St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-25
IT'SAGAY CHRISTMAS
There Is No Sleighing, but
Any Amount Of Enjoy
ment.
The Streets OF Minneapolis
Thronged With Holiday
Shoppers.
A Trip Through the Stores
and Incidents Of the Day
Before.
Announcements Of Social
Events, Celebrations and
AmuSementS.

neaPoliS Yesterday needed to be told that
it was the day before Christmas. Al
though ideal Christmas weather did not
prevail, there was that air of cheerful
ness and look of anticipated pleasure
on every face which plainly evidenced
that the morning would dawn on many
happy homes, where pleasure would
reign all the day. If the crowds of peO-
pie on the streets, in the stores. every
where. be any index. there are but few
empty stockings alongside the chimney
this morning. The whole city seemed
let loose. and the reflection of Christ
mas gifts was the sole thought Of every
individual.
1t was q cosmopolitan throng which
surged up and down Nicollet avenue
and oYerfiowed into the side streets
from early morning nutil .lOng after the
lamps had been lighted. Grand danes
alighted from their carriages and
mingled with poor and humble. Here
was a lady warmly wrapped in furs
and at her elbow walked the wife of
some Woodworking laborer, both on the
same errand-tO make the sun rise upon
delighted husband and happy chill
dren. There was probably more pure,
unSelflSh love voiced by the gift OF the
poorer of the two; but it is best, this
Christmas morning, to be charitable,
and not dilate too much upon the sell
fishness which perhaps permeated the
expedition of the grand lady.
Here came a group of happy school
girls. let loose for. perchance. their first
shopping tour all alone. And how they
revealed in il. Bright. laughing, ius-
tered. they rambled from store 10 store,
and through every department of each.
How they chartered over their selec-
tions and pulled over all the goods dis
played. This was just the thing for
baby, and they were sure that this
would suit Uncle John. Presents for
brothers and sisters were more easily
selected, but none the less important.
OF course the gift for mamma
came last and oecasioned the most dis
euSSiOn. Her present must be some.
thing useful. beautiful and continual
reminder of the dear giyers. And so
they rambled on, enjoying their free
dom from restraint as only happy,
healthy young girls can TO return home
at night tired but satisfied, to Smuggle
their purchases through the back door
and to hide them under beds and in
Out-Of-the- way corners until the time
for presentation should arrive.
Little tots were not wanting among
the crowds either. They lodged hither
and thithFr, clutching in their little
fists the pennies which they had been
saving for weeks and months. waiting
for the time to come when they could
buy something for papa and mamma.
0ftentimes their purchases were some
what incongruOuS, and of such nature
as TO raise a smile. such as a tin trumpet
for grandma. or woody sheep for papa:
but, odd as they were, they carried with
them the assurance that they were the
bearers of tales of love from generous
little hearts.
One of the hurrying, pushing, j0stling,
but ever gOOd-natured thrOngS. was the
grOwn-up young lady. Digniiedly
proper. she swept along the streets,
prOmenaded through the stores. fTOZe
clerks with one glance OF her eye.
turned up her nose frequently and
made countless people miserable. and
through it all preserved calm, cold
exterior which would be invaluable TO
the carnival association of st. Paul at
the present time. But her sedate bear
ing cOald not last always. On the finger
which usually bears the engagement
ring sparkled a diamond. The puT-
chase on her list was to be made for the
person whose initials were on the in
side of the slender golden circlet. When
she came to that point she biuShed and
hesitated and looked foolish generally.
OF course Charley must have something
nice. but Just " hat to buy puzzled her.
She asked the advice of clerks and pro-
prietors as To suitable gift for gentle
man, she all the time trying 70 make it
appear that it was for brother. But
clerks learn to see through little subter-
fuges like that and were certainly
dead on" They helped her tn make
her selection, and no doubt Charley will
be pleased with it. but ner maneuveTs
only show that the coolest and haughti-
est person has vulnerable point.
Charley was also seen several times
through the day. In fact, several SAM
pies of him were on exhibition. He
did not bcStOw that attention upon gifts
for mother and sisters that the fair
maid did, but he made it up on the last
purchase. He displayed more feverish-
ness over it, if possible. than did the
girl. He Eiggled and stammered and
sucked his cane all to no purpose. He
did not know Just what he wanted, ard
finally took the shOpkeeper's word for
it. although with many misgiVings.
After six o'clock the persons on the
street were. in the main, of decidedly
different class. The wOrkingman. with
his dinner pail on his arm. returning
from his daily labor, stopped TO select
something for the good wife and babies.
He had but little to spend, but that
little carried with il wealth of pride
in and love for his little family. His
purchases may have seemed mean be-
81 EEao1n Of Rrffinnf 6xryGallnr
Park avenue, but they meant more. His
children should not be without their
Santa Claus, even though their father
was poor, and as he looks into their
happy faces this morning, cleaning
with Joy over their toys, he is richer
than the poSsessor of millions whose
home is the home of selfishness, world
illness. insensibility to the purest
promptings of the human heart.
As the evening wore on, husbands
and wives, arm in arm, could be seen
| making their last round in the cause of
good St. Nicholas. The wife had
something slowed away with which to
surprise the husband in the morning,
and the husband had something for the
partner of his joys and sorrows, ard
both were now closing all preparations
for the delectatiOn of the little ones at
home.
And so they came and wen: and came
again all day long, aud until well into
the night. Each and every one had a
bundle and they hurried along. anxious
to make the most of the few remaining
hours before darkness should settle
down over the remains of Christmas
Eve. There was sorrow, no doubt, in
many hearts for dead friends and rela-
tives who had passed from earth TO the
great beyond, but that sorrow was
| leavened with the assurance that a
glorious future lies beyond the dark
river, of which the glorious Christmas
day is a reminder and a pledge. And
whatever may have been the thoughts
last night. certain it is that this MORN
Christian Is To be found,