The Portland daily press., 1880-12-24
CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS.
What is Heard on the Street.

Rarely is such lovely weather vouchsafed to
Christmas shoppers as we have been enjoying
In Portland the past few days. All the princi-
pal streets have been crowded with people,
and with difficulty purchasers have been able
to enter the leading stores.
Yesterday was superb. Several thousand
people were trying to get into Owen & Moore's,
Turner Bros, Eastman's and in fact all the
attractive resorts on Congress street. Almost
blockade occurred at the corner of Preble
and Congress street; policemen were rushing
about and horse car drivers doing all they could
to acco nmodate people. The peanut man was
dispensing peanuts by the peck, the evergreen
and Christmas tree dealers had blue noses but
their faces wore glad smile as they took in
the silver by the handful for their wreaths, and
both Fisk and Fred Meaher had so much to do
in their stores they actually didn't know
whether they stood on their heads or their
heels The conversation of the women, as
they jounoed and iostled and pushed to get
across was very funny heard In disjointed sen.
fences.
BE careful Jane-now do be careful, you'll
get killed before you get home" ooh, don't
buy anything for Johnny but useful presents
give him new Sled" "Pshaw, he don't want
sled, give him magic lantern "How d'y
do-glad to see you-Isnt it just horrid?"
''Most crushed to deatll-all we'll at home
how's Lulu?" 81 tell you Mary Jane, that +
will not buy the dolman, it cost too much. We
shan't have cent left for tickets to PROCTOR
"Then don't want anything for a present."
tWhat q rav 10 o;v D,ta
"Guess shall send him locket, with my
photograph" ooh, how nice.'' "Does he
know it?" "Know it-no-it will be sur
prise" Don't say word, but was in Dress
er x AlcLellan's just now, and saw large
package marked with my name, and guess it
contains Houghton's Longfellow's Poems
Wasn't it funny that should see it?" awful
ly funny-from whom?'' "Don't know GER
tain, but / guess-but shant tell" "Please
pass along, ladies--keep moving There,
declare, I've left my bundle, and I must 90
back" "Well, I'll meet you at Cyrus Daviss
glad to get rid of her." sob, no he never
buys anything, but when his children come
down to breakfast on Christn,ao n,ornfng tney
find hundred dollar bill under their plates"
wish l had such father' 'Never as long
as l live will try to get Christmas tree. 1t
is an awful bother-no end to the little things
you have to buy" "But the children are so
pleased, you know 'I'm most worn to shoe
strings running round town. "Oh. it is such
fun" odd you ever see the store windows
look so charming" Perfectly artistic TIA
ia, come and see me, had to leave carriage on
Exchange street. John wanted to see about
gum" "We'll drop in after Christmas-Re-
CARDS to Tony" "Now please don't ask me
that question again. l don't know what your
father is going to give you.'' "Well, L shonld
think you ought to-" ''You know your father
delights in surprises" 81 hate such mystery"
But we can't afford it, my dear. Your father
ISN'T the Casco Bank" sob, pa wouldn't
care if you only agreed to it, perhaps not
but will not exceed $25, and there's an end
of it," "Well had rather give nothing than
to send Augustus mean present" "Just as
you please" 81 told you, my dear, that if you
would insist upon going to Boston to see Bern
hardt in all her characters. that we should be
obliged to economize in our Christmas pres
ents." "Well, know, but why not econo-
mize on our dresses next spring and
give nice, handsome presents .Some
ones picked my pocket. can't find my purse.
There was $50 in it-let us go back" "Why,
mother, saw you put it in your bag" "Well,
[ declare, so did, and here it is So glad"
why, John Harry, when did you come to
town-how's the babies-I suppose Sarah is
about worn OUT "Hcllo! Frank, where did |
you get those gay striped mits?-all the style in
New York, eh!-Had good time?" 81 shant |
f1,sv l~,,< liz
that SOP "Will see you at next Falmouth as. |
sembly. So long!' 'I'm going to have doll |
any way, and so the restless tide surges back |
and forth, and all look forward to the great fes-
tai day that comes tomorrow.