Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-18
FOR XMAS SHOPPERS
The Dispatch Makes Some Sug-
gesiions IS to What 10 Buy.
BY NAIL AND EXPRESS.
crssstue Busseess--Csedy by the
Toa-Hsiday Novelties.

~~N eNNoWe out " clpner on the scroll OF
time. II there is sught in ali this world
that can "de gratefully" it is an old
year. and when once ii passes away there
Is no resurrection and no revivihca-
ton. IL Is gone and gone forever.
but, like the DYING swan. its death
- beautiful It's last moments are
happy and the week that ends
Ats course is dear 20 all mankind.
Men and women. children and babies re-
loice throughout the universe, and il is a
season for pleasure aud an all-pervading
holiday. Humanity feel II IN their bones
and are hilarious accordingly. Already
the Richmond public are inspired with
these thrilling emotions. which will be
more and more predominant ~ the DAYS
go by. The very streets have become ami
mated and are daily thronged with shop
pers ana persons selecting presents.
Nearly every hne Of business in the city
- on an increase, and clerks and statesmen
are deuged IN work. The approach Of
the holidays ere more than manifest in the
post-o.hce, and even NJ tins date tie mails
have greatly increased, though they are
hardly SO large as they were nj the same
time last year. The operatives III Uncle
sans establishment viii have anew stamp
ing. machlng 70 facilitate their laDOrs IN a
few DAYS, and. as this IS four times
80 speedy as tho men employed. II Will
lend great assistance when the rush comes
rersons sending packages through the
nails cannot DO too careful IN tying up
such goods These bundles are not |
shipped slpgly, but are placed in a large |
leather pouch, which is filed TO its utmost !
capscity and handled many tunes before |
II reaches ts destination. IL has been the |
experience of old postal olhcials that !
thousands II packages are SO b6i lily pre- |
pared that they fall 20 pieces while being !
handled IN the original mailing depart |
meat.
One OF the greatest errors on the part Of |
the public is IN not placing sufficient post
age on their bundles. They iaI to have |
them weighed before mailing, end N nine |
cases out OF ten their guosses al the weight |
are on the wrong side. This causes delay |
IN the delivery from the fact that all such |
packages have 20 be rated NJ" before |
being delivered. The postage on mcrchan-
disc, which includes almost everything IN /
the shape ot a bundle. IS one cent per |
ounce or traction thereof. and the maxi
mum weight allowed is four pounds. No |
writing whatever u permitted TO be en-
closed 10 his class OF matter, hud II any IS
discovered by the oficials, the bundle Is
rated as 6rst-c!EsS matter and the |
receiver IS compelled To paT the extra
postage Of two cents per ounce. The |
express Offices are already filled with |
boxes and packages of a larger SIZE, and |
the big wagons of The companies carry |
immeuse loa IS Of goods 20 the trains every |
day. All sorts OF commodities are handled, |
and tine stock includes everything from /
butter aud turkeys mp to bsbv-carriages
and bicy cles. A number OF articles have |
already been put on Their way TO San |
Francisco and other cities in California.
while several ara even now upon their /
journeys across the ocean.
II candy constitutes the sum OF human |
happIncss-aud the little ones think II |
does-there are some people In this city |
who will be overjOyed In the coming |
weeks. Only Jews DAYS ago the American |
Tobacco Company gave Moesta an order |
for 200 la-pound boxes OF French mix
ture. This enormous quantity Of cOnfec- |
tioneries Will be given TO the employees |
of the giant corporation IN this city. |
Fifteen hundred and fifty boxes will be |
distributed among the hands of the Whit |
lock Branch, $50 at the stemmerv, aud the |
rest a. Allen Giuter's. LISA hard thing to
conceive of such an immense quantity of
candy. Fourteen people worked for three
days putting II IN the boxes, which are /
wrapped IN very pretty paper and tied |
with fancy string. The Randolph Paper |
Box Factory has given the same merchant |
an order for AIS of French mixture, and |
other large firms will doubtless follow their |
example.
The florists Of Richmond are as busy as |
bees at present, and they will completely |
exhaust their supply Of flowers There Is |
always q great demand for roses. carna- !
tions. palms. ferns. and ported plants Of |
every description OF this time Of the year, |
when the social season Is at ITS height. NIo- |
lets and hyacinths have Just made their APP |
pearance upon the market, but none can he |
bought for Christmas, as orders for nearly |
the entire supply have already been given, |
In fact, IL will be difficult to purchase any |
kind of flowers in the next w days. and |
persons desiring to buy them shall be dis |
appointed unless they send In their orders !
At once. The American beauty, Marechal |
Neil, and brides roses have had an i'm |
mense sale ana are still the favorltes.
Pictures are now very popular as pres |
ents, aud.hundTeds have been purchased. |
handsome engrayings IN beautiful frames |
make an acceptable gift and ali attractive |
ornament. Some of the stationers are sell /
ing beautiful ones which are printed on |
satIn. while there are all sorts of designs |
on celulOi1 and glass. The stock OF |
nearly all the merchants has rather ten
dency 10 be utilized Tor household Orna-
lnents, and hundreds Of fancy chairs, rugs,
lamps. and vases are sold.
The crockery stores throughout the city
have immense supplies of Christmas
goods, and in the stock the purchaser can
md articles ranging all the way IN price
from cents 10 hundreds Of dollars. One |
Of the china houses here has conceived q |
very clever idea Of manufacturing q COM
bination parl0r lamp and vase. The lamp
portion, whlch Is. OF course, made of brass,
~ put in the mouth Of the vase, and the |
whole thing makes a handsome parlor or
nament over 5 feet high. Thousands Of |
cups and saucers and little knick-knacks IN
the crcokery line are being purchased and |
candleSticks are oil the rage. This craze |
originated several years ago, but soon died |
Ont. only to be revived with additional en-
thusiasm. The most unique designs IN
the way OF candlesticks are those which |
represent COrlnthian column. The hold |
ior the taper IS Ia the capital of the pillar.
Christmas eyergreens have already made
Their appearance IN town and many of the
windows OF the stores are decorated with
holly and Inistletoe. The latter will fulfil !
a. important function IN many of the par
Iors IN the city, for the young man Tor for |
that matter the old man ether who
catches girl under twlg Is legally and |
morally entitled 10 kiss her. Investigation
In the past has dlVulged the fact that the
greater portion OF iemlnlnity have the |
most unhappy knack Of carolessly getting
under tins dangerous mistletoe and then
submitting 70 the universal custom rather
than violate the time-worn usage. II
hA4h ~ &c btbAfA W ktuAltultu OiOHCu
Tendencies that II doesn't make the least
difference how small the twg Is, but the |
custom can best be carried out ia the alb
senc6 Of pas y and mas
1t Is truly amazing TO see the many,
many different kinds OF dolls for sale and
70 note the various sizes of the puppets.
Bone are larger than the children who re-
ceiVe them and require as many clothes as
real, live baby. There are bridegroom
aous IN evening dress and brides with
moving wells, ballet dancers, niggers, and
Chihese One OF the stores on Broad |
street has got an immense stuffed alligator
"A ia window. The saurian Is suspended
~ soch way that IT looks as il II were
hying through the air. On its head there
nN little Malay baby. while Caucasian
ooi Is perehed near the tail. III Indian |
proposes were introduced upon the mar
Set ali OF the five great divisions OF the
human race would be represented
Inc clothing houses and-eentlemen's
tuih Sung stores are selling many articles
an ths way oil canes. craysts. and hand
herchleis. but some Of them comniain
that business isn't quite so good 90 ,bev
expected II would be. The trouhIa a. 49,