Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-21
ATTRACTS HOLIDAY BUYERS
Shop Windows Present an Elaborate Col
lection of seasonable Articles,
STREETS A MASS OF MOVING HUMANITY
Oid-Timcrs Aver They Never Saw
More People Even in Boom Times
Children, ns Usual, Much
In Evidence.

The oldest resident has risen to state tina
the crowd Of Christmas shoppers and sight
secrs that thronged the principal business
streets Of Omaha from early Saturday after
noon until well along toward midnight wa.
one Of the largest ever seen at the holiday
season in this city In fact, 1t is said TO
closely rival the numerous crowds that
wended their way up and down the main
streets in The sos, when boom times We're
on. This is the testimony not only Of old
Omahans who were caught In the jam in
front of some of the biggest shop windows,
but OF the tradesmen who handled the
crowds inside the stores and the policemen
who performed a similar duty on the out
side. Whether the people purchased any
considerable bills of goods the books Of
the local merchants will alone disclose.
The fair. warm weather was undoubtedly
responsible for bringing out fair proper
tion OF the crowd on the street But the
American youth and his sister came out TO
see the Christmas decorations and gilded and
toy burdened Christmas trees that are
usually put up TO attract trade. 1t makes
but little difference to the school children
whether 1t Is clear and warm or showing
and blowing a regular blizzard; they are
bound to be on hand. They were out in
full force on Saturday, and so far as feast
ing their eyes on pretty things in the shop
windows was concerned their fondest an
ticipations were realized.
There are not a great number of elaborate
window designs to be seen this year, only
three or four offering any extensive Christ
mas panoramas to view. All the stores OF
any size at all however, have had their
decorators at work and where no Christmas
features are dispayed the finest wares Of
fered for sale are arranged to show of to
the best possible advantage. Neat cards
informing the window ga2ers that the
articles in the window are only few Of the
many nice Christmas presents TO be pur-
chased there are the rule.
NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
The largest window of one the principal de-
partment stores contains an attraction on
which the small boy fairly riveted his eyes.
1t is a Christmas panorama Of Blankville,
and shows all the features of town on the
night before Christmas. The little stores
and houses are all brilliantly Illuminated
and the toy fire engines are hurrying to
fire in big grain elevator. Trolley cars
well filled with passengers run back and
forth across a bridge which spans frozen
lake Old Santa Claus pGrched on
neighboring hill top, calmly views the pic
ture through his telescope, and wonders
what he shall select from the abundance OF
toys around him for his boys and girls in
Blankville.
A Leading clothing store presents an
attractive winter scene in it's main window
farm house and the usual surroundings
are clothed in cover OF snow, and Santa
Claus approaches from a distance burdened
with a heavy sack of timely presents and
wheeling a bicycle by his side. The rail
fence the well and the old caken bucket,
In fact the cottage itself are all constructed
of flannel underwear so rolled as to repre-
sent the logs usually employed in construct
ing such buildings. Within the farm houses
may be seen a gaily adorned Christmas
tree with happy boys and girls surrounding
1t.
RIDE IN A FERRIS WHEEL.
Just below this house prominent furni-
ture store presents a novel attraction that
probably does not fail to catch the eye of
a single passerby. miniature Ferris
wheel that is all ablaze with tri-colOred
electric lights revolves at such a rate of
speed that it almost whrls the little figures
who sit in the cars out into the street, |
Worked out in dainty little globes are Let
ters spelling the names of the principal |
commodities the firm offers for sale. In |
its other window is fine display OF oriental |
rugs and furniture and an invitation to |
drink tea at the Turkish pagoda within |
The other furniture stores all have their |
finest goods in their windows, and several |
excellent ideas on how to tastefully furnish |
bed room, a library or a parlor may be |
obtained from an inspection of these win
dows.
The art stores have their windows not |
crowded, for that wouldn't be artistic, but |
well arranged with mirrors, panels, bric-a-
brac and many forms of painting and crayon
work. Several of the leading pharmacies
present pretty windows, handsome toilet ar
ticles forming the chief stock in trade for
window decoration. Fair and beautiful
mOulders OF salt water taffy occupy the win
dow OF one drug store, but Ii may be hardly
fitting to class them Christmas ornaments. |
All the department stores have a great mass
of Christmas toys and wearing apparel eX-
hibited, but with single exception they at
tempt nothing elaborate. The jeweiry stores
have their Windows generously filled with sill
yer in such abundance as to make the heart
OF the most ardent bmetalist go pit-a-pat
One of these stores has a revolving spiral
column in one of its windows. 1t Is OF grace
ful design and like any form of window dec
omtion that is In motion appears to attract
considerable attention.
prominent COnfectiOner has placed
beautiful girl doll in an inviting hammock
In his big window, and along the floor of the
window is operated a train OF cars that IS
completely laden with sweetmeats Only
one Of the local statiOners attempts anything
In the way Of Christmas decoration. A
choice line of holiday souvenirs books and
with a fine collection Of engraved
counterfeit presentments of noted English
authors occupies one window. Through this
may be seen parts of a far-famed poster col
lection, which is spread all along the side
walls. This has been rearrangel for the
present holidays and daily receives a wonder
ful amount of notice, indicative Of the spread
Of prevailing fad