Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-06
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IS ON
People With Money te Spend Should
 Remember Their heighboIs.


 rush will soon be on, one can see the wisdom of taking time by tue fore look, and getting what you can af- ford if not all you would like, when you have to make selections and plank down the cash or have them charged, provided your credit is good. During Christmas week you have to fight your way up to the counters and the the clerk tries to pass you along as speedily as possible in order that he may find out what the lady wants who is standing just behind you and acts as if she though noth- ing would be left by the time her turn comes. Many look ahead far enough to see the situation and plan to avoid it, but others prefer to wait and join in the elbowing match. They wouldn't think it Christmas at all if they didn't have tllssle at the bargain counter and have something to show their neighbors what they bought or thought they did for all most nothing.
 We'll, what's the difference. Any thing that makes one happy is cheap, no matter what is costs. The woman who objects to having somebody step on her corns and feels hurt at being rAdely pushed this way and that ev- ell though she knows no offense is intended, does her shopping and she has lots of room while the lady who Is amused at the idea of taking part in scrimmage with surging mass of humanity bides her time at this season and does not consider herself through until after the lights have been turned out just before the chimes peal forth their enchanting melody and in many places of wor- ship the world over millions of faith ful souls are hurrying on to hear the priest intone the midnight mass and assist at the sacrifice.
 To be sure everybody cannot buy when they chose and probably this explains why so many defer laying in their Christmas stock until the eley- enth hour. Most purchasers are obliged to walt until they have the collateral in their hands and as q consequence the larger portion of the community has to be served in q very brief period, probably not over three or four days. But it is safe to state that while many are held back on account of lack of funds very large number wait for the rush through force of habit and with the notion that they can do better when everything is being cleaned up than they could if. they bought earlier. It would take person of some eXper- fence in that line to pass upon this matter intelligently and not being qualified to grapple with it the re- porter leaves it an open question. In any case business is good in Water bury and the prospect for a big Christmas trade never was better.
 Waterbury has very large num- Der of workmen, whose families re- side in other parts of the country and many of them are separated by vast bodies of water and are subjects of other nations. These are busy send ing money to their families and from now on the postof1ice officials and foreign agencies about town will do a land0fiice business. It might be bet ter for all concerned if these good men had their families here in Wa terbury, but like the shopping ques- tion this is something on which there is room for honest men and women to take opposite sides and this Is not a time for introducing controversial questions. The fact that men who bore the heat of the summer sun and are now preparing to suffer the rig ors of our New England climate tO earn few dollars and then forward what they can spare to their wives and children. show that their hearts are in the right place even though their heads may lead them In the wrong direction once in while. It is cheerful sight to look at these men standing around in groups and counting their savings and then of their own volition sending every cop per in their possession to their wives and trusting to luck to earn enough to keep them for the balance of the winter. But this isn't tenth part of the sacrifice man is capable of making when love and duty are in- spring motive.
 no poor in Waterbury this year and that as nobody will be called upon to help needy folks this Christmas. This is a mistake. There are a great many families in need of fuel and clothing and we'll disposed citizens who have something to give in char ity will not have to travel far to find them. In fact 1t would not be we'll if this were so, for if there were no poor, nobody to pity and nobody to ask little bread and seek shelter in the name of Him whose nativity the Christian world Is preparing to commemorate. what would men of means do with their money? The world would be a great sight worse on than it is and notwithstanding the woes we encounter while the poor are with us things would be intensified considerably in their ab- sence, for the human heart would soon wither and cease to bear fruit and then indeed would 1t be a more fitting abode for the evil one than the liver. where he has recently been located.
 There Is a wide field for charitable work all over this town. A great many children are not half clothed as anybody can see by their appear ance on the streets. many being al- most barefooted and the few rags that cover their bodies are poor shields against the onslaughts Of weather conditions with the thermo- meter below zero. The same thing might be said of hundreds of old folks who have not sufficient bed clothing to keep them warm over