The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-29
A FAMILIAR PICTURE.
Hundreds of Persons In This City
Saw the Sights.
Incidents Of Christmas Shopping Seen In
The Big Stores.

| present to each other on the day which
has come to be celebrated In this fashion.
II Is the proper thing to say that this
represents the traditional "Christmss
spirit" of love and goodwill. Such an
idea is dou ubiless al the source of the GUS
tom, and 10 probably most apparent now
In the patience ana good humor which
characterize the majority OF the tired
| crowd OF gift seekers. But, on tse other
hand, the "Chirstmas spirit has been
| trifle fsint OF late in maniiesting itsolf on
to rule. 1t is not fair, moreover,to blame
the spirit for this, for there IL not a
| sbaoow of doubt that 1t is ovorworked.
To Use financial and consequently a
modern American term, it has becom e
too "extended" in its operations. 1t has
been called upon to cover an unressona BILE
multitude Of things. In its legitimate
feld it is about as good as ever; beyond
that it Is, as might be expected, thin.
One has no difficulty in putting the
proper spirit into gifts for really loved
friends and relatives, nut 1t comes hard
when it IL pressed into the service of
what may be called "duty presents.
The observer must pe forgiven for the
reflection that there would be fewer COM
plicstions In the Christmss buying IL no
gifts were purchased except those which
carry with them the spirit In its full
strength.
The actual shopping itself at Christmas
time is wholly different from shopping at
any other season of the year. People
hurry along the streets and through the
store aisles with 81 am looking for Christ
mas presents" as plainly stamped upon
each individual as il he or she bore a
label to that effect. There is sort of
electricil undercurrent OF anxiety and
purpose which every one feels, and by
which, probably, he is able to recognize
that the whole race of Shoppers is inspired
with one idea. 1t is one OF the. striking
things about the Christians shopping
that 1t Is epidemic In the fulle t and
widest sense. Many of the symptoms
differ, according to the disposition OF the
person, but there is one which 10, as the
doctors say, "nearly always present."
body is laden down with parcels and
boxes OF every conceivable shape and size.
Women are more or less used to making
their way through the streets at any sea-
son with their hands and arms full of
small purchases. In fact, they have an
uncomfortable, "lost" feeling II they
happen oy any chance to have nothing to
carry. But with men 1t 10 different.
There the Christmas spirit really proves
lis power. At what other time In the
year would any seli-resrecting brother or
husband consent to walk through the
city burdened like the proverbial pack
horse? There msy be, it is true, an ILL
concerted expression of shame on his
face, when the dappled-grsy head OF the
rocking horse, or he rear wheels OF the
express wagon, always vivid scarlet,
will persist In sticking out through holes
In the wrapping paper. but 1t must he
said that he carries off such unpleasant
nessss with wonderful good. nature.
There has been no better vantage
ground for observation of the shoppers,
during the last few days than just within
the principal entrance Of any one of the
largest stores. You could stand at one
end of the long counter, near the door,
and pass IN review typical portion OF
the entire city show. At Christmas time
thcre is a general, temporary abandon
ment of vigilance. The store authorities
seem to trust in the natural honesty of
tue "epirit"-or perhaps there may ne
sonnet hing I'm the fact that their attention
10 greatly monopolized by this handling
of the enormous crowds. However IL
but were allowed to look on to your
hearts content. When you had been at
your post = fsw minutes the first thing
you became conscious Of was that a con-
siderable number of OF her people, almost
all of them men, we're standing about
idle, in the midst Of the general
hurry. But 1t needed only a second
glance to make sure that they were not
specially interested in watching the
crowds. Most OF them had q patient, far |
away expression In their eyes, which
seemed to indicate that they were look
ing forward to some future existence
ssy, that which would begin on the day
after Christmas-in which shopping
would be happily unknown. II you kept
watch Of them for little while, you
found that each one was finally joined by
some feminine relative or friend, whose
emergence from the tbickest part OF the
crowd In the interior OF the store was
hailed with pc ttetic delight. Not all Of
he women were so considerate OF their
escorts, however, but insisted upon drag
eiug them sorund to the different coun-
ters. In such cases the masculine nd
vice about EACH purchase was not en-
tirely dispassionate and just. II was rather
likely to be in favor OF getting the thing |
nearest ct hand, Whatever that happened
TO Re. One motner who was noticed |
briskly about, accompanied by |
her grown-up son. probably does not APP |
preciate what q treasure she has in that
young msn. Anything she gave him to
10 be accepted with meekness which |