The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-24
BIG CROWDS, GOOD BUSINESS
 CHRISTMAS IS AT HAND
Wagons Filled Sidestreets. People Thronged Side walks and Merchants Had Great
 Day of Holiday Business.

Of course it remained for the prom inent citizen to discover that Christ mas was right at hand.
 For several weeks, of course. ne mas been saying, "Well. Thanksgiving IS gone and here is Christmas almost on us."
 And ever since the turn of the sun he has been saying that the days are growing longer; but 1t was really on- iy yesferday that he was aroused to the fact that Christmas was so close as to be absolutely imminent.
 Of coure he remarked that he no ticAd many Christmas shoppers on the streets and looked quickly about to see if paper person were by to take it down.
 looked a little below the surface saw the negroes that had come into town.
 "Law-dee. eff 1t ain't MT. Hal" one of them cried. 'Ain't yer comin' ter hunt with me. Cose I got dem same dogs. Ole Jack. he so fat. but deS is all right
 Right on the next corner was wo man telling her child to hold on tight. and immediately after a fond snrr fa.ner saying that he would buy popcorn some other day.
 They ran over persons buying ever so many dollars worth of things.
 But the whole procession was tow ard Christmas. There was Christmas in the air and everybody was in the humor. Nearly everybody wore mis- tletoe as if he---or she-wished to be kissed; there were many greens, not like collards, you know. but smilax and so on, offered for sale. and some of them were really bought. There were frecrackers shot and many hres iuiiamed. Christmas was not to De doubted.
 Merchants adown town were very well oontented. Trade was good. they said. The banks had been
 Altogether it looks like Santa Claus triumphant. A.
 1t was day of crowds. Perhaps the merchants had a better day than they did on Saturday when so much business was harvested. Some of them said they did. All were satisfied. The business was so much better than they expected. Then fate was kind to them in giving the all day rain on Sun day instead of on one of the big trad ing days.
 Tn no day of the holidays has there been so large a crowd of rural and out%of- town visitors. And on no day have there been so many negroes in the city. It seemed as though every negro who was able to do so got aboard some wagon and came to Mont gomery. The side streets were 80 banked with wagons that they were almost impossible. The alert police watched Court Square and they will not permit wagons to stand around after cotton has been sold. The coun- try wagon takes refuge on Washing ton, Monroe, Church or Lee Street. AwA oH Al fj1Iad
 As q consequence of this thrush of country wagons the sidewalks on some of the streets were thronged with negroes. The negroes are not much given to congregating on Dex- ter Avenue. They seem to be out of their element on the big avenue. But Court Street. North and South Monroe crowded with negroes that progress along the sidewalks was almost impos- sible.
 There were many busy places in town but 1t is probable that no place was buster than the express office. It was thronged throughout the day worse than ten cent store. An extra force of assistants had been put on. Addi- tional room had been rented. but with with all that the demands made upon the company were so great that they were met with difficulty. Merchants were shipping out scores of packages. Montgomery folks were shipping pres ents by the thousand to kin folks in other towns and cities. The overwork- to eat or to take a breath of fresh air. The crowd was like run on broken bank
 And judging by the great number of suspicious packages that went out yesterday. one might conclude tha. the prohibition sentiment was not so strong iD Alsbanae after all. If the Montgomery liquor dealers could have many days of business like that of yesterday they could afford to retire from business and let prohibition have full sway. There is no estimating the number of bottles and jugs that went out for the making of a merry, moist and perhaps pugnacious Christmas. 4
 With six extra clerks added to the regular force at the postoflce. Post master Dimmick has been able to han de the heavy mails with greater ease this year than ever before. This does not reflect on the volume of business. however. for MT. Dimmick said yes- terday that 1t was better than ever before and that more mall was being handle din less time than he had ever seen at this office.
 The strain on the registry division is becoming great. and those connected with that department will be glad when Christmas is over. All day yesterday there was a crowd about this window and the extra clerks there. were taxed to their utmost However. people did not have to wait long to get their packages registered and started on their way.
 The stamp clerk is also a very busy person Just now. Just selling the stamps would not be so hard, put every other person shoves bundles at him and asks how much 1t will take to send fG to Mobile, or some other city. He has stopped telling them that the cost all over the country is just the same and after slamming the aforesaid pack age on the trusty scales he tells the