Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20

TO him the Shopkeepers tender due defer
ence by striving to minister to his tastes
to satisfy his fancy. He comes, he sees
he conqslers. ooh. papa. I want dat!"-
the remark, proceeding from animated
bundle which is being borne tenderly by
its pfogenitor, Is regal in its decisiveness,
1T saVors of the requests or royalty.
which are, in reality. commands. And IL
the article in question he beyond the
reach of the parents purse, If the fond
mother. yearnnG to give her darling the
coveted thing. only realizes the impossi-
blity thereof. how is the situation met, to
the satisfaction of all parties concerned
even the supreme infant? Why. thus, in
the neatest manner possible. Santa
Claus will bring it to you on Christmas
eve. dear. says the mother. Immediate
ly. and as If by magic. the starting tear.
the approaching bawl, are quenched in
the bud: a smile irradiates the child 8
face. and all is happiness and peace once
more, That magic name, Santa Claus.
Did not some wise philosopher once oh
serve that when the belief in Santa Claus
ceases to exist it il no longer worth
while to live. The remark certainly savors
of a curious sapiency.
But. even though the belief in Santa
Claus be, indeed. a thing of the past Gf
anything bright that ever existed can be
a thing of the pastI. there are still left
to the Christmas holiday maker some lees
in the cask. if not some sprightly run
nings. Every one seems to be enjoying
themselves. 1t would appear as if the
child spirit. which is the best genius of
the season. perhaps. is infectious. and
that even the grown-ups have caught 1t.
How they stare into the shop windows
and enjoy the tempting displays. even
though unable TO buy The shadow of
Mammon does 4et'materia!ly impair their
gladness. And so along the streets. one
stream going one way, another that, this
up and this down, or this east and this
west. into and through the stores; busy
hum of conversation. gay laug liter, tool
ing OF penny whistles and opportunities
of hawkers of all descriptions, with here
and there noisy buncl. of youngsters
with tin horns or bells or other inst!u-
ments for the production of uncouth
noises on they go. evidently happy in the
present. in the past, In the future.
True, every now and again one catches
a vision of grim-visaeed care in the
crowd; figures that seem to fit anon &
the piantasmagoria Of fun and revelry
as though they had places there
and only serving to remind the gay
crowd that there still such things
left on earth as abject misery and want.
Dark, gloomy and somber are the
thoughts which some OF these figures
awaken. Not SO much are these emo
lions engendered by the besgars. most
of whom seem to be enjoying themselves
as much as the prosperous pedestrian.
But notice this elderly woman with d
little girl at her side. both dressed in
shabby black. the thin and we'll worn
fabric not sufficient to protect them from
the chill air-see their, pale, drawn faces
they hurry by--does not the spectacle,
momentarily, at. least, ,detract from the
general gaYety of the scene?
And see this figure. Does he not re-
call Poe's Man Of the Crowd hating
the multitude he mixes with and more re-
moved from them than if he were in the
midst of vast forest. Gray of eye and
hair. and cold to every emotion save
hatred and despair. he looks into the
show windows without seeing anything,
and leers heavily upon the needless pass
ing throng. Back and back and back
again he turns, keeping with the crowd,
yet lone and unnOticed.
x X
The vendors of toys. sweets flowers
etc. that line the pavements engage
ones attention. They are noisy and i'm
Fortunate, and if man has particu-
larly original and fetching toy to exhibit
he usually has quite little crowd gath
cred about him. Here You are. ladies
and gentlemen. the latest thing from
Paris bawls one of these individuals.
"A tumbler what swings on a trapeze.
performs OH the horizontal bar and walks
on his head" The mechanical wonder
being put through these acrobatic stunts
and executing them about as we'll as
some amateur gymnasts. the bystanders
are hugely delighted. and one urchin OF
about seven years, with his parents. In
sists $50 strongly and persistently upon his
desire to possess the toy that there is APP
parently nothing to do but comply with
his request the Santa Claus wheeze fail
ing 10 work upon this occasion.
"Oh pshaW!' remarks the young one
no linn Df fhl
saints name; Il know there amt M
santa Claus. want the tumbler: give
me the tumblins man; Bo hoo he''
At this stage of the performance the
the toy, evidently in the interests of peace
and auietness. and the child is manifestly
transported into the seventh heaven OF
delight.
Now enter one of the big department
stores and follow the living tide 1t
flows between the counters, back of which
are stationed salesladies and statesmen
the former sometimes urhane aud some
times naughty and scornful withal. OBJ
serve this very pretty girl. looking all
about her. but never In her immediate
vicinity, as If she were expecting some
one from afar off,
Were you looking for me?" observes a
facetious gentleman.
No, l wasn't looking for you retorts
the fair one. ansrily, while those around
are observed to smile.
trying occupation-standing behind
the counter during a holiday season. OF
course. a large extra force Is taken on
by each of the department stores but as
these individuals have to learn their busl
ness at short notice their experience is
not always Of the pleasantest nature.
This lady here will make the cir. take
down every article of wearing apparel
upon the shelves, and will then depart
without purchasing. And remember that
every such event is taken notice of by
that viglant floorwalker over there and
those in his line and reported to head
quarters. Not that the counter-irritant