The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-17
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
SOME TIMELY sUG0Bs1f0NS FOB
HOLIDAY GIFTS.
NoxeItje. For the Young and Old-Hsnd-
tome Decorations or the Tree mat
Delights the Children.


the Jingle of Santa Claus bells may be
heard at our very doors, and the blessed
questions, What shall 1 give herr
"Wbat can give him." are already walt
ing for solution.
Children are the first consideration at
1 This holiday season, and for their Christ
mas trees there are fascinating decora-
/ tions. quite pretty enough to serve as
/ gifts after they have filled their original
purpose of ornamentation. For festoons
} there are pear-shaped glass balls Of va
! rious colors. and for glitter and sparkle
there are yellow, pink and blue glass
/ swans with spun silk wings also silver
horse shoes In dazzling array are the
ballet girls. with gold and silver gauze
skirts and velvet waists, glass flowers
miniature Japanese lanterns, bon-bon-
ieres In the form Of blue umbrellas. with
white handles. high pink satin shoes win
black heels. and white NUNS.
Mechanical toys have reached state
Of realistic success that must please
the most exacting blase fin de siecie
youngster. one capital specimen OF these
is called "McGinty's Ladder; 1t Is lohs
strip OF wood painted with the ALPHABET
ana has an ambitious little figure, which,
n wound up. mounts the rungs or the
hard ladder of learning. In animals, the
most lovable pusies and puppies move
easily over the carpet, frightiuiy natural
bears wadde along marvelously wen,
and there are peacocks ana plss-dll
wonderful triumphs in movement a
charming soldier toy for boys Is military
tand under rigid military discipline. The
bandmaster, surrounded by the band and
their Instruments, waves his baton in
ettrict time while one or more tunes are
played. H. MOI
dolls that present the contrast OF iuhy
half a century to those our grandmothers
loved when they were young. instead
of rag babies with nat, long, soleinh
faces dressed in print gowns and aprons,
r,a see beautiful beaming small creatures,
tbat held by the hand, walk exactly Ike
a little child. the costumes prepared oy
the hest tailors and milliners. Ihere
are coaching coats, with frlhed capeS,
ltned with silk, which Redtern need
NOT he ashamed to claim, ana lohs'
loose picturesque dresses and Dutch Doh-
nets of bright yellow, or delicate heliouope
silk. Not only wardrobes, out HOUSES VI
the most elaborate description nave peen
provided. each room ana passage ISL
nv electric lights closets admirably nhlsh-
ed containing hanging facilities for the
dainty little gowns, and drawers HllSu
with under linen, shoes ana mars. 49,.
tsor our "grown-up" friends, Whlle lheIe
ar, r,,r,arous novelties 10 select from IL
is not 60 easy to make a choice Never
,,,ara work baskets made so attractive as
AT this holiday season. 1he many 49,
wicker or gold cane baskets hhed WIZ
ROSY mink brocade OF exquisite pale piu1
satin. are so tempting that one Oh 'nViii
wins it's way into our possessloh' ~
bestowed perhaps, upon some irlehu 50
Iit1e concentrated that she regards our
oqferine, as q sort Of reproof for the error
IF her yyays and Immediately UNDERTAKES
m sew q seam as an obliging evidence OF
her reform ..,. ,,,,,.,
We may find the teddy and punch boWi
cnoons with mOther-Of-pearl shells SET III
fancy metal handles, perfectly irreslsuDie,
/ and do well TO purchase one II We VIZ
send It 10 a genial chatelalne WHOSE
| hospitalitv has sometimes warmed our
hearts. and not TO an acquaintance whose
! blue ribbon represents her rehslon'
In supplying pretty adjuncts OF a writing
! table one can hardly 80 wrong rms
| season offers a new acquaintance In ledlh-
! or called rose-leaf. 1t is well worth Know
/ ing: il is a cream-cOlOred, uncrushable
| morocco colored in a dark rose TINT. IL
t is used for biotters and there IS hsh'el-
toned enameed rOse-leaf IN one corner IL
/ is used also for cigarette, cara ana pho-
| tograph cases Leather was never more
/ charming than now, the cOlors are so
beautiful; heliotrope morocco, iyy-green
| crocodile, reseda- tinted antelope, ana
giraffe leather mounted in silver. Some
! new writing pad covers are extremely
| pretty, made Of white linen the pack
| ground TO the white design being lightly
! darned with blue crewels. Another mas
a spray of flowers embroidered IN Wmte
! on pink ground. Letter weights come IN
| the form of a glove so naturally modeled
that il seems really a suede glove thrown
on the table. Rock crysta IS applied to
! the end of an ivory paper knife set IN
/ gold and capable Of being et graVed as
/ seal, and for those who, in this age OF
| hurry. can take the time TO seal their
| letters are large sticks of wax set In silver
| tops which can form seal. If one. has
/ J Omantic mind a Vienna leather card case
| may embody a fond idea, for IL can be
/ had having q little gold crown In the
corner, with the words, Grown Of my
heart" and this. being lifted. shows a
| place for hair. What more touching token
could one desirei
For the man whose early spelling les
sons were neglected and who has the
| intelligence to regret ii is a miniature
| dictionary the very smallest ever made,
| set I'm a silver case. with a magnifying
glass outside, so that It can be hung on
the watch chain.
Everybody always needs a lead pencil.
| They are now adorned with enameled
| birds; a winning red-breasted robin would
| surely appeal to the affections of the
most careless acquaintance.
In tea cloths the newest are bound
| with co'cred leather and embroidered In
detached sprays Of flowers, while light
blue and light-blue damask cloths are
| embroidered with white flax floss. These
could not fail TO make acceptable gifts.
| a delicate novelty I'm a table bell IS
| called the "bluebell" and it is just the
| thing for a Christmas surprise. It CON
sists Of eight bells on a gold-colored
spray, the bells bronzed blue and ar
| ranged carefully in tune. making a must
| cal chime Of beautiful tone.
Exquisite slver-framed hand-g glasses
| represent a sunilower, the glass in the
| centre Of the flower. the leaf forming
the handle. Even coal hods are glori-
| fed into coal vases" An artistic de-
sign is a perfect representation Of an
| eggplant In copper, the cover lifted by
the stem Of the plant in bronze. IL is
tipped into a bronze frame, the shovel
also OF copper partly concealed in a
little niche under the frame.
Any housewife will be delighted with
a bit Of quaint silver, a pair of great
| grandmothers sugar tongs-anybOdy' g
greatgrandmother will answer. a relation
ship not being in the least essential-Or
a little square antique silver tea caddy
made when tea was valuable and the
price a grave consideration in the house