The evening times., 1898-12-22
STORES THRONGED BY
CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS
Purchasing BriGades Eagerly Scan
ming Bargain Counters for Pres
ents for Loved Ones.

Christmas joy lights the faces OF count
less millions of people: the shadow of the
Christmas tree falls again upon the Chris
tan world.
Holiday scenes are being enacted in all
the streets OF Washington. Christmas
shopping began with a vengeance
this morning The amount of Christmas
goods that Will be bought this week prom
ises to establish 4 record that will be hard
to beat There have been some premoni-
tions that the purchasing brigades would
devastate the big stores this year as never
before, and the manner in which they
started out on their errands today
augurs well for the volume of trade. That
large but comparatively incOnspiCuOus
body that pays the freight seems likely
to be sending up cries OF anguish, not TO
mention groanings that cannot be uttered,
when the bills come in.
There are several reasons why the
troubles of the head of the household
seem likely to be unusually great this
season One of them is that the Christ
mas shopping week is longer this year
than it has been in seven. years. for the
reason that Christmas falls upon Sun
day Six whole days in which 10 jam the
big shops of the city; six whole days in
which 10 go out WITH empty dasNA q
full purse and return with overfiOwinS
arms and empty pockets-not to mention
checkbooks-are enough TO shake the
stoutest hearts of those who settle.
At an early hour this morning the shop
ping districts began to swarm with the
purchasing army. After the luncheon
hour the crowds increased to proportions
such as are not sometimes assumed by
crowds on the day before Christmas. Of
working majority. The Christmas frenzy
was on them, too There was none of
that casual and mildly interesting stroll
| ing about the big shops, wandering from
! one counter to another, and thoughtful
! comparison of prices. Business was in
every feminine eye. The shoppers rush
| ed from one counter to another, eager
| ness in every movement. Those who were
| disappointed in some desired purchase
| could easily be pointed out. An angry
| gloom hung over their knitted bTOwS as
! they rushed onward, in hope of better
| luck elsewhere. a corresponding eXalta-
| ton cleaned from the eyes of the sue
| cessful.
While the army was composed for the
| most part of women there were BOT lack
| ing camp followers in the shape of men.
| Some of them epitomized disgust as they
| were dragged hither and thither in the
I
| philosophical and endeavored to solace
| themselves by an appreciation of the hu-
! morous side OF the shirmish On all sides
| the sound of strife went up. The as
saulting army rallied time and again,
| and when some Of them fell before the
| defending saleswomen others stepped
| boldly into their places. firing in volleys
| or at will, but never giving up the fight.
| The number of visitors here for the
holidays is far in excess of the usual
| Christmastide~incurs In a way this
| last three months has been a period of
| unusual activity in the commercial and
hotel world. The numbers that have
| thronged to the city have caused sur
| prise on all sides. The hotels are now
| taking care of about all the people they
| can accommodate. while the railroads
| are carrying enormous numbers of people
| into the city. From North, South, East
| and West they are pouring in, and n hap
| py, hearty throng they make. Every one
| seems to be prosperous, and the stores
| and shops are profiting by the money the
| visitors are spending.