Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-18
MYSTERY ON GUARD
Secret Storage for Packages
Delivered at Homes.
GIFTS FROM SANTA CLAUS
Holiday Shipments Through Post Of
nee Make Business for Employees.
Markets Well Stocked.

Secrecy stands guard over mysteriously
locked closets In nearly every household.
At all hours of day and night delivery
wagons stop in front of homes and por-
tiers carry in packages of assorted sizes
ana shapes, which are whisked away
into hidden places by whoever is alert TO
be on the spot and who answers the ring
or the door bell. . Bundle laden. the busy
shopper, who is spending more time than
usual away from the home, comes back
in time for the evening meal At the
post Office special clerks are weighing
parcels bound in fancy wrappinss and
tied with pretty cords or ribbons, orna-
mented with stickers that are not Uncle
Sans stamps. while long lines of women
and men wait for their turn to mt some
thing they carry with them on the scales
Inc lied Cross stations in post Office and
department stores are busy disposing Of
those suckers which appear on such
parcels.
Toy Departments Crowded.
In the department stores the toy de-
partments are crowded Clerks are
displaying the marvellous ways of new
mechanical devices to amuse the infan-
tile mind. The doll counter is especial
~ attractive to shoppers. and the blond
ana brunette man;kins tie for popu-
larlty. Hardly less thronged are @ n er
departments. where books are sold or
dainty articles of toilet, raiment Jew
elry or whatever else.
the Christmas spirit is rampant Ii
mas assumed something of a different
shops were crowded of nighttime and
the business was done in the two or
three days just before the holiday.
rms year the shoppers began to make
purchases weeks before the usual habit
were more 1eisurely about it. more de-
ltberate in their selections and appar-
emily better satisfied with what they
gathered for presents with which to
show their love for their fellows.
Ample Supplies in Stock.
Stocks in the stores appear to be bet
ter kept up and offer All adequate se-
lection to choose from, whereas in the
past the closing days of the holiday sea-
son found the display paved over, dam
aged, soiied and unattractive to even
the late buyer. Night shopping has
almost disappeared, and the tired sales
woman has a chance to get her supper
at the usual time and rest up before
the arduOus duties of another day.
With buyers nearly all done i'm the
task Of getting among their friends and
distribution among their friends and
loved ones the market puts on holi-
day aspect. Good cheer for Christmas
day brings there the housewife who in
tends to make her Christmas dinner an
event Of the year.
Christmas trees have appeared this
morning i'm the markets. They are fine
looking. many Of them hung with cones
and not SO costly as to be beyond reach
of the average purse. Tomorrow will
see greater number of trees displayed
for sale. increasing daily until the end OF
the week, when every one will have been
supplied.
Christmas Wreaths in Evidence.
Christmas wreaths Of immortelles. holly
and mistietoe. with their white and red
berries, are everywhere to be found in
the markets. Ferns, palms and flowers
for holiday decoration are abundant.
Then there are the turkeys. fat fellows.
hanging up by their legs; an occasional
pig. nuts. cranberries and other edibles
suggested by Yuletide cheer-an abun-
dant Christmas for all promises.