The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-18
"Be merry alI, be merry all,
With holly dress the festive hall;
Prepare the song. the feast, the ball
~ mnlnnunn nnnr ~ IlI.i ST mna ~

cards. There is greater variety this year than
ever before, and they are finer and more artistic
| than last year without a cores pOnding increase
in price. Dealers have laid in larger stocks than
heretofore, anticipating a larger demand, and
they have not been disappointed. Prang issued
no prize cards this year, and while his prize
| Christmas cards never gave satisfaction to
everybody, yet everybody had curiosity to see
| the card that took the first prize. Christmas
| cards are at all prices from one cent to seven
! dollars or more. Among the most beautiful
among the kigh-priced designs are ''Aladdin's
Lamp" "The light of the world,' and "The light
OF our home" Many are d-painted, though
| the same effects, perhaps more perfect, are in
| Autographs satin. Kate Greenaway's quaint
little figures, always ieven the mutations beautl-
fully coiored, are very popular. She does her
originals in water colors. and these are aeeu-
rately autographed. "EFoSt cards." hand
nted, are new in Christmas goods. One of
the most artistic of these is the Two owls setting
snugly together in .leafiess tree above a wide
eXpanse of glistening snow, with an outrageous
attempt at pm, "Should ovid aoq naintanee
be forgot" Kate Greenaway's little PLAQUES
are beautiful and novel and in demand Scotch
thlstles, shamrocks and natural leaves and
flowers are largely represented in these cards.
Bits OF rhyme are quantity illustrated, Long
fellow being the favorite author.
81 heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And vile and sweet
-. Inc words repeat
OF peace on earth good will to men,"
WHAT THE SHOPS AFFORD.
The jewellers windows are filed with rare
things in gold and silver, and in some of them
diamonds blaze and rubiesg glow. OF plated ware
it is said that this seasons supply shows as ar
tistic and elegant designs anything in solid sill
yer. There are beautiful designs in amber fruit
dishes and Limoges ware, while the showing in
Dresden China, Royal Worcester, French Bsque
10 1ap nd han n con hon
ever before seen in this city. People are becOm-
ing educated in rare wares, and are buying more
and finer things than hitherto. 1t is now
uncommon thing to sell pair of small but fine
vases of Dresden china at $50. There Is little
demand this season for oxldized jeweiry 1t has
had It's day, and is out of style. Leaf and flower
designs are more in demand
The dry goods stores were crowded Yesterday
while the clothing men and boot and shoe deal
ers We're not idle. Some of the dry goods houses
have opened toy departments, and are reaping
rich harvest from picture books, Noah's arks
dolls and thousands of other trinketS that have
our an ephemeral exis tence in trade.
The book stores also have thrOngs of buyers.
Buying books is a serious business apparently,
requiring deliberaton. Yet so great is the
number of new and beautiful things In
literature that deliberation but brings
INDIGESTION !s and confusion. Children,s
and in greater variety than last year, and are
from the cheapest TO those of elegant covers and
book is Told in the Twilight" while another is
Wee Babies''-but these are only two among
hundreds.
Candy takes on attractive holiday shapes and
pasteboard receptacles for sweets fashioned
like unto lions, tigers and other ravenous beasts,
while the mtld-eyed but deceptive elephant, and
cows, horses, dogs, and other domestic animals
are also represented aud made to do duty as
candy boxes
The hardware stores make great showing of
skates. These are in improved patterns and
would have been considered precious boon by
the boys of fifteen twenty years ago. As to
price and quality they are cheaper and better
q ono
son cannot be depended upon, and dealers
anxious TO sell at close profits when the season
has advanced thus far without ice.
ILLUSTRATING soLoMoN's LACK OF FORESIGHT
A visit to the toy-shops now is a hazardous
thing, calculated to turn anybOdy's head Solo
mon, when he moralzed that there was nothing
new under the sun, hadn't the eye of prophecy
to pierce the last quarter of the nineteenth CEN
fury and survey an Indianapolis toy-shop. 1t is
full of new things. and crowded as State
fair on a Thursday. There's no end to the things
there with which TO warm Juvenile hearts.
Parents who believe their progeny incline to
music can buy toy instruments that have as
much noise in them as though made TO order in
Pandemonium, and for children zoologically in
clined here are ANIMALS more wonderful than
any that went into the ark. There is no end to
the marvellous things in wood, paper and metal.
There are bicycles and trieyeles and all other
known forms of locOmOtion, not excepting seds,
which fit boys of all slzes from five years to
enteen.
ia BIES WITH ALL THE MODERN IMPROVEMENTS.
Some great philosopher has remarked that,
going back to the earliest records of the HUI
man race, it cannot be discovered
that there has ever been any improve
ment in babies. The first one, like the latesr.
was just the same ''pitty-itty thing" and ''iust
too sweet for anything" There has been great
and marked Improvement in doll babies The
doll-babies Of to-day are much more stylish and
better bred than their grandmotbers, besides
having some improvements their grandmothers
never dreamed of as belonging TO dOllhOod at
all. OF course, there are dolls of all kinds some
being cheap and plebeian, and others high-pri
and aristocratic There are wdeawake dolls
that never close an eye, and Others that actually
wink, and that too with most elaborate and de-
hberate malice afOrethought. Some of the dolls
have a mechanical cry, and unlike II "sure-
enough" baby. this is looked upon an accom-
plishment and recommendation, and makes
them to sell Tor more money
The favOrito brand of doh this season ia
the French jOinted, which sells at all sorts of
prices, from fifty cents and less up to with all
the latest improvements thirty dollars. The
French doh Is articuiated so that she can stand
sit down, or assume graceful and artlstic atti-
tudes. The reporter was shown a handsomely
dressed doll that il valued at $50, because she is
life size, and in addition to other accomplish
ments, can sing. The exhibitor squeezed the
iadys waist, and she periodically performed
"Yankee Doodle" II was unexpected and very
good music, "accOrdiOnly," but the widest effort
OF fancy couldn't make 1t a sing.
Rinai Birth Election.
Abraham Lodge No. SO, l. o, b, B., has elected