The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-12-24

1 Aho tc9 btApAo Nutibtllhb CeTIHlnlY IuT
nishesltypical weather for this season OF tn,
year. Everything out doors looks ike Christ
mas. Tho snow, the sieigh.beils and til,
hilarious boy, especially the hilarious boy
are all In keeping with Christmas tide. Judg
Ing from the street and market scenes to-day
ana last night there Will DO many merry
homes tomorrow
Tho scenes last night were very amin ated
The streets were crowded with shoppers aud
with people who came to sec the shopping.
The people who came out to see things formed
considerable portion OF tho crowd. They
looked OF the Windows and passed through
the etoree. One could tell without trouble
whether person was shopper or looker.on
In Venice. Tho shopper was busting and In q
hurry. The looker-on was composed aud
on Seventh street Il was almost impossible
to get into some OF tho stores. In the places
where cheap toys and other childrens notions
are sold, the time consumed In getting TO the
counters and making q purchase was worth
more than the article bought. Every window
on the Avenue, Seventh or other business
streets was brilliantly lit up. Many OF the
windows, In fact, nearly all OF them, showed
artistic taste In the way OF decoration. rue
windows OF the large stores would bear o full
quarter OF an hours inspection. And they
we're Inspected by many hundred pair OF
eyes.
The number OF children who were out was
very large; lt was noticeable that the parents
who had children with them did no buying.
They had been forehanded In their purchases,
Ladies' were out In force. They froanentsd
the stores where gentlenen's goods are made
Especially. There seemed to be an epidemic
among the ladies 10 buy fancy suspenders.
II would not be an oxaggeration to say that
seven out OF every ten ladies' who we're pur-
chasing thinge last night bought pair OF sus
penderr, gaudy and elaborate, for her best
young man. In fact, the fancy suspender
seems 70 have taken the place or the tradi.
llonal slipper. shoe dealer on the Avenue
told THE CRITIC reporter that the sale of
slippers had fallen on very much this year.
lnstead, he said, 'of the girls working
pair OF slippers for their young mon, or buy
ing them pair, they embtoider or BUY pair
OF suspenders for them."
There was novelty, too, in the purchases
OF inc young men. They went In to very
considerable extent for gsrters. Ii was won.
derful the variety OF garters that were for
sole. pair could be bought all the way from
zen cents 70 seven dollars. Young men In
vested IN them reckleesly. When they bought
a pair they invariably hesitated a moment,
They were at a loss 10 tell exactly what size
they wanted.
TIE CRITIC reporter was with young lady.
he had been commissioned by 0friend to get
him baby rattle. That was apparently au
easy thing to do, but It was attended with
some embarrassment. The reporter and the
young lady, after much struggling, made tdeir
street.
A pretty black.eyed maiden asked the re-
Boldly, and with no suspicion OF the conse.
quences, the reporter said he wanted a baby
hothcs ho blhCk-oyou UlulQOn lOOKoQ Quberly
at the young lady, then at the reporter, aud
laughed as che brought forth an assortme at
OF baby ratties. For the first time siuce he
mas s, been Mn, In the newspaper business, tho re.
as penny. A rattle was bought and an exit
made from the store In about minute.
AS the young lady and the reporter walked
away, the black.eyed maiden could DO heard
giggling with glee.
Everybody talked OF nothing last night but
Christmas. Anticipatory talk Of what they
m n mn rsua. f...
every tongue. II the reporter heard the OK.
preston, 81 wonder what he will give me- "
from one young lady, he heard IL from a
Two young ladies were standing in front of
an avenue store. One OF them pointed out
going to give you that" Her companlons
eyes snapped as she said, ''If he does I'll
throw II In the gutter The crowd surged up
and down the street, but did 80 very elowly.
HI was impossible to walk rapidly. It was
difficult thing to get along at all. People
with bundles In their arms had hard time OF
y; Many sought refuge n the street-ears, but
did not better their condition much. The cars
were 80 crowded that any thing breakable was
In danger OF destruction.
: Everybody was In good humor, and sus-
tained 1ostling and being hustled without
complaint. While the sidewalks were crowded,
the streets were not deserted by any means.
Everybody who had anything that would au-
swer the purpose OF sleigh was out. Tho
brilliant lighte, the laughing crowds and the
merry 1ingling OF sleigh bells aud the rapidly
moving horses made a picture long TO be- 70.
membereu.
The Avenue was the favortte resort for the
sleighs. They went up aud down II from the
Capitol TO the Treasury by the hour. The
eleighing was as fine as could be desired. It
was lot too cold for the sleighors. The horses
seemed to enjoy 1t immensely. There were
some fast travellers out, and their owners
speeded them. There were many "brushes"
between the owners OF fast horsedesh.
The stores were not closed until very late
In me night, and the streets were. very lively
chasers at II o'clock had not finished their
shopping. The cars about O'Clock looked
like "all sorts' stores The occupants had IN
their hands everything from tln-whstle to a
turkey. The amount OF evergreens carried
home was something enormous.
Every mother and father seemed to have q
bunch OF holly or other evergreens with them.
II was great night. The scenes tonight Will
be equally as animated. The Signal Service
| promises that the weather shall be Christmas
weather. The cold will continue. A further
fail OK the mercury IL predicted.
In the Mark cts.
| 'Git back there, misterl" said q colored boy.
| as he edged his way into the market. house
this morning. 'Glt back, git back, auntie
everybody" and the juvenile descendant OF
Ham pushed his way along, q huge basket
| iiiled with picked onione, celery, nsh and
| fowls hanging on either arm.
one could scarcely see rod ahead OF him.
| There was sea OF heads. Old women, old
| men, young people-all colors, all ages, rich,
| poor and mediocre crowded along, jabbering
| whisuing, laughing and occasionally swear
| log.
II was motley scene. Every one carried
| from one to four baskets, and some men and
| women were followed by as many as three or
| four children carrying baskets. Heavy pur
| chsses were made. The stall-keepers were
| singing out their wares and answering cues
| lions four at a time.
.'Is this fresh cheese1" inquired prett,
| Irish girl.
''Yes'um; everything fresb," was the reply
"oid stock sold long ago. Everything in this
times Keeping anything. Buy quicki" replied
| the jolly German.
| There was u buzz OF saws on hams and
chopr, whirr OF horseredish- grinders, and a
| clank OF the scores OF scales about the place
that, with the talk and hustle, almost tool
| ones breath.
"weii, declare. I'm 80 excited don't know
| what want " exclaimed fat lady.
"They are buying eyerything," replied the
and then he began dumping cranberries
celery, pickles, mango peppers, chow-cho v
| and other convenient edibles into the basket,
talking Gil the while like hurricane.
Az the different entrances there was a con
| slant, steady stream OF goors and comers
| Hundreds OF baskets were seen moving about
| AT the rear OF the market-house the drivers
| were hustling around replenishtng from the
| hucksters and warerooms the rapidly-deplet
| Ing stocks or edibles. People seemed TO have
| big eyes, and TO have gagged the capacity Of
their siomachs by their ability TO see tempt
| ing things.
selecting Good Fowls.
"Good chickens, boss7" inquired half bent
| White-haired col0red individual at one OF tht
| stalls In Centre Market this morning.
ave have, uncle" replied the tallkeepe
'Les see" said the colored individual; ant
| then he began picking up the dressed fowl
and feeling at their throat latches. After OK
aiming halt-dozen the old man replied
1 alpWlV.