The Washington times., 1907-12-22
Shoppers Mix and Mingle
On Hunt for Santa Claus
In All Capitals Corners
of Prosperity and Gay Holiday Season Found
Throughout the City-Manv Visitors
From Afar.

mated scene. It was about the market
that the rural vender got in his most
deadly work. Here one can find any
thing from a scent sprig OF holly TO a
Christmas tree Of the most pretentious
dimensions In the majority of instances
the original ebony hued wOodman stood
guard and explained TO the prospective
purchaser that l,e had but few hours
before searched the forest over and cut
dis very tree jes' specially fer er select
cist'mer." The ruraiists reaped a har-
vest, and the end is not yet. Many
of them have imprOvised stands guaran-
teed 10 withstand more unfavorable
weather than that handed out yester-
day. and they will be on hand again to-
morrow. and Tuesday. rain or shine.
One Of the more energetic Of the clan
rushed up late in the afternoon with
his third wagonlOad Of holly, and be-
fore midnight was brushing the little
red berries from an empty wagon body.
Just another indication OF hoS Wash
ingto-. is going 70 celebrate.
Tempt ng Displays in Stores.
And the stores! Never before have
the floor walkers surveyed such tempt
Washington merchants for the Christ
mas trade Of 1907. There's not thing
that SPELLS panic in any Of them.
Even this alphabet blocks seem 70 tumble
down when you attempt TO work In the
word some way. Santa Claus has abso-
lutely refused to take cognizance Of the
troubles Of Wall Street, and Washing
ton merchants are backing him up.
Before passing from this old gentle
man, however. Il is well TO chant a line
OF two over the bie- Of the Teddy
bear" That Individual is certainly get
ting his. = year ago the little nature
faker'' stood upon this highest pinnacle
Of fame' and looked disdainfuuy down
upon the forlcrn "dollies" on the shelves
below The merchants bear testimony
this year that dolly IS coming back
into her Icvn. The decadence OS the
Teddy Bear" fad Is at hand, and woe
be unto the dealer who has laid IN more
Of the fuzzy little animals than the
daiptily dressed dolls like-mother- used
to-havc. It's the carefully wrapped
little wax babies that are being piled
into washington delivery wagons this
year. rather thar the cute little animals
Of a season ago.
Rush at Postofice.
II would be impossible 10 get a line
upon what Santa IS really doing without
consulting Uncle Sam md the express
companies. The Times reporter in his
rounds. therefore. dropped in at each
Of these busy places. It's costing the
Washington postcfhce Just about 5000
for extra help this season in handling
J the Christmas mail. and Postmaster
Barnes expressed the opinion that the
! year will be a record breaker The holi-
/ day rush began in earnest yesterday.
/ A little over $4,000 packages left Wash
/ inCton last Christmas for al parts OF
the world. No figures are obtainable
/ for tie incoming 2 mail. but II Washing
/ tonians continue to send as literally as
| they have begun, 3S5,OOO won't tell the
tale for 1907
At the cypress companies they believe
that the outgoing express may be per
haps n little of IN volume so far, but
Judgment is withheld until Monday.
Washington rel-tives seem to have a
little the best OF the argument Up 10
the present time IS il Is said that the
incoming express is up to the usual
quantity. The warehouses OF the com
panies viii be open today and packages
VIII be received and delivered there
from. The downtown Offices will take
| a Test and be prepared for the siege
| tomorrow
At the express offices, just as at the
postOfhce, arrangements have been