The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-18
CRAY & DUDLEY co,
The Firms Magnificent Stock
 for Christmas.
BEYOND HLL DESCRIPTION
Their Store Beautifully Decorated for the Bright Season-Show Wndows
 Are ArtIstieaIy Arranged-Presents
 May Be Found There for Everybody.

Birmingham may be said to be at the zenith of it's Christmastide activity and beauty. From now until the morning of December 25 has dawned, here as else where, the streets will be thronged with busy, busting, animated humanity, the stores will be crowded with those in search of bargains, as well as those who do not care to cavil over prices; homes will seem brighter during this season of planning and happy expectations and hearts will beat quicker In glad anticipa- ton of this time of all the year, this Christmas season of peace and good will.
 Never has Birmingham known A brighter, buster Christmas, never a holi- day season of greater plenty or prosper ity. The shops and stores of Birming- ham will vie with those of any other city of the south in the quality, the abund- ance and diversity of their various stocks. And among the many places of trade which this city Is proud to claim, there Is none which can excel or take prece- dence over the store of the Gray & Dud- ley Hardware company.
 A Magnificent Store.
 It needs but a visit to this magnificent store to bring one to a realization of the fact that the Christmas season Is truly here; it. needs but a brief investi- gation of the stock and a knowledge of what is being offered for one to learn that a person may enter the doors of this firms place on First avenue, and secure the best and most appropriate ar ticles at the most advantageous prices. This store is a city of trade in itself, and there is the satisfaction of knowing that not only reliance may be placed in what one is told of goods but the wares may be bought at prices that are thoroughly reasonable.
 There could not be more appropriate Christmas suggestion or index to what is inside than comes from a view of the Gray & Dudley Hardware company's handsome show windows It would be a seeming impossibility to tell of all these windows contain. There are myriad arti- cles suitable for anybody to give to any body, but the windows are beautiful also from the artistic manner of their ar- engagement. Handsome as these windows are in the day time, even more brilliant and attractive do they appear under the glare of hundreds of electric lights at night.
 Once inside the store and one needs but to glance around to feel that he Is in some gala quarter decked and stocked for some gala season. Aside form the immense stock, which is itself a wonder and a revelation. the store has been handsomely decorated with holly and twining green, giving cozier and hap pier air to the place.
 Scarcely does 1t seem necessary to say anything of the standard of the goods offered by this firm. Their record built through the years agone is the best en- dorsement of the wares they offer. For the present Christmas season, however. they have placed upon their counters and shelves a larger and more varied stock than ever before in their history. 1t would almost seem as if anything the mind could conceive as a Christmas gift could be found in this stock, and yet, when one begins to inspect 1t, he Is al- most sure to find something better than that which he had in mind
 Among the magnificent articles in the Gray &e Dudley Hardware company s stock some are eminently worthy of espe- cial mention. There is probably not to be found in the south a handsomer or more complete line of cut glass, sllverware, or namental lamps, cutlery, etc. Their cut glass Is of the world celebrated Dor finger brand. and their silverware is best described when it is known that they are agents for the Whiting Manufactur- ing company. Practically any article In