Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-13
WHATPLEASES MOST?
PULLING QUESTION TO THOSE BUY
ING PRESENTS FOR CHRISTMAS.
kome Pretty Gifts for Ladfcs-what the
"sterner Sex" Always Want--Many
Unique Toys.

WIFI iibot uHHiRHAbtRhH Wthhh'f 'NN 49,"
ing has been very bad. the streets have
daily been lined with crowds of ladies anc
largo numbers of men. who are busily en-
gagged in selecting gifts for Christmas.
From present appearances this occasion
Of fcstivity will be more universally oh
served than ever before, and already wee
infants and urchins Of diminutive sizes are
drawing up their acquisitions upon papa
md mamma and that jolly spirit
santa Claus. for various things they desire
Every one has "Christmas in his bones,
or rather IN her bones. for ladies constitute
hy far the larger proportion OF the busy
throng.
HARDEST TAsH MAN EVER HAD.
And they certainly deserve sympathy
for IL ever Gods noblest work. IMAM
not woman) il al sea il Is when he under.
takes 10 purchase Christmas presents
Somehow the genus homo are always appre-
hensive that whatever they may purchase
IL lacking in taste or entirely unsuitable
II this horIid thought does not come be.
fore them thew think the other fellow
will send the same thing they are selecting
and so crazed with peTplexity they wander
Istlesslv about from shop 20 shop seeking
some gift that viii probably appear both
unique and agreeable.
PRESENTS BOTH USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL.
knowing and having experienced all OF
these painful emotions a Dispatch man,
filed with philanthrOpic feelings. yester.
day undertook 20 search the stores and
ascertain by inquiry how the troubles OF
the "sterner sex" could be obyiated. In
one large establishment no found that
leather goods, such as card-cases,
purses, writing desks. pOrtmanteaus. etc,
4 st.1s A gCk
These presents are beautifully made and
are certainly very useful, besides possess
inc the recommendation of being con-
siderably cheaper than the general run OF
things
While Christmas cards may be said TO
have lost their sway, large numbers OF
them can still be found among the fancy
goods. Some Of the designs are very beau
tful, though bric-d-brdc In the way OF
porcelain has taken their places almost
altogether. These latter are very beautl-
full and can be sent through the mails with
but little difficulty. They are made of
thin pieces Of porcelain decorated with
hand painting. Porcelain plaques Of all
sizes are also very popular ana make
very pretty ornaments.
GET THIN LECTURES, BOYs-GIBLs, YOU SEND
YOUR PHOTOS.
No present, however expensive, can be
more snowy or more acceptable than "a
well-sclected steel-engraying or picture. 1t
is surprising how cheap they are sold now
adavs, frame and all. and every lady Is al
WAYS glad TO get them. II girl feel from
her heart that she IL justified IN consider
ing herself prettv-mOst Of them are, too
she can select nothing more agreeable to
her gentlemen friends than good. first
class likeness OF herself. This Is some
thing every man Is always willing 10 accept,
aud thew are constantly striving TO add TO
their collections" In fact, almost the
sole ornaments that bedeck masculine
apartments, besides various styles of
pipes and old shoes, are photo
graphs Of their lady friends. These
make their cherries chambers infinite
~ brighter, ami then as long as girl who
Is really pretty Knows fellow has her pic
ture she can count upon him as one OF her
satell ties.
GIVE THIN RA2ORs, BUT NOT KNTvFs.
II is "A pity women cannot give their
gentlemen friends knives, hut then there
is an old saw which saws that such pres
ents tend to cut their love in two" and
OF course this has 10 be guarded against.
But if they wish to select something in
that line to which TINS prOyerb does
not apply nice shaving set is the thing, pro-
vidod they take the pains 10 find out before
hand whether the gentleman shaves him.
self. Coroner TAYLOR, VINO teaches at the
Richmond High School. was presented with
one of these gifts few years ago by his
and responded in fearful"
voice, Saying in his characteristic and pa
ternal (whon at school style: My dear
children, am ever so much obliged TO you,
although / never shaved myself IN NV life,
and there Ia no present that l would ap-
Ireciate more This incident III the lovial
COrOner's life serves as warning TO those
who give presents without making investI-
cations beforehand.
CAREFULLY SELECTED CIGARS WILL PLEASE.
On the same pr1nclpie cigars make &C
dOnai ions, provided the man who
- never smoked, chewcd. cursed, or drank
isn't the recipient Of the gift. But If
ladies intend making presents IN the
tobacco line they should never undertake
to select the gift themselves. for no human
power could make "a man smoke cigar
that woman had chosen for him ac-
cording 10 her own ideas of smoking.
These articles, when purchased by feminine
selection, are invariably warranted TO
kill at 200 yards" and they are not only
an affection TO the smoker, but TO all who
come within the aforesaid range Of the
deadly weed. Still it women will only
consult the clgar-d aler himself ard not
buy the cigars that have the prettiest
pictures on the boxes, they can please the
men.
Toys oF EVERY DESCRIPTION.
Never has a more varied and unique set
of TOYS been displayed than are seen this
year. Nearly all of the merchants have
fitted up their windows beautifully. and
there is everything that could possibly
please a child The little ones, by the way,
are thousand times easier to please than
anybody else. and IL the selection of pres
onts for them was the only difficulty III the
way of shoppers purchasing Christmas
goods would not seem like the same thing.
Very few fireworks seem to have been
procured by the merchants here. and this
seems TO give a blessed assurance that the
next Christmas will be calm and peaceful
at least more so than usual. The Mckinley
bill is said 10 have raised the price of pop
crackers some, 50 even If they are launched
on the market they will hardly be as yo-
ciferous as usual.
But few busy matrons have as yet CON-
menced making their Christmas cakes and
pies, and urchins with mischieyous pro-
cliyities are looking forward TO these occa-
sions with significant wrinkles IN their
ewes, for then Is the time they steal the
cramp-producing ralsins and the delicious
citron.
~ SMELLS DAT 'possuM PROC DE CRACK"
nt UNI htic Nlt Win EamN VI III
most every description, which seems TO be
very abundant this year. Conspicuous
among the dehcacies appear those two no.
BILE warmints" of NiTginia's rural dis
tricts-" ole haars" and 'possums. Wher-
ever the latter animal swung gracefully by
his prehensile tail, appears bevy OF his
near relationship "coons "-are stand
ing. looking longingly al the luscious arti-
Gle, and indicating by their every move
hat ~. tl..aw inc I'M
meat am fine" That genial and cherubic
porcine delicacy-the shoat-will also
grace the boards Of many Christmas
feast, and cause manya nightmare to those
Who have partaken too freely OF the
meat.
Altogether, the retaa stores and markets
of Richmond are well filled with season.
able goods for the great feast, and there
are thousands of busy buyers on the street
from daylight in the morning until long
after dark.