Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-20
BUYING XMAS GIFTS.
TIE esoAp.sraeEr STORES CROWD
60 WITH HOLIDAY SHOPPERS



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The Christmas fever Is spreading ana
40 ali s,des can be seen holiday shoppers
having gifts Beautiful weather hiss aouea
a the Measure ~ buying, and yesterday
proad street was crowded from early
morn 20 long after dewey eve
rne s,snlsy Of toys, novelties. and those
good things which. so TO make a CHRIST.
mas compete is unusually varied ana
~. shores seem extraordinarily attrac-
live throughout The day yesterday they
were throngcd ty an eager, happy crowd
al, hen, on securing some present ior
.,nss neares, and dearest TO them
The thousands Of people who crowned
and ,ostled each other on the street dur
ing the afternoon presented n happy, In
splring scene. and to walk among them
for n short while was but 20 catch the
mania for buying.
Christmas shopping Is not by any means
agreeable. even under the most favorable
circumstances II Is so hard to select just
what would suit another But this trouble
has its an,ido,e ana we see IL admin
.stered and can tell the very moment II Is
done. You see lady with feverish eyes
fitting 10 and fro. looking for some suit
abe gift: suddenly. her eye falls on some
article and her face at once Lights up
When she inquiries the price ana hnus
that Il Is within bounds she at once ex-
perfumes gre. I feeling OF relief. ana
with the package under her arm she
walks out with victorious air to prose-
4 10 9TH a articles
people.
PLEASURE TO THE CHILDREN.
IL is more blessed TO give than TO re-
ceive. and who OF us does not realize the
truth OF that trite saying on Christmas
morning. when. II we are blessed with
little ones. we watch them hasten to the
mantei TO see what Santa Claus has
placed In their stockings for them. How
their little faces Hight up. as with bare
feet they rush 20 and fro around the
room, eagerly holding up one after the
Other article for your inspection. little
dreaming IN their innocent Joy that it
was your loving hands that had placed
them there on the night before after they
were snugly tucked In bed. Can any SEN
satIon be more pleasant than this?
This II is that spurs all on TO their
Christmas shopping and makes them
eager TO secure the prettiest presents for
the littie ones, and for the big ones, also.
that can be procured.
The stores OF Richmond never before
offered better opportunity TO the Christ
mas shopper to get just what he or she
wants. and this at very reasonable prices.
That the citizens OF Richmond are avail
ing themselves OF x Is apparent.
Broad street presents a picture that is
at once joyful and indicative of a great
degree Of prosperity. The street Is throng-
ed with Christmas purchasers, all with
happy faces. and as they pass TO and fro.
and dodge in first this store and then in
that. one cannot fail TO be impressed
with the beauty OF the idea of giving.
During the day between 9 and O'Clock
the ladies' hold lndisputed right of way
over the thoroughfare. After the latter
hour. and until about 10 or II o'clock, the
men make their appearance. and they be-
come equally absorbed in the purchase
of presents az were their wives, mothers,
and daughters a few hours before.
EVERYBODY BUSY.
The busy clerks. all with polite man
ners. seem TO possess an occult power
and almost before you tell them seem TO
divine what you want. and unless you are
very hard TO please they will find some
suitable present for you. But the part
block Is the fact that the present is not
for you but for some one else, and you
have not the slightest idea what they
want The clerk realizes this. and know
Ing that Ii Is all chance with you any
how as 10 what you may select thinks
that he or she Is equally as able and, in
fact, more competent of choosing the
proper thing than you are, and in most
Instances they are.
The most trouble that the employees of
the various establishments experience IS
with the young lover. All he is a hard
one TO suit. He thinks he knows what
he wants. when, in fact, he doesn't pos
sess one idea of II. He dislikes exceed
ingly 10 confess that he wants a present
for his sweetheart-he doesn't know the
definition of that workout usually he
wants II for his sister. He must have a
sister whom he fairly worshps judging
from the time and worry that he spends
in the selection of her present He finally
hits on n present and having II sent 10
his home. takes IL over Christmas morn
Ing He fairly expects the young lady to
be overcome with delight at IL, but mag
Inc his chagrin when he sees on the piano
spread out before his eyes one or two
articles almost similar TO the one he has
purchased. The young lady, of course
has several beaux.
The happest shopper is the parent.
father or a mother knows just what the
children want most, for haven't they writ
ten many a note up the chimney to Santa
Claus, asking him for certain articles.
while the little ones stood by and waited
for an answer? They have no fear of
duplication OF their presents, and they
know beforehand that the recipient OF
their gifts will be made supremely happy
by them.
PRETTY WINDOWS.
A number OF the stores on Broad street
are beautifully decorated, both inside and
out, and the children find q delight In
standing outside the windows and gazing
at the many beautiful things spread out
before them. The older people. also. feast
upon the sights that are set before them,
and are oftentimes thereby lured into
the store. where they make purchases.
OF course, lots OF presents are pur-
chased here and sent to out-of-town
friends. and of course the out-of-town
friends purchase presents at their homes
and send them here. Hence the malls
and the express companies are kept very
busy. indeed. in transporting the various
gifts from one destination to the other.
Uncle Sam does not believe in employing
extra forces except when IL becomes alb
solutely necessary, nor do the owneEs OF
the express companies. but both are
making preparations for the rush, and
the forces both In the post-oifce and the
Southern Express Office will be increased
In order TO facilitate the movement of
packages. There has not been any very
great increase in business yet. but from
now until the 26th there will be perfect
Jam at both the post-ofiice and the ex-
press-ofiice.