Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19
BUYING FOR CHRISTMAS.
THE RETAIL STORES PACKED
WITH CROWDS OF PEOPLE.

1t was busy day for every body in sa-
yannah.
The retail stores were not crowded with
people. They were literally damned.
There has been more preparation for
Christmas gift-giving this year than ever
before. Every body is going to give some
body something, but nobody seems to
know what that something is. The store
keepers have had to answer all sorts of
questiv.e' "Dout what TO give and what
not to give
''t - goodnessi Christmas comes
only ice a year," sighed tired-out
clerk at a novelty counter In leading
Broughton street store, after closing
| hours last night.
The retail streets have been turned into
a big bazaar.
| CROWDS ON THE STREETS.
The merchants piled their goods out on
the sidewalks and into the street last " eek
as soon as the City Council suspended
the obstruction ordinance. There is no
describing the goods sold as Christmas
| presents. Anything and everything,
useful and ornamental, is purchased. The
sales OF holiday goods in Savannah the
! past week have been larger than ever be-
lore. inquiry at the principal business
! houses in the holiday trade reveals the
fact that never before has the heavy buy
ing been so early. This is accounted for
from the fact that most people want to
! nave the hrst choice, so to speak, and do
not care to wait until the last days.
IN THE STORE WINDOWS.
The window decorators have done their
best, and the elegant window displays
show how we'll that is.
Christmas is before all things a chill
dren's festival, and this is why the little
ones are so largely catered for. Their minds
are set toward 1t weeks before IL comes,
He would be a hard-hearted individual
who could tell any children under or
! that the tales OF Santa Claus performing
midnight round on Christmas eve was
all nonsense, and that, therefore, 1t is
useless TO hang their stockings some
where In the neighborhood OF the Chin
ney. The number of things which walk,
run, squeak, rattle and snap and Jump ana
bend, comfort, and do the amusing general
~ for children. is legion. Eve ana ear are
both appealed to, but probably the great
est variety is shown in the devices for
doing what the small boy seems born to
do-making noise. The ingenuity and
novelty in these devices is simply mar
velous, and not less so is the adaptation
OF means to ends 80 as to effect cbeapness
of production.
GIFTS FOR THE LITTLE ONES.
The displays of chlldren's gifts, like the
children themselves, are legion. The
windows where the children gather most
are the windows full OF dolls. More deal
ers sell dolls this year than have ever sold
them before, and the dolls are prettier,
There are big dolls and medium-sized
dolls and little dolls, blue-eyed dolls and
black-eyed ones, blondes and brunettes,
girl dolls and boy dolls, and white, black
and Monaghan dolls, but who ever saw
thin dollsr In all the many varieties OF
size, color, complexion, nationality and
dress there is not one doll which is not
positively fat. They range in price all the
way from &C. to $25 and $50. They are all
the way in size from that of baby's little
finger to that of child years old.
ALL KINDS OF DOLLS.
Most of these have profusion OF blonde
BAR, always and invariably changed
across the forehead. Occasionally q bru-
nette with blondes complexion or a
timid and reluctant auburn haired beauty
is seen among the fair haired array, but
these are an exception. The costumes
are very elaborate this year, even small
dolls being dressed with exquisite care
and taste. The dresses are in every yarj-
etS, but nearly all are in leading and cor
rect styles. Fine linens, real laces, silks, |
velvets, fine pushes and delicate stock. |
ings are used. Some are dressed for the
street, with fur trimmed visites and
wraps. Some are in full dress, and others
are in elaborate walking or home
toilets.
Many of the larger dolls have COM |
plete wardrobe, consisting of costumes
appropriate for all occasions. MANY are |
dressed in boys costumes, but the faces |
OF these are the same as the others.
THE BOY DOLLS.
Modern ingenuity has not yet succeeded |
In making a handsome doll with a mascu. |
line cast of countenance. The toilets of /
some OF the dolls are conspicuous by rea-
son of their entire absence. The most |
popular blsque dolls range in price from |
25c. to So, although many cheaper and not !
few dearer oIes are sold. The price |
varies with the quality, size, and extent |
of the toilet.
Automatic dolls are not in great supply !
this year. Some alleged crying dolls, ,
which are supposed to squeal when their
waists are pressed, are found. They gem
orally get over this faculty with age, and /
are therefore very true to life.
But there are other things besides dolls
for children. The climbing monkey, the |
woody horse, the ugly jack in the box, the
performing clown, the inevitable Noah's |
ark with its "two of a kind" the iron
bank with bullfrog or bulldog or some
other animal with its gaping mouth ready |
to swallow anything from an old-fssh-
Toned penny TO n silver dollar and drop il /
into its capaciOus nav, are just as nu-
merous as ever.
THE TOY SHOP ATTRACTIONS.
The toy shop windows are full OF them.
The tin trumpet trade Is not at all dimin.
ished and just as many fire peppers and
torpedoes are being sold as ever. The
shopkeepers were busy all of last week.
but this week they Will be buster still.
The rush at the express Office and at the
post office is already beginning, and
this week expressmen and post office
clerks and letter carriers will be loaded
with work.
The streets were thronged last night
and the sidewalk merchants did a rush.
ing business. The "fakIrs' that have
lately swept into the city. aud have estab-
lished themselves near Broughton street
alongside OF the fruit dealers who "selIa
de banan," got In a harvest last night
from their wares and tricks, and between
now and Christmas eve they will gather
In more nickels and dimes and quarters
than many of the small established shop
keepers will.
-=--------=
The Verdict Unanimous.
W. d. Suit, druggist, BlDpus. Ind,
ar