Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-25
1T COMES But ONCE A YEAR
Christmas is Here aud All Omaha is in 70
Enjoyment
SANTA CLAUS GOES OUT SHOPPING
Visits All the Mig stores aud buys
Lots of Nice Presents for the
Dear Ones at
Home.

other in their hunt for Christmas presents
and took 1t all so good-naturedly in those
good old days in the misty past as the folks
OF this city of Omaha did last night! Wonder
II Santa Claus OF couple of hundred or a
thousand years ago had so much fun as
thousands Of men and women appeared to
have last night, as they trudged around
through the slushy snow from store to store
on their hunt for pretty things for their hus.
bands and wives, their children. their
brothers and sisters, their lovers and sweet
hearts and for everybody else for whom they
had the least spark Of affection or regard!
santa Claus and Kris Krlngle was out in
thousand forms. Sometimes he was
! dressed in broadcloth and sometime in home
| spun. Sometimes he had on his back silk
and other costly feminine goods. Sometimes
| ne wore shabby skirt and a well-worn
| shswl. But he was the selfsame Santa Claus
and Kris Kringle in one respect and that YOU
mad TO find in his face and eyes. His mouth
| was wreathed in a smile; his eyes were AL
ways merry and glad. If you accidentally
punched him in the ribs he did not frown: he
oeamed upon you and said, Merry Christ
mas If he was a man he sometimes alao
SAID, Let's go get a drink" pretty good
| in this town.
AS has been limited at before thousands
were out last night, as thousands had been
out for several nights before They simply
LOOK the stores by siege. There was not one
In the downtown section which was NOT
crowded. If the calamity howler was ont
last might he must have felt very small
| pumpkins, and maybe today he won't have so
| much fun to poke at the return of pros
perity. Merchants were of the unanimous
| opinion that not for years past have thew
done such Christmas business as this year.
and last night furnished a very fitting
| climax. Santa Claus had money this year,
| and he spent it.
1t may be that Weather Clerk Welsh had
| something to do with 1t. Omaha people
have fallen out of the habit of having such a
time as they hal last night. 1t was rather
queer and on the whole quite enjoyable to
wade around in snow on the night before
christmas. Green Christmases have been so
numerous around these parts that people
nave fallen into the custom of telling what
Christmases were like in their youth with
the snow over the fencetops. Thus. as he or
she plodded along or slipped on the ice he
or she did not say or even think some bad
word, but cried out, Merry Chrstmas."
EVERYBODY GOES SHOPPING.
The streets were filled with men. women
and children all the evening. long up to the
hour that the gaiy-lighted stores turned
down their lights and the tired-out clerks
lett for their homes to enjoy a Christmas OF
their own today. Merry Christmas" was
it to himself even If it was not meant fol
him. There were smiles on every hand; that
glorious anthem, peace on Earth, Good Will
to Men," was ringing in every heart.
The interior of the bigger stores of the
city were a revelation. The aises were
simply packed with a squeezing mass of hu.
manity, every individual of which was pos
sessed with the desire to get to the counter
Toes were cramped, ribs were crushed
clothes were rumpled, but there was not the
slightest indication of ill-humor on anybody's
part. There was too much of the spirit o
Santa Claus about to permit anything o
that
1t was a great night for the street cal
company, too. The cars were crowded bott
coming ans going during all the hours of the
early evening. In fact, very few people
walked. They did not want to coming dowr
because they desired to get to the stores
before the rush. They could not walk
back home in most cases because they were
loaded down too much. An observer looking
at the homeward cavalcade would have
sworn that before the night was over every
store in the city had been stripped Of it.
contents.
, All this was on the surface and everybody
, could see it. AS happy tale could be tolt
, could one have peeped into the residence!
and the homes about the CITY, Amongst the
high and the low, with the yirtuous and the
sinful, there was none other than the Christ
mas spirit. In some places carols, in other!
rollicking songs, but everywhere good chee
and merriment There was but one burther
! to the sentiment: "A Merry Christmas tt
Allr'