Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-12-14
TRIALS OF THE
XMAS SHOPPERS
Fat Woman, For Instance,
Who Blocks Traffic While
Looking For Buttons
ADAM TOBLAMEfOR OTHERS

Christmas spirit ana the Old ADAM
TO give the latter his polite name
meet In the shops many many times.
II is the Christmas spirit which causes
lady who Is in q verg great hurry to
give place to the lady who is IN a still
greater one; but 1t Is the old Adam in
his most insidlous form who causes 4
stout woman TO lean up against a
counter and calmly and inhexibly look
at 800 pairs OF cum buttons their joints
and their edges. While ten other wo-
men arranged in line behind her wait
with what patience they may land Il
isn't much) to gain the attention Of the
clerk. who is waiting for the stout wo-
man TO make decision.
1t IS needless to shy that finally that
depraved person goes away without
purchasing anything. while her neigh
bors IN the rear feel the Christmas
spirit slowly oozing from their finger
tips.
There are an sorts and conditions OF
shoppers now ih the shops and an
sorts and conditions OF patient youns
women behind the counters are cant
ing to themselves softly "ChrlspnGs
comes but once year. and when 81
comes 81 brings a tear'-being a very
heatnenish parody OF an old ana pious
saying.
Tho bright sunshine and the. crisp air
yesterday brought out the Christmas
shoppers "a. .F1at numbers, and
thronnhDhK the dsyt the stor6s VI ro
crowded. In the afternoon there was
hardly room on the sidewalks for nal
Who visited the retail section.
Buyina early This Year.
The women Of Wilmington are buy
Ing eorly this year but already there
are exelafnadons such as Only two
weeks until Christmas, Goodness grac-
lous / thought it was three at least.
How eyer am I going to get everything
done ah Thafi rne9v 4r0 7ci%
The coy shoa4s 1he mecca fo- All
mothers on It's shelves IN miniature
is everything that the grown-up has
or ever wished TO have from automo-
biles to semaphores. from railroads 10
threshing machines $3.50
The toys which go" are the most
expensive, and the most ia domqnd.
Hope springs eternal In the mategnq
breast that this year "Willer WIN no;
take his r9echaniQai toys 10 pieeosl 60
discover their motive power 'Winie's1
curiosity as to why the wheels 20
round Is, however, insn9la liable and there
Is no trustworthy evidence that tht
spirit hf invcstigaflon isshot as stecns
In him this season as e was last
The dolls Of the season are partlc-
ularly haughty creatures Also. they
are as up-to-date as a very observant
toy-malSer can manage All the smart
est IONS have Their hair "bobhed" ana
have one lock tied above the left eye
with a bow OF -coloroa, ribbon,
Just exactly as Is the small~g,rl's 'of
the day.
There are talking dolls and iwallCns
dolls, and dolls with other Accomplish
ments. such rs swimming
On the crowded shelves besides these
things nre1 Any number Of Beautiful
fuzzy animals. F -a.r
The Cry of the Roosevelt Bear.
An tho animals IN. the toy shoas
have cries. Even the Roosevelt bears
give voice to n shrill squeak when they
are pressed IN a particular place an
their breasts. When a great big bear
has q very sim, small voice the sansa-
lions Of the nearer are about as they
are when very large man Ia opera
sings tenor
But the bears are not the only ,vorslly
accomplished animals The woody
sheep the dogs, the cats. the cows the
donkeys az have the power OF utterr
ance IN thtse' enlightened times.
The curious thing abont the whole
matter is, however that 20 save onc's
life. no matter whether or not ne Is
verscd IN o1rr--Ir- fore De cannot tcii
with his eyes shut whether q IS a dom
key hraying or sheep baains. there IS
such tircrr fa-rliv resemblance
among aE the ss1nlr
In real lie s1irt - rot considered
70 make a noise ul-r IKE a dog. but
the toy-maksrf Flse ssore class dis
tinctiors u 4 way ~ make "a studen.
OF natural 11t1-erV rerr. To them a
noise ~ ire ccrtErs trir a simpis
noise Is. and 81 ~ neihirr rnorc
After an there's I'D ffcrrr-thr The
toy animals rtocis have distinctive
calls. They seaait IS rrcrd encl1h
Heaven know 81 httrv abe ~ make a
noise at an tl11t Sometimes % is|
DOWNRIGHT ealbar Tasslris tilink a dog
IS barking and 10 find out later that 81
Is the pretfiest and most aristocratic
OF the dolls sayirg Papa"
For Poor, Dear Papa.
For the benefit OF the perpiexsd-
that Is to say. for egeryone-some Of
the Shops have gathered together IT.
groups certain gifts and labeled them
Presents Tor father" Presents for
mother" and so on through the family.
IT IS noticeable that there is much les2
that is distinctive for father than for
the other members. and that the things
set forth for him are economical ones.
giving senablance Of truth 20 that old
legend that father buys his own gift.
but is not supposed to remember that
he has given mother the money for e.
1t IS a poor old imbecile shop which
has not made preparations on its own
account for the holidays. The tobacco
nist's window is gay with pipes OF an
sorts and conditions. from the aristo-
cratic briar. with silver qnountings IN
smart leather case. to the humbic
ones an stuck together IN frame and
selling for so cents apiece.
There are also boxes Of cigars irvit-
ingly open and showing beauteous
Spanish senoritas on the ia. clad APP
propriateiy In high-heeled shoes ana
mantilla and in the very act OF dane
ing the-cachuca.
orooers' Windows Inviting.
The groceps' windows are the most
inviting thingF ever. Figs. dates. Ma
Lace o~~orst... ,.4ioin. a. 80. r-...-L ..-