Evening journal., 1909-12-24
FINAL RUSH
OF SHOPPERS
Dash Of the Last Hour Pur-
ChaSeTS and HandkerChlefS
Have a Boom
GREAT DROPS In THE
PRICES OF TURKEY

Christmas shopping became a serious
matter to-day. With the City Hall
clock doing a Marathon over the few
hours left in which to make the final
awful decision as to whether II should
be a handkerchief or a neclStie. there
we're few In the dense crowd Of shop
pers who did not realize the desperate
ness OF the situation, and show a be-
coming solemnity of demeanor.
The anxious care worn faces appear
ing above a. stack Of bundles from
which teddies and jumping-jacb peep
cd forth, would have been funny il
anyone had time to notice trivialitics.
Turkey was down TO thirty cents and
they were dying into market baskets
at such a lively rate that one could
almost hear them gobble.
IL was said that by tonight turkeys
could be bought as low as twenty
cents. The turkey boycott has been
very thorough, and evidently success
ful The limit had been reached and
Mr.. Ultimate Consumer revolted.
Marketmen were waiting on a differ
cnt customer with each hand and talk
ing about the weather to pacify an inn
patient third person.
Scraps Of conversation were over
heard--"That finishes Mary and mother
and uncle. there's only father left to
do" Lets put in some citron to
tighten il up" You are sure they
won't shrink?' "Send them to-day"
PLIGHT OF ONE YOUNG FELLOW
One young man got into deep trouble.
When he bought an umbrella he left on
the counter the stockings he had just
gotten: then he purchased some candy
and laid down the umbrella; and after
that he bought penlNnlfe and forgot
the candy. II took several flood
wallSersand clerks to straighton things
out. When he explained that he hod
spent two days buying gifts for thirty
relatives, his state Of mind seemed
only natural.
Another man lowered around the
store looking sadly at pins collars,
combs, and so forth. until with a glad
smile Of Joy he sighted a female ac-
auaintance. ''Get a pair of brown
suede glaves, sizo number six" said that
Individual firmly, and he did so and de-
parted with an expression Of perfect
bliss. Gloves seemed TO bo a favorite
purchase Of men for women folks, and
silk mufners OF tho women for their men
folks When things got too desperate,
both sexes bought handlerchlefs.
Il did intend 10 get Alice scarf"
said a woman, but / can't get within
three feet OF the counter. and I've
stood here half an hour with everyone
punching their elbows into me. She'll
have to be satisfied with a pocket
book. because that's the only thing l
ca nroach. If she's got one already,
she can give it away to some one else
next Christmas"
Tragic was tho explosion heard in
ono store. At first IL was thought that
the powder mills had gone up; but
later reports softened IL down to an
automobile tire out in the street; then
the truth became evident that a man
had dropped a largo bag Of beautiful
shiny tree ornaments. To quote a
bystander, was "Aint that fierce?"
A wall Of woe came from a pretty
girl at the card counter. 'All the cards
left say something about love and
hearts affection and dearest and darl-
ing, and ] want to send them to some
men acquaintance, people who have
done mo favors but whom l scarcely
know"
Woman After Apples.
The crowds ON the street were so
thick that Il took fifteen minutes 20
walk thre blocks Of the market. Il
am going TO buy those apples If 1 stay
here all night" said a matron, 1--WE
been here hours already. First I got
showed half a block up. and then l got
pushed half a block down, but I'm
hero 20 stay this time" and she an
chored herself firmly to a telegraph
pole.
Much of Wilmington's primeval for
est had vanished today in spite Of all
the lectures we have recently heard on
the preservation OF our trees. Corners
where pine and hemloclx were won't TO
flourish now show up bare and drear.
II is rumored though that nearly every
family In the city has taken to raising
trees indoors and expects TO have a
iino crop of fruit. Mr.. j. r. Withers
ought TO add some OF these fine speci-
mems to his collection OF slides.