The Mena weekly star., 1910-12-15
SHOP EARLY---SHIP EARLY
Begin Buying Christmas Presents Now
and Send Them by Mail or Elk.
press as Soon as Possible.

1t is only two weeks now until
Christmas. Are you buying your
presents now or are you going to wait
until December "a before you get
them2 To buy now will not only give
you the pick of the choicest articles
and save you the work of pushing
through the crowd at the last hours.
hut win also greatly relieve the clerks
and storekeepers who spend many
hours day on their feet in your SER
vice. Only those who have worked as
clerks during the great annual Christ
mas rush, know what a clerk goes
through during the busy times of the
Christmas trade.
Make out your list tomorrow and
start on your shopping tour early
Monday.
Regarding the shipping of articles
the Wells Fargo Express Company has
issued circular which will no doubt
be partially agreed to by the United
States Postoffice Department. espe-
cially that part regarding the marking
and time of shipping.
Following is the circular:
Every year we have hundreds of
Christmas packages which we are UNI
able to deliver, because the MARKS
ARE LOST. and we cannot locate the
person for whom they are intended.
If there is nothing inside to show who
they are for, or who sent them, the
packages may remain in our hands
for months, waiting for an inquiry,
and if never called for, they are even
tually sold with other unclaimed mat
ter.
There is nothing more pathetic
than the picture which presents itself
to the employee who opens and invoices
these packages, after the Christmas
rush is over; he finds gifts marked for
father, mother, sister, brother, baby,
ETC., and appreciates that some one
looked for these things on Christmas
day, and wondered why they were
not remembered; and likewise that
the person who sent them wondered
Why the gifts were not acknowledged.
Christmas gifts should reach the
consignee before Christmas day, to
accomplish the purpose intended; we
want to deliver them in that way if
possible, but there are such quantities
TO handle. all at once, that we cannot
do things then as orderly as at other
times.
Won't you help us by observing the
following:
Mark packages properly = plain
marks that won't come off: be sure to
give street and number if to a large
town, or city. Always show the coun-
ty for towns and villages.
place the shippers address on the
inside with the contents. as well as on
the outside. eve don't want to sell
such packages. it is almost sacrilege. y
Fix up the packages so as to stand
travel, and fast handling; things must
be done swiftly at Christmas time
trains cannot wait. We break poorly
packed china, glassware and other
fragile articles every Christmas. and
the disappointment is great
Send money or valuable in sepa-
rate packages, not with ordinary mer-
chandise; such articles must be sealed
and handled in safes and the express
company will not be responsible when
packed with ordinary merchandise.
Start packages earlier, and mark
them DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS. Z"
eve have stickers for that purpose. y
Secure receipt and mail it to con-
signee, especially if charges are paid
by you. Be sure that receipt shows
how much you paid ("
Mark the package "PERTsHABLE"
ii 1t contains any thing of that kind,
to insure special attention. -