The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-25
COMES BUT ONCE 4 YEAR.
When it Comes it Brings Good
Cheer--and it's Here.
THIS is CHRISTMAS DAY
And the Wheeling Merchants are
Short on Goods ard Long on Cash,
While, Evcrybody's Happy.
Observance of the Day.

An American holiday without noise
would be an anamoly, If it is not indeed
an impossibility. So it was that early
last evening the boys began to put of
fire.crackers. This feature, however,
was not as prominent as on the eve Of
the ordinary holiday; and there was
scarcity pleasant 10 observe OF that other
almost universal accompaniment OF the
American holiday, drunkenness. There
is morally certain to be more or less Of it
to-day, but SO fur it has been notably an
exception in this respect to the average
of Christmas seasons. 1t is said that
Christmas brings good cheer, and this
year there seems to prevail more OF the
fitting good humor, good cheer and good
spirits than usual. Part Of this is doubt
less due to the general prosperity that
prevails. Judging from the free
dom with which money has been spent,
the times in Wheeling and its tribu-
tary section are unusually bright. There
never was time when SO much money
was spent for holiday presents, nor
when SO many buyers helped to spend
it. Everybody seemed to be purchasing
and purchasing literally. Everything
was in demand, and all branches o.
trade profted.
wHEELING's STREET FAIR.
Yesterday the streets were thronged
us the Oldest resident never saw then
before on similar occasion. From ial
and near the people foCked, taking nd
vantage OF the cheap railroad rates. All
trains coming into the citywere crowded
and everybody returning home carried
from one parcel to clothes basket full
of bulky bundles.
Added to these people from out o
town was apparently all the population
of the city, and the effect was ms il there
were big street fair in progress. AL
the stores were crowded, and the streets
scarcely passable.
This was great good thing for the
city and her merchants. People e
whom q mans stock is all new woulC
Just us lief buy goods left over from lasl
season us those Just in. 1t enables
merchant to clear out his shelves as he
otherwise never could; 1t sets loose II
the channels OF local trade money which
would otherwise never reach them, anC
it tamiliarizes the country people Will
the ease and facility with which they
can reach Wheeling and return home
as well as the advantages OF coming
here to purchase.
More Wheeling people made all thei
purchases at home than ever before. Al
the retail establishments OF the city pro
gress and improve, they present all thu
ATTRACTIONS OF style, variety and abund
ance OF stock to be found anywh here, ant
the wise man saves railroad fare ant
buys OF his neighbor.
Last night many OF those stores which
had been best supplied looked as If the!
had been raided by predatory bant
and all that was worth it carried of
Merchants did better than they expected
to. They have been adding to thel
supplies by Geographic orders for week
KEEPING THE DAY.
Christmas is always the most gener
ally observed Of holidays, and to-da!
viii be no exception. All the bank
and public offices will be closed, ant
private business will be suspended fol
the main part of the day. There is al
tways more or leGs trade in certain line!
on Christmas morning-torgotten pres
ents to buy, unsuitable or duplicated
articles to exchange, candy and NUT
and fire crackers TO be sold to littlt
ones for the pennies they find in thei
stockings, But this afternoon will b.
devoted to pleasure.
Christmas day will be observed at thu
PostofiiCe. One delivery will be made a
8 a, IN. by the carriers. There will b
general collections at $50 n. IN. and 9:3l
a. IN. and business collection at ii ~
o, m. The general delivery window vii
be open from $3.50 to 10 q. M, and the
carriers window will be closed after a
m. The registry and money order div
isions will both be closed the entire day
and Fulton, station A, closed after l:
o'clock noon.
It lis foregone conclusion that bott
theatres will be crowded this Afternoon
and evening. They always are, and thu
time both have great attractlons--sC
great that last night both houses hae
good audiences, although Christmas eve
Is put down by managers as the wors
night in the year,
Then the balls will draw well, as they
did last night; and the Sunday schoo
treats and entertainments will attract the
children and their parents. 1t is one O.
those times when the American boy
wishes he were twins, SOS he could be
two places at once, and hold twice Ms
much.
The railroads will very generally OBJ
serve the day by taking oil the freight
trains, though the passenger travel viii
OF course be heavier than usual.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.