The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-12-08
SANTA CLAUS.
OUR REPORTER GIVES HIS
FIRST BATCH OF ADVICE.

They Can Buy.
"Asheville is really putting on city
airs" remarked most observant and
intelligent gentleman, in hearing of our
reporter yesterday, and at the moment
the speaker was standing in front of the
handsome block of buildings. just now
completed, of Messrs. Harkins and
Starnes, on the south side of Patton
avenue.
The scribe at once pricked up his ears,
and entered in conversation, because it
is only with "observant and intelligent
gentleman" that he is ever willing to
talk. This is popularity now so well
known, that no other kind Of people ever
approach him, but this variety is SO
numerous here that he finds his time
quite freely occupied by improving HIM
self through their most agreeable and
beneficial communications.
AS we began to say prior to this di-
gression, the scene of the above remark
was the handsome pavement of Moody's
Artificial Stone, which affords delightful
rest to weary soles, and tempts their
owners to linger, and glance upward at
the handsome buildings to which we
have referred.
The time SO occupied is most proftably
spent, especially to one who can remem-
Der few months back, and reflect upon
the wonderful change, which energy,
skill and public spirit combined, have
produced; six months ago this was
vacant lot, of the most unattractive
Kind, and a receptacle for all sorts of
rubbish. Now it is occupied by solid
block of three story buildings, the upper
floors affording most handsome and
comfortable quarters to the Young
Mems Christian Association, and charm
ing Offices for some OF our very best real
estate and legal friends, while the lower
floor is taken up with stores such as any
city may be justly proud of.
why is it. oh scribe that you do not
tell the people OF these beautiful things?
quoth our friend, and forwith the con-
science smitten writer resolved to make
some slight amends for past neglect, and
to begin at once on his rounds like a
good Samaritan, to advise Santa Claus,
who is ever busy at this season, where
he had best 60, to find the endless variety
of lovely things, that the dear old saifft
always requires at Christmas.
"KoPP AND LIcHTENBERGER,"
was the first words that caught our eye,
displayed on handsome sign, and not
knowing it's meaning, we entered, only
to find ourselves still more amazed and
confused by the loads upon loads of beau
tiful and delightful things which sur
rounded us. A handsome machine is rap
idly, but noiselessly, running in one of
the windows, and only adds to our mys-
tihcation. What propels it? we Won
der; surely this insignificant looking lit
tie black affair cannot be the motive
power! But so it is; the giant force
which, in the beginning, answered to the
Divine command, Let there be light" is
here subjected to human control; and in
humble obedience to mans skill, the cleo
trio spark rotates this machine, to grind
the delightful Java for mans refresh
ment.
When we were able to withdraw our
lingering eyes from this marvel of genius,
we gaze rapturously upon the good
things with which the shelves are groan-
ing, and breathe prayer that our Santa
Claus may be a reader of THE CITIZEN,
and find this spot before he undertakes
the concoction of our Christmas plum
pudding.
Near by we see new conner, but an
old friend, in
PELHAM's DRUG STORE,
which is even now being moved to it's
handsome and convenient quarters; and
we are not surprised to learn that even
the physic which will be served from
these counters will be of the most pala-
table and least deadly variety. We al
ways imagined that drug store was a
place in which the doctors kept their hid
den supplies of ammunition, i'll readiness
to be discharged at their hopeless pa
tients. But surely nothing Of the sort
can be here; everything is so bright and
fresh. that we could scarcely resist the
longing desire to take a pull at one OF the
bottles of castor oil, merely to prove
if it could yet be as nauseous as our
memory painted it.
Patton avenue is not the only street
where bright and beautiful stores are to
be found; on South Main street is the
famous
: LAWS;
!. but who is equal to description of this
gorgeous caravansary of glories? Surely
it is task that requires a fresh pencil
and rested brain, to paint as they should
be, the beauties which so charm our
. heart; so we will defer the delightful
work until next week, by which time
perhaps some kind friend will donate the
pencil, and a Sundays rest will refresh
/ our cranial faculties, and then, old Santa
! Claus, you may look out for our best
; advice.