Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-24
CHRISTMAS GREENS.
Picturesque Holiday Scenes i'm the City
Markets.

CHRISTMAS GREENS.
Picturesque Holiday Scenes i'm the City
Markets.
SOME OF THE CHRISTMAS SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OBJ
SERVED IN THE MARkETs-THE yENDERs OF
GREENS AND THEIR Attractive wAREs-How
cR0wF00T IS GATHERED AND SOME OF TIE
DRAWBACKS OF A WINTER vIsrr TO THE WOODS
THE GENERAL USE OF GREENS IN THIS CITY
DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
One Of the interesting features of the Wash
ington market in the holiday season is the dis
play OF greens, which are brought to the CITY
| and used in the decoration of churches and
houses. The fact of the matter is that the cas-
ual observer, for instance an English tourist
would no doubt sagely conclude after tour
through our markets. that their main object
was to afford chance for the purchase and sale
of crowfoot and pine trees, while the sale of
meat and vegetables was apparently purely incl
dentals. Ii the casual observer was
really an English tourist it will be at
once seen what valuable deductions
! based upon this conclusion could be made as to
the habits and customs of the citizens Of the
capital city. II the stranger might mistake the
! citizen does not, but enjoys the really pictur-
esque effects which the soft piles of crowfoot.
|
ing branches of the trees gives to the ordinarily
! prosaic appearance of the market There Is no
escaping from this feature of Christmas If any
one was so hard-hearted and hard-headed as to
wish to do so. The greens are the first objects
| upon which the eye falls as you enter the mar
ket, and the last sound that in nine cases out of
| ten You will hear on leaving is: BUY some
greens, Lady," Even the iron fence about the
parking near the market has been softened and
| toned down by the wreaths and garlands which
| aO0nt ha hard in
their almost luxuriant softness. The proprietor
| OF all this richness may be found squatting in
'front.', Keeping up a constant inspection of the
passers-by, but, as rule. wisely allow
ing the wares to speak for themselves.
How effectively they appeal alike to the prac-
tfcai householder. who pauses with his mark ct
basket and in the full knowledge of the needs
OF large family, and to the young and senti-
mental GIRL who comes tripping along in search
| OF something pretty. They all stop Every
one buys something green. Perhaps after all
1t may only be habit belonging to the holiday
season. Perhaps the dull gray of the winter
SKY, the cold desolation OF the park and
THE sIIyERING BARRENNEss
of the trees gives anything green an attractive
ness and beauty. The most brilliant display
| Of the exquisite roses for which our markets
| are famous in the season have never attracted
so much of the popular regard. but when the
sweet grace of spring touches the dull earth we
snail regard all these things as coarse and COM
mon.
Whatever may be the source of the popularity,
crowfoot and pine and cedar are certainly now
| power in the market. 1t is curious to note
| the devices and shapes into which these mate
rails are worked. The crowfoot as it is most
| easily managed is the principal material en-
| pioyed in making the crosses, wreaths. &C. But
| great many OF the colored artists, not content
! with the rich effects of the green when massed
| together, introduce into the wreaths sort Of a
white moss. The green is not Of dark enough
! shade to make such a contrast effective more
striking result is attained by introducing in the
! mass OF croWfeet sprigs of holly with their red
| berries and glistening green leaves. Ferns of
the different varieties Are also employed with
! good results. Those who wish 70 make their
own decorations can buy the crowtOot already
wound into ropes or entirely loose lust as it
was plucked from the ground.
The old women who have these decorative
Christmas articles for sale are very apt to uroan
: aud shake their heads in doleful way when
asked If it was hard to gather the greens. They
Will tell you how they have to grub in the snow
and pull out the frozen crowfoot, and how their
hands leeZe as they wind it in ropes. Then very
likely, male voice at your side will be heard
| saying, in the pauses of the narrative:
desc greens are certainly hard work So
! cole wild yOu'er hans in the snow'-untiI YOU
| begin to SILVER yourself.
THE JOYS OF THE WOODS.
1t is certainly not the pleasantest thing in the
world to gather green's, especially if a light snow
has fallen. If he is man, probably the duty
Will devolve upon him to get supply of cedars
and pines for Christmas trees and decorations.
| With axe in hand he goes to the woods and.
| crouching down near the ground to get beneath
| the low branches he whacks away at the trunk.
The blow brings down a shower of fine snow
which Sits down his neck and makes him feel
| as If he had swallowed the north pole How
ever, the man who has trees to sell gets no SYM
| pathy. The crowfOot is what represents work,
and in consequence brings the highest prices.
twisted into ropes, the usual price is five cents
yard. but it is apt to vary according to the de-
mand from four to eight cents. When the pur-
! chaser comes to cheaper it, then the dealer at
once reveals to him the horrors which Is the lot
OF that courageous soul who ventures forth into
the woods in search of crOwfoOt.
The dealers with their curious collection of
crosses and wreaths, their little bundles of ho-
ley, with its red berries, and their great, soft
masses OF crowfoOt. as a rule congregate on the
outside Of the market and along the southern
wall.
CHRISTMAS TREES IN MARKET.
On the opposite side of the street there are
rows and rows Of trees Of all shapes and sizes.
causing one to imagine for the moment that the
woods Of Virginia and Maryland had walked
over and were taking brief rest against the
fence of the Smithsonian grounds preparatory
| to further tramp. Here may be found great
masses of holly and after walking down through
these forest aisies one Is inclined to wonder il
| there were any left for next year. The number
OF trees. the yards upon yards Of crowfoot, and
the quantity OF holly that is sold during Christ
mas week in this city, reaches very large
amount but it is only one indication of the
very general observance of the holiday season.
The green's are put to almost every used. They
may be found twined around the awning posts
In front OF saloons. and Nesting amid the
glasses and bottles of the bar. Then they are
found giving pretty effects among the arches
and pillars OF 4 church. and adding a touch of
color to the ornaments of the altar. There are
but few houses 81 poor that there Is not some
thing green to be found in this holiday season.
Perhaps only spray Of holly OR branch of
pine, but it is something.
IN PRIVATE HOUsES
AS one walks along the streets there NAV be
seen In the windows of the houses of both the
rich and poor wreaths of Christmas green or,
perhaps. glimpses may be had OF the glOries of
the Christmas trees. with its glitter and flash of
pretty things. 1t may be wrong to spend so
much money for thinks that at the best can only
last q week or SO, but as one Of the croWfoot
sellers remarked:
at is good for the poor people. We can have
| our Christmas, too"
Republicans Estimate OF Cleveland.
The Hon. Andrew Shuman, formerly lieuten-
ant governor of Illinois, and one of the Blaine
electors, publishes over his initials in his paper
the ChjcapO E5e,ain1 ,7Oaf,nfZ an aytan6ad ~