Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-23
BROAD ST. CROWDED
DESPITE THE WEATHER, THE
THoROuCuFARE IS THROSGED.
SCENES IN The STORES YESTERDAY,
Rich and Poor Jostle Each Other In
the One Common Mission, That OF
Christmas shopping - Christmas
Flowers Are High.

Despite the fact that Broad street was
anything but pleasant walkway yester-
day, and that every crossing was an men
deep In mud while the air was heavy
with moisture, great crowd OF shoppers
representing every condition OF lie, ana
all ages, tramped up and down the
thoroughfare. jostlng each other In their
hurry. and each bent on the one com
mon mission-that OF making Christmas
purchases.
Men. women, and children, bearing
packages Of every conceivable shape
passed in and out of the crowded stores
from early morn until late at night, and
thousands Of purchases must have been
made before the merchants finally locked
their doors at the close Of the days busi-
ness. and tired shop girls, clerks, and
cashiers left their places behind the
counters, passed out IN the murky atmos-
phere, and sped rapidly on their way
home, anxious to gain few hours rest
i'm the forgetfulness Of sleep. before the
toll of another day commenced.
SCENES IN THE STORES.
In the morning and afternoon hours Of
the day the Weather class OF people
thronged the stores, mingling with those
who are neither rich nor poor, but VINO
occupy that middle position In lite' ana
who constitute the great majority of the
people ian this world. At night the scene
presented i'm the stores had changed
somewhat. The handsomely-atti Wo-
man of fashion was not noticed among
the shoppers. and on the outside no coach
and groom awaited my lady Plainly
dressed women, many Of them accom-
panied by their husbands, were now oc-
cupying the attention of the clerks. Inc
same scenes Of the day were again gone
over. only the purchases We're not as
costly. and the customers probably not as
fastidious and as hard TO please as some
Of those of the morning.
RUSH AT THE EXPRESS OFFICE.
A peep in at the express Office would
convince any one that Christmas is almost
az hand, if he had any doubts as to its
near approach.
The employees Of this corporation are
always head over heels in work at
this season of the year. From now until
Christmas night the express office VIII
handle packages tWenty-four hours each
day.
The letter-carriers will be given an OPP
portunity to enjoy the holiday. No de-
livery will be made on Xmas but the
windows will be open from 10 A. NJ. until
noon. when those desiring their mail can
cali for il. The money-ordcr department
will be closed during the entire day.
DOLLAR APIECE FOR ROSES.
The florists are as busy as they can be
filling orders for Christmas. Flowers
come high. but the girls must have them,
even if the roses do cost a dollar apiece
that is. some Of them. Twelve dollars
a dozen for American Beauties-think Of
IT! Yet that is just what the very finest
specimens are now bringing, though the
prices range from 81 per dozen TO SIP. The
young lady who receives a bunch Of these
famous roses, which have almost been
the means of bankrupting many a young
man during the season of germans
should consider herself an exceedingly
lucky girl, and high in the esteem Of
some one, if the Beauties" are large and
have long stems, for then she may know
that each of these red, red roses" cost
just one dollar.