Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
THE STREET SCENES
That Are Features Of the Happy
Holiday Times.
THE BUSTLING, MOVING CROWDS

THE BUSTLING, MOVING CROWDS
Busy Times in the Post Office and
Express Offices.
THE CHRIS TMAS CLUB
It may be that this will be the traditional
| green Christmas that fattens the grave
yards, and that the glorious weather Of this
| week will continue unbroken past Monday:
| yet the approach of the holiday season puts
| it's stamp on Washington just as unmistak-
ably as though the ground were covered by
snow, and the thermometers were budding
down to the end of the tubes fo- warmth.
All Of the old tune Christmas trade marks
are at hand, save the weather, Of. course.
Despite the hard times the streets are
thronged with men. women and little folks.
their arms filled with bundles. their eyes
| bright with the expectation of the happiness
| they are going to give their friends and rela-
/ +
ing with these people, surging up and down.
all intent upon the next store, where they
think they can find just what they want. or
wandering aimlessly about. seeking to drink
| in some of the busy purpose and the happy
| intentness of the crowd.
1t is a great time for the youngsters of
both races, who have invested their cash in
flowers and Christmas wreaths. They dart
hither and thither, in and out of the crowds.
their wares In their hands. offering them for
| sale with quick, nervous cries. making
change as quickly as does the pretty girl in
| the lunch room. They are experts, too, at
holding their fragile stock. SO that they will
not betray their dropping and they grin de-
iightedly when they can force a customer to
buy the bunch of poses that is first held
out. The wreaths Of holly and red berries
are very pretty and are going like hot-cross
buns on Good Friday.
Novelties Sold by Fakfrs.
But the elysium OF fakirs is at the corner
or It'll street and Market space There they
swarm with their trays and little three
legged stands, their curious cries and still
| more curious wares, and they gather in the
nickies and the dimes at a rate that rather
dispels the idea that the hard times have
| made their way to Washington. Frogs
| that croak, reptiles that creep. spiders that
wiggie. horses that prance, mice that
scamper, watches that go when they are
carried, candy that will melt over a fire.
put not In the mouth. all are to be found
| In this sidewalk fair. and much more Here
ana there one can pick up something very
| Iunny or very pretty and very cheap. The
iakirs are mere to stay, and they glory in
| christmas, and especially in such a dry
warm christmas as this. when there is no
danger to their wares. They keep a watch
L vanlxx
meet into thin air when a biue-coat appea rs
Ihey nave studied this act SO that they
can transform themselves in the twinkIing
OF an eye from shouting, enterprising. push
ing curpstone merchants into demure stroll
iers, looking into the windows
An, those windows! What dreams of
| riches! Small boys f1atten their noses ON
the glass. and little girls make imag inarv
presents Of dolls that are 1ust bevond tha;r
reacn. They choose" THERE fayorftes and
BOAST OF the superior advantages of their
seiections. Their elders stop in their rush
Ing, give quick nervous glances within the
giass walls, whisk their eyes here and there
until they fall upon some startlinrlv low
inquire. and then they disappear within The
doors ana presently hand is extended in
| to the window and the article yanishes ana
away beyond there rolls the hum or a
cash carrier Va
Some OF the windows OF the larger stores
| are Deauti1ui. The richest OF fabrics and
ne choicest Of goods are brought forth 70
| eaten the eye of the passers and the streets
are lined with vast stores Of wealth and
beauty, dream OF Japan and the orient. a
VISION OF Europe, peep into the treasures
| Of our own land.
The Procession of Packnre.
There are several classes of folks ubo a.
| not agree with others who claim that ,his
Christmas is SLOW" These are the drivers
VI the oehvery wagons, the postmen and the
express men. They are busy as bees Tho
bright vans Of the big stores are rolling all
over town. unloading their parcels to house,
Keepers, who slip them under aprons ana
hurry them upstairs to some closed closer
where they are to remain until Mondav
morning. Big bundles, too bulky to be con-
ceaieo, are taken next door," there To re-
mani uhaer the friendly care of the ne,ghbor
untii there Is chance to smugxIe them
WITHIN the Vecincts of danger
Inc express onices are growing more and
more crowded every hour as the day an
with parcels from all over the c,n,ntrv ~ !.
II is curious featu of Washinzton's ponY-
lation that 1t has friends in every CO.., =.
VI s .iie hau9h. anxious people are Streaming
uowh 10 the Offices to inquire for bundles
that seem to be overdue. Patient c,srs .
scan their books and shake their heads or
assure the inqulrers that they are ..on the
,h now; lrate females, who imagine
mat Dundie can be transmitted from f,hi
cago 10 washington in two hours. worry
al the counters and make predictions tha,
the country Is gong to ruin.
Inc poor postmen do not have ,,.r,,
merry Christmas" when their sbays -
laden to bursting with packages. bII tnav
carry JOY 10 SO many hearts tnat thew ror
get their own WEAKNESS and are giaa 70
ring the sharp bell anu hand the lony s,,,,,
packet 10 the eager young girl who anoears
lnen as the gray coat turns away 10
chuckies with real gladness to hear ,he
snout that goes up from the front aoor tna
dere s box from Aunt Jane"
Then the ChristEans Club.
oh, there Is bright spot in every corner
OF the earth, If one will only LOOK for I,
Ihere are good many gloomy places. to
DE sure, and here and there it almost seems
as though there We're no bottom to the mis-
that yawn IN the surface OF society rbera
Is so much suffering now that one shudders
to imagine how much more there would he
were the ground covered with snow. So
there is a consolation ia the fact thar This
Is a green Christmas after all Hur the
pussy young lnemDerS of tne Santa CLANS
CluD are scurrymg mere and there among
the places where there seems to be the
least Christmas rentness, and digging
out the cruel truths that must be known no.
fore relief can be given.
The bright badges and blue ribbons of
these enthusiastic workers in the service Of
the good patron on this season are to he
seen in every street, every store, every
throng that gathers about a window All
Washington seems to have Joined he clint,