The evening times., 1895-12-05
THE COMING OF IUlETlDE
Already the Rush for Christmas
Things Is ia Full Swing.
TOYS FILL THE BIG STORES
Fond Parents Making Purchases Now
and Having Them Stored Away TIN
Christ mas Markets Are Green
with Holly, Evergreen and Sweet
Scented Trees-Some Novelties.


Scented Trees-Some Novelties.
The very night old Boreas puts ON his
great coat and whiZZes dawn from his ice
palace near the pole to drive the last of
November's thirty children into the chastn
of the past and put the frstburn of hoary
December's one and thirty in its stead
somebody begins To think about Christmas.
The iirst week OF the month Is not gone until
everybody Is thinking about it.
Christmas comes but once a year, the old
ballad ran as 1t advised one to- prepare
and celebrate the day of days for that
reason alone Now Is the time when the
little children like to cuddle in the Chin
ney corner and hear the grandfather or
ancient aunt tell of the mysterious days
gone by. For nearly mouth now they
Will think every cracking OF the fire Is
a burst of the artillery in Brnwnieland,
and every time they listen to the wind
playing u SIRENS melody over the tall
chimney they will be sure it is the snort
ing of Santa Claus eisht-iu-hand of sleek
reindeer carrying home to nobody knows
Just where toys in bulk for Dame Santa
Claus to bundle in appropriate packages.
As the eventfnl date wakes closer the
interest and excitement will grow intense
until 1t seems the little hearts will batter
dents in themselves, they thump SO hard.
Every winter night tale Will be more exciting
than that of the evening before, until the
little heads will be u confused us thuse OF
the wise men who sit in the great house
OH the hill, and the tots will like them.
finally one and all exciainl, Where am
a,?''
SAME OLD SCENES.
IL some stranger from Mars or some other
orb uf the sky with whom the astronomers
have long sought u Irritation were TO drop
down in Washington 1t would take
but glance to see that some rare festivity
dra ws nigh. OF course, the scene this year
is much like 1t was last, and last year it
was much like the one before, and so on.
Bat the frosts of each December bring some
change.
A peep through the market already sug-
gcsts something's up. The lung lines or
meat stalls preserve their accustomed dis
play of tempting siea ks. chops, and roasts;
so d. the well-filled vegetable stands
lonR like they did month ago, but away
down at the other end OF the market you
see 4 framework going up. That Is a
rlowcrman fixing for his display.
Along at one SIDE you SEE the hampers
OF birds cunning in-whole boxes of quail
and partridges, pairs Of plump, fresh can
vasbacks, mallaris and teal. Now and then
a white swan or a wild turkey Is hung up
and to give i yuIetIde air deer with
pink ribbon about ITS neck is suspended
by its hind legs from one end of the rack,
while a huge black bear, with crimson
ribbon hiding In the shaggy hair of the
neck, hangs by both bind legs from the
other.
A little further on the fish are arriving.
Prettily-dyed HOLSTERS, whose harmonious
coloring looks somewhat iacongruous With
their unshapely forms, sprawl in boxes of
sea moss. A huge sea turtle lies helplessiy
upon its back, waiting tn be made into
soup. Here a bunch uf perch is packed in
one ice chest and there a red snapper and
a catfish are stored side by side in the frigid
atmosphere or the chest. All are merely
waiting to do homag ge to the day of days
BRANCHES OF HOLLY.
Outside is the countrynian and the country
half hidden behind the great
punches of holly and evergreen. The apples
III that basket io,,k 50 toothsone. and those
parsnips and turnips look good enough to
devour without cooking.
"Yes, man ha, la; that turkey weighed
twenty-thrce pounds last Monday" you
hear . couhtryman telling his star customer.
II am actually dieting the fellow, and
ii uc uOH ledtu tWCHts ANS W tHc SAsS
of the month yol wont have to pay for
him.
What do feed fiinl? Wheat. Yes, yes
Lots uf people think corn Is the best but
from experience / find wheat makes a
turkey plumper and tenderer. Oh, he is
handsome, the biggest one l have; but /
have some mighty nice ones"
Then there is the other side-the toy side.
Every show Window, big and little, is
fast becoming Kris Kingle's exhibition shop.
The horses. engines, dolls. cars, wagons
skates, donkeysr puzzles, blocks, meDag-
cries, guns, drums, and everything capable
of making a mise and calculated to make
a pair of bright eyes bulge from their
sockets Is there.
toys-that is, new ideas in toys. and when
Santa Claus makes his rounds this year
he will bring practically what he did last.
Then, again, Santa has not as many toys
In the big store windows US lie did twelve.
months ago.
"Our stock is only trlfle smaller than
1t was last year, however," explained the
proprietor Of one big store. People will
not buy like they have in some years, but
the little ones must have some toys. Al
ready the trade has been good. Christmas
goods are being bought rapidly now, and
the forest of boxes and packages down In
our packing room is Increasing daily with
great rapidity."
Washington is quite Southern, or rather
drawsfrom partially Southerurural ncigil-
borhood, that gives 1t a sunny, picturesque
smack of life that the larger cities to the
North are not favored with in their prepa-
ration for Christmas. The longing and prep
aration for the event is with these people a
JOY of joys that has already begun, and
will last until the end OF the year.
SEEN ON A CORNER.
Stand upon frequented street corner
for day and wtach what passes before
the eye. Here comes q small group of
ruddy-faced Marylapders, strong and full
Of health, down the street. Their trousers
are of heavy jeans and their coat sleeves
show q trifie short as they give their
arms the movements of great penduiums
They are half happy, half anxious, for
they have come into the city to look
after their Christmas money"
That tall one near the curb has al.
ready blazed a score or more OF ever
greens that Will be used as Chris tmas
trees. He has come down to negotiate for
the disposal OF them early. If he succeeds