Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-21
KRIS KRINGLE WEPT.
he Was Overcome by the Sight of
Everybody in the Two Cities
RUSHING TO BUY CHRISTMAS GIFTS
A Forest of Trees Animated by the Advent
urous Small Boy.
THE DOWNTOWN STORES ALL CROWDED

The little old gentleman with benevolent
features and plethoric sack, who drives
team of reindeer over the housetops about
this time of year, paused last night in his
flight to the North Pole, where his vast
storehouse is located. He gazed over the
cities of Allegheny and Pittsburg for a
moment. and then dropped scalding tear,
which melted the snow on the roofs and
caused big pools of slush to form in the
street.
Good old Kris Kringle felt that he was
not needed here. The entire population of
both cities was apparently bent upon usurp-
ing his occupation. The old mans sorrow
lasted but moment, and then he smiled. 81
am simply losing my personality in
creed" he said, and chirruping to his lively
team he dashed off to carry joy to communi-
ties which are not enveloped in golden
cloud of prosperity, and where people do
not crowd each other into the gutter in their
eagerness to spend money.
ROCKING CHAIRS AND DIAMONDS.
Every person on the street last evening
was carrying a Christmas present, and it
was of all shapes, sizes and varying degrees
of angularity. First would come the man
who was keeping right in line with
the occasion and at the same time
furnishing his house. He caused a blockade
on Fifth avenue as he attempted to push
through the crowds with three rocking
chairs-one for mamma, one for Nellie and
another for the baby. Close behind him
sauntered well-dressed young fellow with
his hands in his pockets and burden on
his mind He stopped in front OF jewelry
stores. and, after closely scrutinizing the
display, slyly pulled out little morocco
case, which, when opened, revealed the
sheen of gold and the sparkle of precious
stones. After gravely comparing it with
similar articles in front of HIM, he would
put it up and walk on.
The ladies, many of them slender and all
of them pretty staggered along under bur-
dens which would break the heart of a deck
hand, and never seemed to feel the strain.
Every article was we'll wrapped up, to defy
the eager curiosity of ''the folks" and
many times was the hope expressed that the
babies would be in bed when home was
reached.
TAKING HOME THE TREE.
If Macbeth had been in town last night
he would have shuddered again at the
prophecy that linked his fate with the
migration of Birnam woods. Trees of all
sizes had apparently become endowed with
locomotion. A little investigation showed
that this was due to the fact that the smallest
boy in family always insists upon carry
ing the Christmas tree. He was sublimely
Indifferent to the bumps he received as he
blundered into everybody who failed to get
out of his road, and bis hair-breadth escapes
from death by cable cars were numerous and
sensational.
The streets were not so badly jammed rs
usual on Saturday night. There were too
many people in the stores. But whenever
there was anything approaching a Christ
mas display in shop window the crowd
calmly took possession of the sidewalks and
held it in spite of police or anathema.
The storekeepers didn't take time to
breathe They realized that Christmas
comes but once year. and with the fore
sight and acumen monopolIzed by Pitts
burg merchants, they started to reap a sum-
mer vacation out of this holiday harvest,
and they were successful. When they closed
last night their Golfers were filled and their
stores looked as if they had been sacked.
But tomorrow the shells will be replen-
ished, and the grand march of Christmas
gilt purchasers will begin again.