The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-13


 The Christmas spirit is plainly abroad in the land and the mandate, "Shop Early has hundreds of followers, as was evident yesterday in the scores of bright faced women seen hurrying through the streets, from one shop to another. many of them laden with packages Of varying size A thing which brought the Christ mas thought very close Indeed was the oft-seen Red Cross stamp worker. Pretty | girls and dainty matrons In white fan | rel gowns and befrilled caps and aprons were noted at every turn, their very beauty and freshness making one of the strongest appeals in behalf of the anti | tuberculosis cause. Some of the most prominent women and most popular girls 1 in society were there giving their per sonal aid to this great and beautiful cause-but when have Birmingham wom- en been found wanting when their as- sistance was asked for sweet charity's 1 sake? They are never too busy to work 1 for an object such as this.
 One of the most pleasant incidents con nected with the sale of seals yesterday was the cooperation of Miss Bessie Abott the diva, who assisted the Red Cross workers at the Hotel TIillman. This was g. most gracious act, especially for a singer. one to whom restraint Is verit- able law The leading woman in "Ben Hur'' has also promised to lend her as- sistance for today in the sale of Christ mas seals. There is not charitable soul in Birmingham who is not anxiously | of ha ad sale and the news that the 5000 fund is a reality.
 1 Mistletoe and holly have already made their appearance in the shops and 1t will be but a few days when one will find the holiday emblems in doors and win dows. The downtown places are assum- 1 ing a more festive air than ever before even, in some instances, extending their | decorative schemes to the street. A large | building on Third avenue has been espe- | cially admired by the shopping public and is regarded with round-eyed amaze ment by the little friends of Santa Claus. The decorations are most elaborate and l artistic as well. A canopy of greenery l extends across the entire front of the l building, while, high above the people who pass that way, Is good Saint Nick himself, in effigy.
 I Everyone Is very busy just now, plan ming against the day when above every thing else one must not have forgotten some one who is dear. One very prac- tical and strong-minded girl is the ad- miration of her intimates because she has | completed her gifts-mostly handmade, by the way, and even tied them up in their white paper and holly ribbons; all of them to the very last one. She at least claims that she doesn't rush down | town every day for present to some hitherto forgotten person, but everyone believes that she does. This same sys- tematic young lady states that she has even written all of her Christmas post cards-forty-eigh to be mailed to out-of- town friends on the Friday before Christ mas Fancy such sentiments as 'T am thinking of you today and wishing you were here. A thousand thoughts of you and wishes for your happiness on this happiest and merriest of days indited a month ago. But 1t bespeaks an ener- getic spirit and industry that may well be followed
 | Commenting upon the Christmas gifts to be bestowed by the royal family of England, recent exchange has the fol- lowing:
 Her Majesty, Queen Mary, in keeping with her domestic talents, finds much pleasure in knitting. Before Christmas she spends all her spare moments max l ing garments for the poor. Her own children, when they were babies. always wore socks and shoes which she had herself knitted, and she also supplies all | her godchildren during their first year or so of existence with fantastic httle shoes of her own handiwork. When tray cling on long journeys to and rom oco'- land, for example, Queen Mary aiWays has her work with her. Her ma1estys s love pf this occupation has given great vogue to the industry. This IS why