Evening journal., 1908-12-18
ARMY OF SHOPPERS
In THE CITY STORES
Advice TO Buy Gifts Early is
Being Headed by
Public
BUSY NIGHTS FOR EVERYONE

Six days remain in which the people
OF the city may do their Christmas shop
ping The shoppers have been urged many
times TO do their buying early. and if the
number daily seen on the streets carrying
bundles is an indicaton il may be judged
that they are responding TO the appeal
very well, indeed. Trade seems to be
quite brisk in spite of the fact that the
past week was the week when the mer-
chants rather expect those who visit the
stores to Inspect the goods rather than
20 purchase. II seems, however, that
many visitors had made mp their minds
v do their Christmas shopping carly. and
have in consequence made many pur-
chascs already. This viii unquestionabiy
relieve the rush which is sure TO come
at The end Of the next week. provided
the carly buying IS continued this week.
Nothing. however. is likely 10 make
the people DO an their bug ing before
the end OF next week. and il Is probable
that none of the merchants would want
il AN done and out of the dav. IL would
gice the merchants quite shock if on
Christmas eve their stores were not pack
ed with customers. rushing here and there
and buying this thing or that which had
been forgotten or had been left until the
last minute They would probably think
that Christmas trade had been very slow
If on the night before Christmas their
clerks had to stand around. idly wait
ing for customers II would not seem
like Christmas either 10 the man who
likes 20 saunter through the stores on
the night before Christmas and watch
the eager buyers, studying their happy
faces and getting a great deal of enjoy
ment out of the JOY Of others. II would
be a dun time If the crowds of people
loadde with bundles were not on the
street. lodging here and there. bobbing
into each other. crowding the trolley cars
TO the back platform. and being as
jolly as the spirit OF the season re-
quires, a woefully unhappy time and the
clerks in whose interest the shop early"
cry has been raised, would be the un-
happiest of the lot Why, 1 like TO get
dreadfuly tired" said one young lady
in one Of the stores the other night" for
then when 1 go home I go to sleep right
away and do not wake until it's time to
get up and open my presents.
That's a whole lot better than lying
awake half the night wondering what
III find in the morning"
There is not the slightest likelihood
that this or any succeeding Christmas
eve will sec all purchases made so that
there will be nothing TO do in the stores
on that night. A good many people will
not wake up to the idea that they want
10 buy something until the very last
minute. Others will not remember early
I'm the week all that they desire to buy.
and they VIII hustle out at the last mo
ment Others viii not have tho money
with which TO make their purchases un-
I'll towards the end Of the week Besides
there will be dozens Of other reasons why
the shopping cannot all be done before
the last night. So there will be no change
in the night before Christmas so far as
the stores and the streets are concerned,
unless a great storm comes along and
people cannot get out, and at that Il will
take something like a cataclysm of ma
ture to keep people home. They enjoy
getting out and buying on that evening,
they enjoy the crowds and the excite
ment that is I'm the air. and half the
Christmas pleasure comes i'm this way.
Christmas shopping. however. seems TO
be going on very encouragingly. and while
the remaining six days will be the tell
ing period. up to the present time It has
been very gratifying in many of the
places Of" business. In other places the
effect OF the Christmas trade is not felt
until tho last week before the great
feast day, and these stores have been
waiting patiently and contentedly for
IS so much more encouraging than was
the outlook last year. that Everyone is
happy over the prospect Of a fine business
and IS looking forward to pleasant prac-
tical results.