The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-22
HOLIDAYS OF LONDON'S POOR
No QUARTER or THE BTG CITY
DVERLOOKS CHRISTMAS.
IN the East End All tine shops Are dsAy
with Greens ana COlered PRDer-WayS
Of the iOster Gslrl Blew tOTOy PodAers
Quaint Costumes Of tine East Emf.

win Greens ma 'Oi0red Pnper-WayB
Of the COster Gslrl blew tOTOy PodncrS
Quaint Costumes Of Inc East Emf.
LONDoN. Dec IL-In London the Christ
mas holiday spirit commences about WI
weeks before the day itself. and though
the weather would never convince an
American that Christmas was approaching.
the stores and stalls and the ~grsengrOcers'
array of trees and holly all tend to show
that the spirit has come even IL the weather
presents only dreary fog OF steady rain az
liz contribution
The butchers and pOulterers in h West
End Of town where the wealthy buy their
Christmas dinners display sides Of oxen.
holly laden. and geese in battalions with
chains of green linking them one to another.
The grOcers' establishments deck every
conceivable class of goods with paper
iowers or evergreens. and the amount Of
tirsel and cotton snow, Of holly and mistle-
toe used in the candy stores and bakeries is
amazing.
But il is in the East End tha the Christ =
mas spirit really ruin riot. The decora-
tons here make up in vivid color for what
they lack in art, and II one shudders a bit
at the taste one also chokes a bit at tho
pathos. Here, in the heart Of London.
among the tOilworn ~costers, the tired
women, victims OF the sweatshops. the
elderly children who begin the struggle
for bread at q and ! years OF age. here one
inds the holiday spirit IA il is to he Seen
nOvhere else.
The East End butchers and poultersrs
are not to be outdone by their more pros
porous rivals Of the West; and if their
stores are often only hsndcarts and their
goose are skinned rabbits. still they are
rayly dressed in wreaths OF holly and
with rows Of sheep heads. creamy folds
Of tripe and a silver phalanx OF b~loaters.
they present an appearance calculated to
moisten the mouth Of even the most indif-
ferent Fast Ender.
The grocer's shop window 10 transformed.
Its tubs Of oleOmargarine sparkle refresh
ingly in the gasiight decked out with holly
berries. Artistically piled cans OF con-
densed milk repose amid spangled paper
while most cheering Of all 10 a gay sign in
the corner of the glass, Sugar is cheaper."
The bakeries. with their pyramid mounds
ri leaden looking plum buildings. are never
free from an admiring crowd Of small
window gazers.
The ~pawnbroker advertises IA a place
TO buy cheap Christmas presents and even
the drug store joins in the chorus with an
announcement. IF you want TO keep
right for Christmas. try our pills. all done
in gold inc silver lettering with an ever
green border.
Christmas eve the entire population is
on the streets for shopping purposes and
as a penny goes a long way in the East
End IL is a very poor family indeed that
IA nnAhIa In nurNhaa 40 aOEnA frtninn auf1ann,
OF the peace on earth, good viii to men"
season.
And Christmas Day itself is truly a.
much a fete day for h East End cOster
ss for the rich man. II is then the coster
girl appears in all her finery. BAs an every
day affair the oOster girl is about az un-
attractive a woman az can be found in
any country. Selling flowers at Piccadilly
tircus or matches on the Strand or carry
ing a baby on one arm and begging for
pennies a. she chants a hymn, she is always
dirty. slovenly n apparently without
the slightest desire to do even the least
thing to improve her appearance in any
way. Her poverty ls about as unpictur-
esque a. possible. Torn and bedraRRled
skirts. hair lone up with one hairpin Ia
sort OF skewerD 80 that ran Of IL are
always hanging down, grimy hands and
SCOT marked face. which ia bold and hard
~ the everyday costsr girl, but Christmas
she too is transformed and when she goes
for a stroll with her boy" abe il a vision 10
makeo one color blind for life.
The same style Of costume has reigned
In the East Enc for years. A bright purole
or red velveteen dress, the skirt trimmed
with zigzags OF white sequins n large
pearl buttons; the y aist generally covered
by a shawl in which checks Of scarlet and
blue prevail; the hat generous in proper
tons, with many feathers and paste orna-
ments, feathers sure TO be limp and the
paste ornaments minus most Of the stones.
Rut the ordinarily absolutely neglected
hair is the most OverwOrked part Of this
holiday getup. II is arranged with nine
curla in front. made with curling tOn1s
and not cOmbed OIv. These nine works
OF art at one ear and extend
to the other. The back il skewered IN az
usual. but a bow adds distinction to the
everyday couture. and with a sprig Of
holly pinned on her shawl the coster girl
In ready TO face the neighbors, clinginR
Tn the arm OF her escort.
The agitation in regard to the doing
away with the Christmas boxes. which
are now looked upon as a form Of bribery
and corruption, does not greatly interest
the Fast End. but they nave their grievance
in the new order that they are forbidden
10 sell their penny toys and games on Lud-
gate Hill. on the ground that they impede
trathc and also that they stand in danger
81 being assassinated by a skidding motor
bus. For years and years they nave been
q feature Of the Christmas season as they
stood on the hill, rows and rows Of them,
men, women and children. all calling out
their wares and exhibiting their little trays
81 penny trumpets. paper coronets. picture
books. balloons. &c.
This year they are trying to sell their
goods in other parts Of the city, but not
with any hope OF success. and much bitter
ness is felt Ivy many Of the quaint and
familiar characters who had come to con-
sider their Christmas trade on Ludga to
Hill ns a sort Of raTt Of the Government.
One Of them talked freely the other day
a. he stood endeayoring 10 sell his little
stock or goods. He is the dOyen Of the
pedlsrs. and he voiced the sentiments
cf all the Fast End when he said:
"luEs. it's 'ar1-bitter ard. I've lust
laid in n stock of my new Christmas line
little figures wrestling, pretty things. aren't
they SO nicely cOlored and all. an called
'dOwTwith the Lords because they w~restles
and wrestlcs and one Of 'em ever falls.
That's my new line for the season. They
would have gone like 'Ot cakes Westminster
wav. but they don't seem to catch on ere
not ar. Oh, it's ard. terrible ard. after
all these years"