Evening star., 1896-12-24
CHRISTMAS MARKETS
Life and Color in the Scenes About
Them.
fHE SIDEWALNt PILED With GREENS
Stalls and BENCHES Stacked High
With Good Living.
QUICK AND MERRY SALES

A walk through the markets of this city
will exemplify the claim that Washington
has the finest markets of the world. This
fact Is not only the result of demand for
the best edibles of every variety. but from
the location of this city along the route
over which the products of the south go on
their way to northern markets. from its
nearness to game preserves its place just
beyond the head of the Chesapeake. whence
comes sea food of all kinds, and the plenti-
full supply Of vegetables that are grown in
the surrounding country
The markets today presented a scene of
plenty, and Christmas evergreers were not
only piled high on the sidewalks approach
ing the market houses, but they were every
where used by the dealers within the in
closures in a profuse decoration of their
stands. 1t was a great day for the coun-
try people. They had secured the surround
ing country and made the oods and fields
pay tribute to the day. The Center and
Northern Liberty markets, the market
places of Northwest and East Washington
We're transformed into green bowers.
Market People.
The old auntie was there, having wan
dered through rural hooks only known to
her and worked all the night previous in
twisting eversreens into wreaths or in ty-
ing them on long strings. convenient for
decorating the homes of the city All the
country people had hewn a few evergreen
trees to be strung with thousand orna-
ments to delight the children on Christmas
morning. The turkeys that had strutted
about barn yards, the pride of the farmers
and the wonder Of the children, had been
Sacr1nced to pay tribute to the season of
thrown to them every morning by the care
full housewife and the unwary worms they
had captured in their stately parades were
in evidence in the fat that gave a yellow
tint to their wel-singed skins. The vendors
of the great array of good things that had
grown about the capital stood shivering or
dancing about in the crisp air dilating to
the passers-by on the merits OF the particu-
lar wares they had for sale
The Scenes Inside.
Within the, markets the stands were piled
high with good things Game of every
kind, shot within few miles OF the market
house or brought a afthousand miles to please
the taste of the most fastidious of epicures.
Even the standsuo which the common
place porker was exhibited for sale were
made exceedingly attractive. Young pigs
with skins slit in ornamental designs look
ed as If they had been operated on by the
tattooer. The Is hooks of the butchers
stands could not hold the mass of slaught- :
cred cattle, sheep and swine and choice
cuts were piled high on stands. The fish
venders dsplasedo the product of Chesa-
peake and Potomac in the greatest profu-
sion, the game stands looked like sections
of the museum ca exhibition, so neatly
were the feathered tribe on sale exhibited
The fruit andi vegetable stands had moro
the appearance of exhibits a county fair
than merely articles for sale in market
as everything Seemed to be of the choicest.
and the flowers, despite the season Of the
year, were magnificent 's'-- 3 Ina
Rusy Ttot-on,,-a
Everything was there te carry good cheer
to the homes of the capital, and. the peo-
pie were ont to patronizetthe markets and
reward the venders for the labor they had
expended in providing their wares
Throrgs of people, began pouring into
the markets at an early hour. They car
riec great baskets or We're followed by the
alert boy who had hailed them in his
search for job and was now happy in
the possession of one, spying about Gag
erly to determine what he should buy for
the dime his work was to bring him.
Every one walked lightly through the cor
ridors lired with prandial delights, and
gradually this mass of good things was
carried away to the homes of the people
to promote good cheer when families should
gather about home boards OF Christmas
day.