The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-26
THE DAY
AFTER
CHRISTMAS
Shopksspsrs Busy, but Chiefly
In Exchanging HoIl- .
day Gifts.

In the aftermath OF the Christmastide
one Is conscious OF a complete change in
all the atmosphere which is extremely
the past fortnight In the big department.
stores this change was especially notice.
able this morning, where in place OF surg
ing crowds. hustle and confusion, compar-
atiyc auietness and peace reigned.
The strenuous life OF the past week
however, was evident in the countenances
OF the men an&-women behind the coun-
tiers, which in many Instances plainly
revealed, as Carlyle expresses 1t, that
period OF profound WEAKNESS which sue
ceeds to prolonged effort
one heard the remark on every side:
wTired: well 1 am completely exhausted;
II Hil take us a week to get over this"
Contrary TO the general opinion, how
ever the, day after Christmas is not SO
rostful as one would think, for in almost
every department of the stores a general
business In exchanging goes on. Take the
glove counter, for instance.
AS a bright young saleswoman re-
marked: "Oh, dear! yes; the day after
Christmas is very hard for us and we
don't get much rest from the Christmas
rush.
"You see, there are the exchanges and
no counter is as bad as the glove counter.
II people would only wait a week, or
until we get our stock straightened Out,
IL would be much easier for as; but they
come hurrying i'm the very next day after
Christmas with their innumerable misfitsi
all of which must be exchanged.
"Of course, you know" continued the
sales woman. that We sell hundreds of
pairs of gloves of all kinds and sizes for
Christmas gifts which are not, of course.
ntted, and naturally many of these come
back To us after Christmas 20 be ex-
changed. These exchanges are not over
until four or FIVE days after Christmas
and then l. the time we feel the strain
most and very frequently there Is coli
lapse for a time"
Speaking of Christmas exchanges this
practice Is by no meaus confined 20 the
glove counters, but exists i'm almost all
departments of all the large stores. Slip
'pers, for instance. I'm the shoe depart
ment q big business Is carried on eX-
changing not only slippers, but alb sorts
or footwear. Then there is the book
department; big. business " exchanging
goes on there.
But aside from the general business of
exchanging which makes the days inn
mediately succeeding Christmas so busy
there are the maTlS-aown sales, which
never fail 10 attract the bargain hunters
or after Christmas shoppers by the hum
dredS. so --tr-t s~r--~~
These bargain sales" include the many
novelties peculiar TO the, Christmas sea-
son which wise shopkeeperS mark at n
law figure I'm order tJ speedily dispose of
them.
The children We're conspicuously absent
from the stores and streets this morning.
knowing well That the glory OF Santa
Claus had departed.
The dealers I'm Christmas greens on
Crawford street bridge were busily gath
vring up the remnants OF an unprece-
dented Christmas trade; wearied express
men were hurrying TO and fro with be-
lated Christmas bundles, While the post
man still felt the weight OF Christmas in
the packages which had been overlooked
or forgotten at the eleVenth hour. Al
together the spirit OF Christmas was stu
largely i'm evidence In many places and
several days will Vet intervene before
men. women and children Will settle down
20 the humdrum affairs of everyday life