New-York tribune., 1902-12-21
CHRISTIM4SSTREET FAIRS
HO7U the Tenement Child Docs Her
Shopping.
SIX PRESENTS FOR rs CENTS.

Two classes of society have their Christmas snop-
ping simplifed for ther-the very rich and the
very poor All suffer pangs Of generous I'M
pulses kept and of appearances preserved at
the expense of nerves and purse. The rlch nu!
what they choose and the poorest of the poor avoid
temptation by going where they have small chance
to exceed the limit of infnitesmal incomes Inc
street fairs that line the thoroughares or the East
Side offer every opportunity for the purchase OF
presents that exhibit rich combination OF All tie
colors Of the rainbow, at few cents apiece Or
eigners happily, do not forget all the quaint ways
of the old country, and many a NeW-iork street
takes on the of the Fatherland when Decelhoer
comes around.
Christmas among the poor tells story of such
tactful deliberate and such financial ability on
microscopic scale that 1t is really well worth con-
sidering. When seeks out the SmalleSt atoiii
In the tail OF the comet of progress. small lene
ment child and watches her buy her ChrlSlIlds
presents one stands in amazed awe at the shiii
with which pennies may be generated aild naue 10
do their duty. The tenement childs Christmas
shopping is an exposition of the gentle art OF max
ing the best of 1t.
If is the hands of the poorest that line the
streets on the East Side with booths. All wide
streets taken possession Of by pedlers' out
Avenue A is perhaps the most popular "liei
December % is drawing near. The wares are ho'
displayed on carts. at other seasons OF the
wear Real booths are put up. all decorated with
holiday greens. The dull old streets take on d
festive air and their youth.
Fvervbodv who is out of work in the neighbor-
hood Is busy at this season. 1t is the chance that
good wives have to augment the family income
and to provide a merry Christmas for their own
little ones. With the aid of the bigger chllureh
a woman preside at a Christmas ooolh anu
make amazing amount of money from Hei
poInt Of VIEWS SO or maybe. with great luck
SIS If she has at the start sufficient capital 20
finance so big a scheme. Among the thrifty Ger
man population especially there are many women
who carry such experiments to successIul c"h
clusion.
The tenement child turns this place for her
shopping She has TO forego the luxury of stores
with doors and other such superfiuous accessories
The street fair gay with greens. 50 dazzhns
with tinsel. so aluring with aggressive reo plush
albums and a thousand and other things OF
beauty that to turn her back on real stores IS
easy.
Saw that the tenement child has only . cents
When one comes to think of 1t % cents Is q
huge sum. There are man. things TO
be bought for merely one cent. For % cents, for
instance Cne could become desperately Ill on
chocolate drops. But, the other hand, there
are people around who buying those lovely
plush albums one of which would take much
more than the whole sum. The tenement child
fe.Is tha nipch of poverty but then, the people
who are buying the expensive luSurles are rluCh
older and the wives OF fortunate mortals VINO ar
earning S12 a week. The child taxes courage ana
proceeds TO view the booths as whole before she
Al nroperiy regulated children have at least
three brothers and three sisters They may have
more indeed they usually do. but to have less Is
to be eccentric. and eccentricny is oaI iorH; s
brothers and sisters there are the parents BUY
ing Christmas presents Tor SO large n number Is
tie in neat bow on 25 needs cool head.
A 10 cent doll is tempting. but one must not