The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-18
Concerning Ch. i tmac
 Shopping.
Sesee<z@ss

cipients of your gifts, consider the indi- vidual tastes of each. This Is an ex- cellant guide. Perhaps the middle aged man is fond of reading quietly at home. Get him the kind of book he Mixes best. For the young man fond of athletic sports get him what will please him best In this line. I have never seen the stores richer in assortments of athletic goods for men, woman and children than they are this season. The robust, active boy of 10 to 15 will have the heart charmed fairly out of him by the gift of football and padded knickerbockers adapted to his size and weight. Boys footballs may be had for from 50 cents to g, and the padded knickers for 50 cents. There are dainty parlor bowling sets. alley and pins. for boys and girls and all the family to- gether. to be had for si. One of these would be a steady source of recreation during the winter.
 gift that will delight both boys and girls is one of the miniature cameras which may now be bought so cheaply. They are toys. to be sure, but toys from which an intelligent child will learn more than from some books. For girls espe- cialy a camera is to be recommended since 1t induces them to take tramps outdoors over hill and dale in the pure air instead of incoming in the house and eating candy. These little cameras are often of very good quality. too. They cost from 80 cents to @. One might answer for the family.
 What else? There are always books, colored toy books for very young chill dren, and for older; ones such volumes as Alice Wonderland" "Tanglewood Tales, ' little Women," Treasure Is- land" and always Scotts immortal novels. eirla tiqia11V like the same sort of books. Once a boy who was asked what kind of books he liked best answered.:
 oh. something about a brave boy or hero"
 For musical little girls a miniature violin which can really be played and which costs about s2.5o will be more pre- cious than gold Give a small boy harmonicon and then mental science yourself against his noise. Ice skates cost from 45 cents up. roller skates about the same.
 If you are rich enough to buy what you please and want to make a young lady relative look her sweetest. give her an ermine jacket. pure, soft white with the little black patches in 1t. This fur somehow belongs to girls. The cost of such a jacket however, is $250. An er- mine nun and tippet for a little girl cost from 80 to $40. Next, if you are un- fortunate enough to have in your family an aged lady who is not fond of reading and who no longer cares how she looks give her some dainty to eat or something to keep her warm in winter, or both
 Here Is a good rule for deciding what you will get for Christmas presents to your friends: Give them them something they will be specially pleased with, but which they do not quite like to buy for themselves. Thus you will always hit it. Give to poor, working people something that will please their fancy; not at all what you think will be useful to them. A waiter in a restaurant had had a Christ mas gift of half a dozen pairs of stock ings. He did not appreciate them. "Stocklngs!" said he witheringly Why didn't they give me little diamond scarfpin or something? I can buy socks for myself" --- -av
 So a calico dress or some white aprons Is not a gracious gift for your kitchen girl. Give her some pretty hatpins or lace or scarfpins or ribbons or some at- tractive neckwear. It will please her ar- tistic sense and make her feel that she is a woman and sister. 1t is also a good plan to give money out and out to labor ing folk who have little of their own.
 Elizabeth Lee.