The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-21

F.
them happy and convey some thing OF the
tenderness they feel. w no can estima te--
the ennohlinE influences of such unseinsns
thoughts upon the person who cherishes
them? The conduct of that person VIII De
modified In measure at least by theHs
through all the years to come:
And so, and rightly, too. this day STANDS
first in all the calendar of holidays. pc
c,,,so It stands for unselfishness and char
ity. .1.1,,,,,,,
Christmas has a wonderful influence on
this material world The signs Of it have
long been evident To get their Christmas
goods here on time. the merchants nave
to place orders in thespring and summer.
So the store proprietors are the luse ~
re. christmas in their bones. ABOUT
LIE middle OF November. shipments come.
In, and the mighty task Of unpacking and
getting the thousands of novelties IN con-
dition to go upon the counters is under
taken, Before the 10th Of December the
stores have undergone wonderful
change. Staid articles are supplanted In
the windows by smaller. g.ft-sussesths
and tempting things-the Christmas shop
ping time has arrived. -
The crowds on the street increase in
number just as a climax is. reached.
Daily they grow largers until yesterday
and last night the streets and stores were
SO thronged that it was almost Impossible
70 get along. Last night was the first
time that the stores were kept open after.
8 o'clock. But from now until the great
carnival Of Christmas Eve. Broad Street
will be the mecca for the Christmas
shopper from early morning until almost
midnight. The merchants have gotten
many novelties this year. and not one
complaint has been heard about seeing
has
gone up how to choose from such an un-
ending variety.
The markets ae Quilted. They are
we'll stocked now, as they. always are at
this season. but prices are :"stir "a thing
good foS the farmer and the market man.
however unwelcome to the housekeeper.
One OF the truest signs OF Christmas one
sees about the market is the presence OF
cedar, pine and holly trees carted III by
the trucker. Every one knows what they
care for Then there are the running
cedar, spriss OF holly, b!ue-berried cedar
branches, and the essential mistletoe. All
Of these are finding ready sale, for homes
ere going to be bright this Christmas
The markets are thronged, and will be
until they close Wednesday night.
THE GENERAL HOMECOMING.
One of the most delightful and joy
giving signs Of Christmas Is the home
coming of those who have been away
for months and have turned their faces
and footsteps toward the family TIRES
hold Youths who have been away since
September and October are now at home
or will come tomorrow and Tuesday. and
the happiness Of family reunions is al
| ready realized.
The travelling salesman who has been
| away for month Or more in his terri
| tory Is home coming to spend Christmas
| day with the wife and little people whom
| he has missed SO long and deeply. Al!
over this broad land there is q great
| ''homng'' going On that crowds the trains
| with as merry throng as one ever sees.
| All are sad and expectant.
| The shoppers here and everywhere have
! nearly crazed the employees. Of the express
! companies and the postoff1ce Yesterday
| and for Il number of days before q con-
slant stream OF people peeped through
the little window at the stamp counter
| Of the postofIice. and the cry went UP
from many Threats, merchandise" The
express companies have been rushed a
great deal. and will be until the last
moment, for many insist on waiting until
! then to get their packages either in the
mails or the express Offices. or. as so
often happens, some one-is thought Of
| at the last moment who just. must mot
| be neglected. And SO in every calling
|
nerve toward this one day Of all days.
| December twenty-fifth.
| Many and an endless variety of ways
| will be found In which to spend this day.
| Some young and needless creatures Will
| hardly go to bed Wednesday night.
These belong. however, solely to thai
class who are too old to be visited by
| Santa Claus.
Christmas Day will begin properly
about 8 O'Clock Thursday morning. when
some boy Of twelve or fourteen will come
1 upon his porch and give a long. low
whistle. This is signal to confederates
The populace is not to be disturbed yet.
Presently the CLEANS Of fire are seer
down the street and blast OF the No.
cannon cracker is heard. That IS the
sunrise gum Of Christmas Day.
At daylight the smaller children are uI
and are diving into the mysteries which
Santa Claus has conf1ded to their stock
,nrs. BY this Rome is bowling to a live
Ter music than old Nero ever extracted
\ from his violin. 1t makes fellow YEAR,
to get in the "muss" to be writing aoou1
1T four days before. the oreaN1as l, 'a 1.;,
will be a merry place for then each vii
/ tel, what, Santa Claus brought. There
will be JOY and laughter. =,
Later some will go to church: All o.
the Episcopal ard Catholic churches VII
have services at IL O'clock. Some OF tn,
churches Of other denonlinatlons WIFI
1 also have appropriate exercises: MANY
~ those however. have their Christina
music and appropriate sermons on mex
Sunday.
Dinner hour will not be, the same II
all homes. Some viii have the usual,
o'clock dinner and !, supper at Z. Bu
lunch at 1 O'Clock will be served IN; ma = u!
| other homes, and then theE6 o CLOCK uiii
~ when the family reunions, so dea
70 ALL will occur.
Roth play houses promise attra ctiv
Mis- for matinee and evening perform
,nces and great crowds are sure I
attend as always on this holiday. D1nn n,
at the Jefferson or Ruesers or IN
groups about many fires'des VII I'os
Let oil believe will be the hap