF looking at all the good things To sell and
buy and give look at tho faces around you. You will
nevor tire OF that. None of them frowns; they
could not If they tried and they tramp from coun-
tor to counter and block to block surprised and
now delighted Mt what they see but always thinking
OF the good people at home or elsewhere whom they
mean TO remember 1t is humanity at Its bes; catch