The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-11-06

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JUST THE THEING.
Aud now the season is approaching, when
the earth shall be filled with questionings;
. and secret communings and councils shall,
\ in appearance at least, divide each family
against itself For while the younger gem
Grafton is conjecturing, with aspirations in
various directions What shall we receive?
the elder is deliberating, with anxiety born
of responsibility, the no less important ques
ti5n, What shall we give? While one enam-
ored swain ronders within himself whether
o ring should seem too pointed an offering
to his fair, another studies whether locket
will be sufficient evidence the desperation
of his state of mind. Young ladies lay cum
ming plans to obtain possession of cast of
boots and shoes, whcrerUm the measure
, nients for slippers may be taken; and wife
and children invent snarcs for pateriamilias,
to induce him to express, unthinkingly, his
. preference for a moustache cup, or set Of
shaving tools, or a warm and cozy dressing
gown. Even that hardened mscreant, the
old bachelor, becomes sensible of strange
movements in the oseous formation which
he terms his heart, and mutters uncomiort-
ably to himself that he supposes Lizzie's or
or Toms young ones will be expecting some
thing from him.
The wisest Of books declares it TO be more
blessed to give than to receivej and really,
when one comes to think of it, 1t decidedly
should be SO. For to find the right thing TO
give-to discover the precise article whose
. moral shape shall adapt itself alike to the
tastes Of the recipients the purse of the donor,
and the conventionalties of society-is la
Dor SO great that indeed it deserves an ex-
oeeding great reward. The range ofarticles
is so vast-the points to be considered so
nlmerous-that i is no wonder the intend
ing glver ortenf Sits down in despair, and
pteously exc!ainls: 81 don't know WHAT to
give /"
But for every evil there comes in good
time remedy. A great New York house,
whose special business is to minister 10 the
wants OF humanity, has hit upon the happy
device of arranging the different articles
lOI CUTS " All tluSscS anu NOAlhlblbHs
OF men, women and children, each under its
proper heading and Of publishing COM
plete series Of illustrations, descriptions, and
prices of the same. Some idea of the ma G.
nLude OF this work may be gathered from
the fact that it occupies 90 large quarto
pages s,most of which are positively crammed
with illustrations and descriptions. With q
work Of this kind one can sit down and cx-
anime at leisure the whole range Of possible
gifts Of every kind; and can select present
. for the one he delights to honor, without tn,
haunting fear that tomorrow, when too late
he will be sure to see something that woulC
have been more suitable. Or, If it be de
sired to learn the special longings Of any in
dividual, it will be only necessary to leav,
this book on the sitting room table, and Il
lie guided by the encomiums passed upol
any particular article by the individual il
question.
And even to one who has no presents il
contemplation, there is no lack Of interest il
work Of this kind; for in no direction i
Il more ingenuity exercised than in the pro
ducton of Christmas gifts. Here for instanc
ma lifelike image of a bird upon a perch
Attached to it is a flexible artificial wind
pipe, into which when the performer blows
the bird opens his beak, and pours forth
Aood Of melody that would make the heai
ola canary ache with envy. And this io
single dollar Or here again is a ferocou
looking bull dog hungrily seated on h
Launches. The youthful proprietor invite
an older friend to place n coin upon the dog
nose; when hey presto the coin is fun
into the air, the mouth gapes expectant an
Before a man hath power to say, Behold
The jaws Of darkness have devoured It up. :
Is a lady fond of fancy work Behold a
assortment Of designs, commenced suiiic
emily to show the stitch and pattern, an
sent with all materials for finishing on r
eeipt of price. Or longs her soul for persor
al adornments? On their proper pages 81
may see the veriest loves OF bonnets, u
latest things in jewelry, the last style
dress; nay, even the proverbial rainy day
provided lor, and an assortment Of umbrell
figures in its place. Are the younger mel
bsTs Of family seeking presents for
heads? Let them look at these silver Il
sets ut all prices these dinner services
French china, these jardinieres, and cot
cups, and shaving sets, and walking canes
never ending catalogue Of trings Il
mama and papa will delight to posse'
And as for the ehildren-IIeaven bless =
our columns are to short TO convey a b
idea OF the wealth of good things descriI
for their delectation. Page after page
record runs, as though it would never e
and Jennie and Harry must indeed be b
TO satisfy, if IRON among the long displa!
dolls, and doll houses, and picture boz
and skates, and cows that low, and ste
engines that do real work, and silver ic
and spoons, ana magical tricks, and ChI
mas tree ornaments, and candies, and g
ness knows what else, they fail to find
very things their hearts desire,
Aud for this wondrous book how mu
Why only fifteen cents. It is the wi
number Of the Fashion Quarterly, and
rich Brothers, Of Eighth Avenue, New y
are the entsrprising publishers who oil
Il 90 apprselatiys world.