The Helena independent., 1894-12-23

| a row Christian ma
| NtkII1J lions the world over
5A1I1EIig;, celebrate the birth
UHk%~irIT,yy Of the child Of Beth
Z% lehem, In the coun-
tries across the
Atlantic In the more civilized portions
of far away Asia even In the depths
/ Of the dark continent. from east o.
west, from north 10 south, Will on that
day come the joyful strain. Peace on
earth, 10 men. good Will" lt IL the
worlds holiday; the time when the peo-
pie of every continent are united In
making those about them happy and
In being happy themselves, II is the
gladdest day Of all the year; day
when good will and good cheer abound;
a day that brings happiness 10 the poor
as 10 the rich. 10 those OF every station.
II is season when for day the world
loses its cares and sorrows. And the
reason for this universal happiness
rs that people everywhere try on that
day to remember the teachings of the
man Of Nazareth. That Is the secret
OF II all.
| The incoming trains yesterday
brought 10 Helena many people who
came from all parts Of the state 10
spend Christmas at home. On Christ
mas day every person who has a home
wants 10 DE there, those who have none
get along the best they can, the more
fortunate of them visiting other peoples
firesides.
The day after tomorrow Is sure to
be very merry day in Helena. There
are thousands Of children. young folks
us H.
who have been looking forward 20
Christmas for weeks. In anticipating
the day all have found great pleasure
Some for weeks have been planning
pretty surprises for their friends. The
women have been engaged perhaps.
In designing and making fancy work
or things OF more practical nature;
the men have been racking their brains
. with the ever present thought what to
get for Christmas gift for those al
home. For two weeks or more the
Helena stores have been displaying
enormous stocks Of holiday goods. The
shop windows have presented many
lovely and appropriate Christmas
scenes. The window decorations have
been particularly beautiful and elabor-
~te this season. All the stores put In
extra large stocks of goods this win
ter as they anticipated an unusually
brisk trade. In this they have not
been disappointed. For the past ten
days the stores have been filled with
buyers. Last evening they were par
ticularly crowded with Christmas shop
pers. There were not enough clerks to
wait upon them. but everybody, includ-
ing the overworked statesmen, seemed
good naturrd and inclined to make the
best VI things,
The stores themselves presented a
very pretty and interesting appearance.
Attractive holiday goods We're displayed
in bewildeT1ng quantities. The jewelers.
windows and cases were rcsplendant
with diamonds, sapphires aud useful
and ornamental things in gold and sill
yer. The candy stores seemed 10 be
nlled to overfiowing. In the smaller
shops and fruit stores lunches OF lovely
mistletoe and holly. coming from no
body seemed to know where, were dis
played with other decorations. Farmer
boys by the dozen brought In Christ
mas trees from the mountains and hills
about town, and easily disposed Of most
OF them. The markets We're illled with
plump turkeys, ducks and chickens,
with every sort OF fish and game, and
Il the Christmas goose was on hand
awaiting the hour when he Is To ap-
pear In the place OF honor
People were noticed golng home last
night with all sorts OF bundles. one
man was seen with a sled and little
red wagon under one arm; with the
other he carried a package OF books
and a bundle that looked very much
as though It contained new cloak or
a dress pattern. while from one OF his
uVercoat pockets protruded a pair OF
skates and from the other "a big doll.
As the motormun stopped the car Tor
him. the overburdened man remarked.
and this isn't half of Il. either" When
these people with the bundles under
their coats or cloaks arrived home,
they would steal into their houses In a
very mysterious manner and hide the
packages In some out-of-the-way place.
That done, they would try To look as
though nothing unusual was going on
There has never been a time when
the merchants VI llcleua did better than
they have done IN the holiday season
log 1894. People have everywhere been
big buyers and the merchants who ala
not lay iu a big stock and advertise
that fact has only himself to hlamc.
The business az The money order III
vision uf the pustnnlrr has been another
good Indication uf the spirit which
comes with Christmas. People have
brcu sending thsir money gitts TO their
relatives and friends In TAR uu lands
aud I'm other sections 0f this great coun-
try The postullicc reports The largest
money order business in its history
Christmas eve is always delight 10
the children. There will be many well
loaded and brilliantly lighted trees
stripped OF their pretty things In Hell
cnn tomorrow night, In most homes
IL has grown 10 be the custom tu hold
the surprises until Christmas morning.
when by lighted gas or lamp light the
family assemble 10 the parlor where
the mysterious packages that have
been smuggled Into the house are got
ten together and distributed, Every
body has given every other member of
the family something suitable, but the
delight and surprise OF the givera who
get anything themselves " truly touch
Ing. And last. but not lenst, arr the
Merry Christmas greetings OF friends
wherever and whenever they meet
In all the churches to-day VIII ho
heard Christmas sermons, when the
old. old story win be told again. an
many OF them there will be special
services In honor of the great event
That Christ W risen" Will be pro-
claimed from every pulpit Tomorrow
might many of the sunday schools viii
meet and enjoy trees, treats ana enter
talnmcnts appropriate 10 the happy sea-
son,
| Nashville, Dec. 22.-John Stanley and
Clarence Cox were executed AZ May