The daily Republican., 1902-12-23
SHOPPERS ARE
CHEERFUL ARMY
Christmas Buying on in Earn
est and Business Streets
Present Animated Scene,
EXPRESS men VERY BUSY
Shipments Are Heavier, Prob
ably, Than They Ever Were
Before. School Girls
In Evidence,

The city's shopping districts have
been thronged since Yesterday
morning. They will be jammed all
day Tomorrow; all Wilmington will
be out to complete its gift buying.
Market street will be crowded from
side to side these last days and
nights. In and out of all the stores
the throng will find it's way, all in
quest OF happiness for someone else
and tinding pleasure in the antici-
patton of their friends joy. Not
least among the attractions along
Market street is the colony of curb
stone merchants each crying his
wares with healthy lungs. The
temporary stands are We'll stocked
with dancing bears, automatic car
rlages. automobiles and talking
dolls, to say nothing of the Xmas
tree ornaments. In Fourth street
are huge quantities of holly and
mlstletoe, and already the supply of
turkeys and cranberries is begin
ming to arrive.
All the shoppers are happy. but
more especially the poor, for the lit
tie they have to spend on Christmas
presents is the result of long labor
and careful economy. 1t has been
boarded up for months, q penny or
SO added daily, bespeaking many
little self-sacritices in order that
some dear one might receive q
token of love on Christmas morn
ing and their faces fairly beam with
happy anticipations as they bend
eagerly over the array of cheap toys
or ga1dy ornaments. The young
girl, whether rich or poor, is among
the happiest of the Christmas
shoppers, particularly that young
girl with dreamy eyes and laughing
lips, who trips blithely through the
surglng throng of shoppers intent
upon buying one present, and that
tor some one most dear to her. She
will generally, however, end up in
a book OF picture store, for books
and pictures this year seem to be
among the favorite gifts. Jewelrv
also is in sgroat demand rings,
scarf pins, watches, &c.
The school girl is the most promi-
nent Of The shoppers,s she can be seen
at almost any hour OF the day Stroll
ing along 10 her careless fashion with
a crowd of herga companions. The
school girls generally sally forth
bright and early, their nighty little
minds ntent upon cramming all the
pleasure and mischief possible into
the morning hours.
There seems to De much happiness
and satisfaction in the shopping
world. The stores are filled with |
novelties at the most reasonable
prices, and if one has q moderate sum
10 devote to shopping there is u great |
variety of beautiful things from
which to select.
The one aim Of The Christmas burer
is 10 purchase the most SNOWY things
for the smallest amount Of
money, practically speaking, 10 get
their moneys worth. They have
no cause for complaint this year, for
the stores are stocked with Christmas
goods at reason liable prices
Big boxes and little boxes, wooden
boxes and paper boxes heavy and
light, long and short, fill the var !
ious freight depots and express
warehouses in Wilmington at pres
ent 1t is all on account of the
heavy shipments that are taxing
place just prior to Christmas. The
major part Of the freight and eN-
press is to and from private indi
viduals.
Then there is the reciprocity act
The country cousin ships the Wit
lnington relative barrel of apples
for Christmas, and in return the
city cousin sends something bulky
to the rural relative; and here is
whore the express companies aud
tho freight mea have to hustle:
There are lots and lots of country |
cousins who are sending things in,
md there are lots and lots OF city
cousins who are acknowledging the
gifts in a similar way.
The eXpressmen say that the ship
nents are heavier, probably, than
hey ever were before; but they say
hey can handle all that comes and
,oes, although 1t will get much larg-
II later in the week.