Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-24

CHRISTMAS GIFTS BY THE TON.
Burdened Letter Carriers and Heavily.
Laden Express Wagons.
Christmas Eve! No news in that, of course,
for everybody in the city that knows anything
is aware Of the near approach of the great
worlds holiday. The children have been aware
Of its coming for some time past, and they have
logged the parental memory very frequently a.
to what would be acceptable gifts when the day
arrives. Cunning Juveniles have ransacked
the house for stockings that are large enough
to cover limbs afflicted with elephantiasis, for
the little ones always suppose that Santa Claus
must I'LL the stocking, no matter how great its
capacity. Now the youngsters wrestle impa-
tiently with every remaining hour Of the day
and wish it was once more morning Christmas
morning. All day long the stores and streets
have been crowded with shoppers who have
procrastinated until the last minute, and who
have consequently to take what they can get,
which Is oftentimes Just what they
don't want. The markets we're heavily patro-
nized and the immense quantities Of turkey,
chicken, beef and celery that were sold gave
an air of imprObability to the idea that any
one in this great city could possibly 60 hungry
tomorrow. The bright sunshine and mild at
mosphere tempted even the old folks and as q
consequence Pennsylvania avenue and It'll, 9th
and streets were visited by more grand
fathers and grandmothers than are ordinarily
seen out OF doors on Christmas eve. Dealers
in Christmas trees, holly, mistletoe and other
descriptions of ever-verdant and seasonable
decorations established themselves at available
points and did rushing business. Carriages
and wagons crowded the concrete almost as
oil o1yo n <ha% \. - LII.
who jostled each other on the sidewalks, but
everybody smiled. Nobody lost sight Of the
fact that tomorrow is Christmas day, and that
this is the time when, if ever there should be
peace on earth, good will toward men,"
CHRISTMAS AT THE CITY PosT-oFFIcE
is by no means holiday season; in fact, no
employees of the government will have less Of
festal Christmas than those who handle the
tons of mail that pass through the tumbledown
building on Louisiana avenue. The entire
force was at work all day yesterday,
and by nightfall had succeeded in reduc-
ing apparent chaos into something like
order. Yesterdays MAIL however, was only
moderate when compared with the business Of
to-day. At 7 o'clock this morning the building
was overlooking with letters and packages. In
the carriers room shelves and pigeon-holes
were crowded to excess, and the floor was COW
cred to depth Of two or three feet with bun
dies, boxes and envelopes Of all descriptions
One hundred and twenty three carriers tramped
out with their first delivery for the day and
no mans load weighed less than seventy-f
pounds, and yet the floor was strewn with
matter that the grooming. shelves refused to
hold. The carriers worked at it steadily, how
ever, and with the assistance of two wagons,
succeeded by noon in materially decreasing the
huge pile, although every train brought in its
quota and added it to the surplus A year ago
the post-ofice people thought they had all they
30 hn~ h.
which came in on December 81, %.
and %. This year, on the same dates, they
have succeeded in disposing of the contents Of
ZIG bags-a decided increase. The registry de-
partment is also overrun and there has been
tremendous access Of business in that branch,
Twenty bushels of registered matter came in
this morning." said an employee
great many OF the letters and packages will
remain at the Office for some days yet; not be-
cause Of the rush Of business, but because Of
the indefinite and insufficient addresses on
them. Many nice Christmas present will
never reach its proper destination because the
sender was careless or ignorant. 1t will 90 to
the dead-letter Office and year hence it will
be sold at auction. The post-ofice employees
will celebrate Christmas day in the post-ofice.
If they spent it at home the public would not
receive its mailed presents promptly, and such
neglect, at this season, might be regarded by
some people as inexcusable. Therefore the
post-of6oe employees will work. and work hard.
IN THE EXPRESS OFFICES.
You find q genuine Christmas crowd in the
express Offices. Everybody is so good natured.
The:prospect Of reaching the receiving clerks
seems very remote even after you succeed in
edging IN through the door. But there is no
impotence or crowding. Long narrow pack
ages thrust you in the back and hard square
packages are pressed against you on the sides
and in front and rear. People hold these pack
krvSA n-
They seem to forget that they are soon to be
confided to the mercies of the hurrying, breath
less clerks and porters. It is easy to see the
men in the back part of the Offices tossing the
packages about, and then out in the street men
are piling them in great wagons. But while
they are in the hands of the owners they are
treated with the greatest care. 1t is no wonder.
for they represent weeks, some times months Of
work, and the expenditure of great deal of
money. The folks at home are remembered in
these packages. Children are sending Christ
mas greeting to their parents, wives and hus-
bands to their absent ones, and even lovers are
represented in the throng that has filed the
express offices during the past few days.
The clerks are so busy that they have no time
for sentiment. They are not thinking of the
love and affection which the packages repre-
sent. They are only trying to handle SO many
per minute How they scratch of the receipts
with many fourishes Of the pen and then, toss
ing the package one side, grasp another with
perhaps a hurried, almost, despairing glance, at
the crowd in front of the counter. There are q
great many women in the throng, and If they
stop to question anxiously if their packages
will 60 right through and il they will reach
their destination in time, no one complains.
although, if the truth must be known, The re-
plies they receive are not very satisfactory.
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.
1t is a good place to catch the Christmas
spirit, these express Offices. There is good will
and peace tiedup in the package, ndmanifest in
the faces of the owners. Happiness can here be
weighed and estimated. It does not all 20
away in the express car, as there is a Joy in
giving as well as in receiving. A person look
ing at the bnsy scenes few days before Christ
mas sees in the first casual glance only q hur-
ried throng and the busting, tired clerks. Then
he begins to wish he had a package to send
away, and is apt to think with a pang of some
forgotten friend who ought to be remembered
at this season. Anyone who does not believe in
Christmas and says that it is allononsense would
be benefited by visit to an express Office.
The bulk Of the business becomes SO great
that all the clerks and wagons are pressed into
the service For week preceding Christmas
the expressmen say the holiday business begins
and they are kept hard at work. 1t is not only
the packages and boxes leaving the city that
constitutes the Christmas express trade but a
multitude that comes pouring into the city. All
day yesterday the express wagons rumbled
through the streets, stopping at door after door.
Their approach is heralded at least square
off. and faces beaming with anticipations look
out from the windows, and groups gather about
the door The expressman rarely Ia ohlipad in