National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-09

fARlSi Dec. SO,-Gar1s at this season OF
the year looks like big bazaar. The shop
keepers vie with each other In making as
brilliant show as possible Of their wares,
which, in many CAGES, are spread out on the
sidewalk in front of their stores. These
exhibitions add to the picturesqueness Of
the streets, but In narrow thoroughfares
they incommode the crowd which lostles
along looking at the novelties. Are there,
fact, any novelties2 1t seems to me that
each year the shopkeopors bring out the
same stock of goods, or nearly the same
styles as the previous season. have been
walking about trying to find what is the
great attraction Of the year In the way Of
toys, a branch Of industry In which Paris
ian cleverness is seen to great advantage,
and | must confess that have found but
little that is new. Still, the old things are
so attractive that there Is always pleasure
in looking at them. Each year We expect
to find some new toy that everybody win
buy, and which will be known as the nov
city OF the season.
THE NEWEST PLAYTnINc.
The only thing which has awakened any
interest this year is the icu dcs nee. THIS
pl0ything is not remarkable, but the Paris
ians are not exactng: all they ask is TO be
amused. The new kniclknack Of the noses
consists OF a puppet moved by strings,
which change his nose four or five times.
First comes the legendary large nose of
Jules Ferry; you pull another string, and
then appears the proboscis of NJ. Allan
Taric, minister OF the interior, which, may
remark, is very red; then the other noses
of the puppet represent those belonging TO
prominent politicians.
In confectionery-which Is one OF the
most important Industries at Christmas
time, for everybody is supposed to send q
box or bag Of sweetmeats to his lady
friends-the skill and taste of the Partisan
is seen to perfection. There is no other
city in the world where bon bons play such
part in social life, and where the manu-.
facture has been carried to such
degree of excellence. The skill and
taste shown by the Partisan confec-
toner is wonderful. There is no sight
more attractive at this moment than the
fashionable confserie windows where are
displayed all these tempting daintles en-
veloped In myriad forms, from the simple
paper sack to the elegant silk bag or elab-
crate porcelain sabot. For two months,
December and January, these stores are
crowded, not only with buyers, but with
young girls chosen for their beauty and
deftness in asserting the various packages.
There was time when the confectioners
used to call their special bon bon OF the
Christmas season by political name, but
In later years the custom has been to take
the name Of the successful theatrical piece
This year 1t is, ofcourse, "Sapho, which has
made such hit at the "Gymnase," crowding
out of sight her rival "Georgette.n tits not
often, however, that Sardou is left out In
the cold. Since 1868, when the bon bon
"Intimesn was the rage, his pieces have given
the name TO most Of the fashionable sweet
meats.
STREET HOLIDAY TRADE.
Every year from the 23d Of December TO
the 9th Of January the city government
gives permission to some 1900 poor arti-
sans to open booths on the principal boule-
wards for the sale Of articles de Paris, which
most OF them have made at their homes
during the year. These wooden booths are
nearly uniform In appearance and quite so
in size. They are placed on the sidewalks,
which, owing to their great width, admit OF
this encumberment without too much Inn
peding the circulation. 1t is in these booths
that is to be found the new toy Of the year,
but this year, as / have said, Partisan In
ventiveness seems to be at fault, for moth
ing OFT of the common run is offered.
There is the usual collection Of toys, dolls,
wooden horses, tiny soldiers, railways, tops,
and the thousand other playthings that
please the Juvenile mind. In prosperous
seasons these poor artisans gain from $50 to
$50 profit during the two weeks they are
allowed to remain on the boulevard, but
the past few years have not been very
brilliant ones for them.
The large houses, like the Bon Marche
and the Louvre, have been gradually add
ing to their line of goods, and now they
each sell million francs worth OF
toys during the Christmas holidays. This
naturally affects the small dealers. These
toys are mostly manufactured In the Temple
quarter, where about 10000 workmen are
employed the year round Each house has
Its speciality, and no one manufacturer
nothing but dolls; Others manufacture tops;
still others sets OF furniture, soldiers, loco
motives, &c. Before the war great many
of the toys, particularly the miniature
soldiers, came from Germany, and even to-
day the German manufacturers are strong
On some OF the booths you can see the
sign: YAH our toys are OF French manu-
facture." One OF the most interesting
slghts, II you nave TASTE LOT DUBIOUS, IL
SU W NJ Mt a MI e. oL ~ vns
deoiors and hsic-o' hroc man ara oIinSysd tS
ensaoa ant thair ,nasos e az, tb' iSo,vo,i,
Ipvau hross u,o.I, ia Sh,na tnoIs aain'
turas In sbnrt thara is a iittla 81 eyarv.
tEdp@ IN thar 'coiIac,jons Someti1es :,
You are sharp, you will fish out some ancient
6ibeIot for a few cons which ~ CLEANED
and oynosod In n store would have Cost
Snu &C. vN monv froncs ''o'e' "o'U A"'' '0S'
wv so '' $3.50
THE ehAND CHARITY BALL
Amusement and charity go hand In hand
at this season. While all who can celebrate
this joyous holiday time in dancing and
feasting the work Of charity is multiplied.
The committee Of the public fetes, about
which have spoken in previous letter,
have no sooner got their first grand bal
successfully off their hands than they have
prepared flve-days' Christmas tree enter
talnment Tor the poor young people AZ thI
donorotod Sor ~, oonnsIn las viz ~
ueiors ,anestr,es hoIonnin, 20 tha stata
Al po,,tia ort galIerv grand fes,ivsi i,