The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-24
Z ond on Assumes
Air of Gayety
DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS is ONE
OF GOOD cHEERiAT ENG: Y
rs IISH CAPITAL.
BY s. ". Press Assnclaflop.

| LlDN- Ss-+H Press sAsSnclailOD.l
LONDON, Dec. 2i.-Wlth its reyel.
Iers and shoppers and It's all peryal.
Z Ing air OF cheeriulness, the day before
Christmas finds London almost gay.
The streets are thronged and there
EiSeaI. - De no lnI.c.itlon that the
holiday celebrations will be conducfed
in a more economical manner this year
than before. All OF the big shops re.
port a large trade ami the proprletors
are quoted as saying that their bus..
ness for the last few weeks has been
very satisfactory.
The preparations for the Christmas
festivities at Scandinavian are much
the same as usual. King Edward anil
Queen Alexandra have already re-
cefved hundreds Of rich and valuable
gifts from royal relatives. diplomats
and Englishmen and officers In far
lands. Both His Majesty and the
nnren will snfri tho holidays very
quietly. surrounded only by members
OF their own family. and only very
few. select guests have been invited
TO join the royal circle.
The principal feature OF the festivi.
ties OF the weel, will be ball for the
tenantry on the estate, Mt which the
king and queen and other members Of
~" fsm'lv win no present. The chill.
d-eR's party FOR .ho rsr'ht,'l P,e-rl,ers
OF the royal family has been arranged
for hv the Princess Of Wales. who also
had the assistance. In the preliminary
preparations. OF the queen OF Norway
and the Princess Victoria.
sfter Christmas the king and queen
will give a few small house parties
ut Sandringham. to which some OF
their more intimate friends have been
invited. Later their majesties VIII
proceed TO Windsor castle. where they
viii stay until the opening OF parlla-
ment calls for the presence Of the
king in London.
Although = great many society lead
crs have gone to the seaside and 10
Paris for the, holidays. the big hotels
are stfti crowded. All OF the great
West End hostPlrles have engaged NIL
their dining rooms for tonight and
Christmas eve will be spent by the
rich and noble IN fenstlng. This prac.
tice OF dining at hotels has grown NJ
in recent years and is due largely to
the deEirc to give the servants OF the
households holiday. The American
diplomatic nttRches, exnatrlates aud
visitors will hold their annual Christ.
mas feast and several fat New Eng
lqud turkeys iavc already forfeited
their lives 10 The end that the Amerl.
Gang n7v u1r!ake OF The flesh OF the
natlnuaf bird
: To-day wFs married. by a premature
l"t ncrr tln less hearty celebration.
All 1T the prlncinal streets are re.
sounding TO the voices OF singing clubs
rhe members, from the tons of omni.
buses, shouting out Christmas carols
End other songs IN tones Of mighty
volume II not much melody. Convent
Garden had 4 tremendous influx OF
visitors. Nistletoe Is in great de-
mand but there is little call for holly
The mails have been overloaded dur
me iha list fow DAYS and the post
men have had TO employ cabs In many
cases 10 assist In the delivery OF par
cells. II Is estimated that mn average
OF 100000 pacsages night have pass
cd THROUGH 'be assnrting department
OF the Dostof1ce in the last few days.
The blue and. yellow colors of the
Rotschilds. flying gaily from the count
less London buses to-day, gave proof.
that each driver and conductor hal
received the annual gift OF brace
Of phoasants from the famous finan.
cial family The Rotschilds also gave
fnyS tn tho Children of all the "hoh-
bies" OF London.