The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-25

scenes Principally on the Dark Side of
Lffe-One Girl Tired of Existence Tries
TO End 1t has Gone Home Repentant-
Black Bob Gets a Christmas Gift-Thc
Bachelors Side OF 1t.
This is Christmas, and nearly every
body in Wichita have reasons 10 be hap
Ply. This IS especially true Of the bust
ness men who have had the best Christ
mas trade on record
a reporter for the Eagle watched the
trade closely for the past three days
and Il IS absolutely safe TO say that 1t
was heavier and more satisfactory TO
the merchants than any Christmas
trade for at least seven years.
There was a general tone Of prosperity
In the two main streets. Everybody
seemed 10 have money and spent it free
Iy. Customers as a rule have been ca
silly pleased, for the reason that the
merchants carried a good and exten-
sive stock of the goods they needed,
and hence trade was facilitated. There
was very little dickeTing; people saw
what they wanted, paid the price De
manded and left.
TGen, again, the business people have
reason TO be happy for they have but
very little dead stock left over. A tin
Eattler was hard 70 get yesterday, and
SO was a great many ether articles. II
you want to see merchant uckled see
him when his stock is cleaned up and
he Is aware of the fact that he has not
q big portion of his Christmas goods
TO carry over until next year.
The rain Of yesterday morning and
the drlzzle mat lasted all day was quite
"a sat back. 1t kept some shoppers off
m n
would have been fine there would have
been $50. 900 more spent among the mer-
chants. The great setback, however,
consisted Of the impOssIbilIty of max
ing deliveries to all those who did buy
goods. The rain prevented this. The
merchants, however, say that they VIII
have their teams out at o'clock this
morning and promise 10 have all goods
delivered before o'clock.
Last night presented many fine and
interesting scenes. The streets were
crowded, and even though there was a
great deal Of mud. the people seemed TO
enjoy walking through 1t SO that they
could get something for the children 5
stockings. or If not for The children, for
their friends. There are two sides TO
human life on Christmas, and the line
that separates them is better defined
than at any other time Of the year.
People are either happy or miserable.
but the latter are greatly in the minor
ity.
AMONG THE UNFORTUNATES.
Late yesterday evening woman was
sean going north in the very middle Of
main street who was a study That
she was Us poor as the Traditional
church mouse was evidenced by the
rags she wore. Yet she had the nature
Of a mother very highly developed for
she vas dragging a. bran new 81 boy s
wagon flied with IS cents worth of coal.
1t does not reflect very faYopa.bly on her
judgment to give 81 for the wagon when
she dad only u cents left 10 buy coal,
but the fact shows how strong the mo
Tiers love was in her.
BOb--Blacil BGb-is the name of a
boy VINO claims no home but the streets.
lie IS biacker by far than the ace of
spades, and fully as black as the ace
of clubs. His father and mother are
bota dead and Bob would be lar better
of II he was under the sod with dhem.
Appearances would indicate that, but
The fact is Bob is happy, or rather was
happy until Christmas time came. II
is not expected that he would be happy
now as he ami0leS along the streets with
his finger in his mouth and his large
eyes gazing on the fine things in the
windows and m the fruit stands. Bob
Wo1hi like to have A top, a train of cars
or a cannon. but he has no money and
IN the w,hiTldgig of Christmas time he
Is forgotten. His case Is q sad one but
81 doubtless has place in the divine
plan.
Bob. how are you spending your
CIristmaS?' asked q reporter last night.
The poor fellow stuck his finger dep
or in his mouth and finally great big
tears gathered in ms eyes.
Just then one Of chose men with spOn-
tanepuS good nature came along, yan&-
I'd Bob into the nearest store and put
pair Of shoes on his feet and a round
dollar in his pocket. He Immediately
vanished. leaving Bob there IN aStcnish-
meat, and as he did it he muttered
''d-n IL. but This is a. cruel world" The
word d-n was a bad expression but ii
would take a vast amount Of Sunday
school logic TO make Black Bob believe
mat ,iTe man was not a Christian.
At 10 o'clock last night an old man
nni an old woman drove an Old horse
attached 10 an old wagon. up 10 the
water trough near the postofiice. They
uttered nary a word People passed
them in procession laden with Christ
mas presents and the old man and HE
wife watched them like beEgars gazing
from cold street. through the windows
Of a rich banquet hau. The old horse 5
sides kept on expanding from the water
he drank and thee Ia couple kept on gaz-
ing silently. An old man loaded down
with Christmas presents passed them
He was a rich neighbor Of theirs and the
old couple could not stand il any long
~. They were coming home from g
Sanctitication meteing and both Of them
doubtless. felt that the devil was plant.
sng the seed Of envy in their hearts a.
the very same moment. for simubane
ouSly and with TOusing impassioneC
voices they sung with all their might
that good old hymn, What a Friend
I've Got in Jesus"
a policeman ran hastily towards then
thinking they We're drunk. but befoTy
0le got there me horse had satisfied his
thirst and logged away as ambitiously
as \ half starved horse could.
The usual atetmpt at suicide was
made Of course. In answer 70 tele
phone message an Eagle reporter was
called TO q resort on East Douglas ave
nue. where 2 blonde girl Of nineteen was
rolling and tossing in her bed aftel
making an attempt at self destruction
The girl was raised down at ArkanSas
C4ty and SIX or seven mon rs ago Sh.
came 10 the metropolis and inme iiaIely
COmmeuced a fast life. Il was p1ot,ab.
" her first Christmas away from home
and maybe i was the first time she had
realized that she had made mistake =
life. The church bells last evening
sounded IN her ears and brought re
morse 10 her soul The young woman
Of her age joyfully tripping along tht
ax-o~IaI