Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-24
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.
Trade This Year Has Been the Best
for Years.


hSH WHO mad Christ
mas sooos 70 sell, for there was every
appearance of disposing of every art;.
cies in the stores, so that a yao..,a..
could be taken while another stool,
WAS arriving. The warm weather
/ uroVe the shoppers in. II acted ~
more than one way. First the weather
was so beautiful that one could not
stay in the house. then with snch a,e-
giant weather there could not be mnch
nope OF retaining the sleighinr and =
was a case of go to market. TODAY Or
stay at home. for no one likes to go
across country in wagon at this time
OF the year. when half of the country
IS laid with mud and the other half
with snow.
rms has been a great Christmas
shopping season. The novelties that
have been introduced by the merchants
never have been excelled, and in the
past few years there have never been
AS puASAdSeiS DIS there nave
been in the past two weeks since the
Christmas goods were placed on dis
play.
This seems like the days of 10 years
ago., remarked a jeweler, Friday
while he took his breath for moment.
there being no customer for him to
wait upon. Then we took in from
$500 to $1,000 day for few days be-
fore Christmas. but you know it has
been gradually growing less This
year is like old times and we are hav-
ing our inning again, though those
large sales do not come in. We sell as
many different articles and I am
thankful for the sum get for them.
but they are not the high priced things
of long ago
Yes. this has been a great year for
the jeweler. Everything. from the TAX
ing rope chain for ladies. to the little
stick pins and the fancy clocks and
WATCHES are III ucIilduu.
1t is remarked that the people of to-
day are buying more things that are
at the Christmas season. This is ex-
planned from the fact that the hard
times made it a necessity and now it
has become but natural to buy what
shows common sense. Articles that
will be pretty in the house in the way
of silverware, table linen or pieces of
furniture are being sold in great guam
titles. The clothing stores are patron
lied more than ever for the Christmas
trade and the fancy braces and things
of that kind, together with the Silk
ties are very popular.
And the silk handkerchefs. Why,
of course they are sold like hot cakes.
There is nothing under the heavens
that is given in such great quantities
as the silk handkerchief. Men nave
been known to receive at the rate OF
10 of these useful CD articles year.
for % years. and at the end OF that
time have packed away $50 handkef-
chiefs unwashed and unused.
ooh. I do so hope that George VIII
buy me one of those fancy befts' sus-
sested the young lady as she passed.
| a window where fancy belt was Oh
exhibition. Il limited it the other night
| and I also limited that there was
smoker set coming his way. Nothihs
| else will be able to satisfy me.
| This is one of the shoppers WIZ
shons for the sake of getting SOME
thing in return. There are shoppers
| a shonners. but the average Christ
mas shopper is different from an Inc
| ,ast Take the lady shopper ana she
s,ons merely from love of it. win
man it is different. He goes OUT wiz
worried look on his face. he mas ue-
o,dad that there are presents " oe
,,,+ fo, nhe whole family ana ne
has not the slightest idea wha' ~ w.
r,verything he looks at makes MN 10
a,,act that his family has sonletiiins
- tbo kind. SO what is he to 90! VI
a,,rso no must buy something for they
LID feel SO badly about it II tnes
wore forgotten, but what! III his ~
.tion he buys articles that cost
.hout what he wants. to pay anu - =
,a,, chances to one that he wall ouS 'Ne
erst thing that he has looked at "''''"
:. sometbing as foreign to what Tue 'e
.,,,er would wish or need as II IS pos-
| sible to get.
rhis is why there are so many nv
o,,en shoppers than there are me-
The men realize their ilil'i''
tnis line and in cases where " = = p ~.
chile they induce the women - -,
.,,,nnine for a woman IS d na .. :
anar She seems to know if'ui''' :
:. met what one needs and wants aS
,o ,;kes to make bargain Wiz
'ne a,ar She is in her glory IN ~
''e ,,.o,o,, all the stores and hano'ns
ins ,at,v things. She is happier =
eiN how happy Sne 10 -