Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-12-05
MANY kinds Of TOYS
FOR Girls AND BOYS
Riddles Need Worry No
More Because of
HOrrid War
GOOD BEHAVIOUR
TIME NOTICEABLE

The Riddles" behavior is becom-
ing more and more angelic; the city's
residents just a little more rushed
and self-centered; merchants a lit
tie more bustling and obliging; Will
mington streets are taking on the
least more cherry hue,-all because
Christmas is not three weeks away.
Twenty thousand or more little red
mouths beneath 10000 questioning
eyes are asking the same 100000
old questions about jolly old Saint
Nick and how he will treat boys and
girls who do not behave. Some sew
eral thousand fathers and mothers
are figuring how they can possibly
afford to buy half Of the things 1.-THE
boy" or "the girl" wants. while a
few parents are wondering if they
can find room for all the toys which
they design for their youthful off
spring.
Toysl Toysl Everywhere, every
place; surely therell be enough to 20
around. Regardless of what pessimis-
tic old "grown-ups" may say about
the horrid war in Germany, the chill
dren can hang up their stockings the
night before Christmas in the same
old way 1t has been done for CEN
turtles, and they can rest assured
that when the light of Christmas Day
creeps into their blinking eyes, those
some stockings will be tilled,-that is.
If they have been good boys and give
during the year.
Fire engines, guns, soldiers, battle
ships, aeroplanes, automobiles, "choo-
choos," dolls-black ones, white ones,
pink ones-and an infinite assortment
OF toys of all descriptions are simply
choking the store windows and coun,
tiers. The toy situation in America is
unique. Half the toys in The United
States every year are manufactured in
this country. The war stopped the inn
portation and manufacture of foreign
toys for a time, but many dealers had
already laid in their supplies before the
war began. The fact remains that this
country is practically flooded with toys,
both of American and foreign manufac-
ture.
What may possibly mar Christmas
for many sympathetic little boys or
girls, is the thought that it will be a
poor Christmas for European tots this
year. Destitute of food and clothing,
many orphaned and homeless, there will
be no "peace on earth" for them The
Christmas boxes which were sent last
month from various cities of the United
States to the orphaned children of the
warning countries WILL however, 90 a
long way toward alternating their suf-
fering and will in a measure, bring
Christmas cheer to them from their
more fortunate kin across the water.
Be 1t for the purchase Of toys or
other gifts, merchants of the city are
unanimous in their declaration that
early shopping must be essential to
buyers this year. Their clerks, they
point out, are entitled to considera-
ton after working hard all day, and
they say they will make every effort
to eliminate night work this year, or
at least reduce the hours in a great
measure. The law relating to the en-
ployment of female help will also pre-
vent CLERKS of that sex from working
long hours and will increase the num-
Der of employees.
Special inducements are being of
fered by a number of storekeepers for
their customers to buy early, while a
number have agreed not to offer bar
gains toward the end of the shopping
season, and thus avoid much of the
rush. For years the great bulk of the
shopping public has been in the habit
of waiting until the last moment
when the merchants, overstocked, are
forced b cut their prices consider
able, precipitating tho big rush the
last several days before Christmas.
Hundreds of persons thronged de-
partment stores and smaller shops to-
day to buy their Christmas goods. Toy
departments and many special fea-
lures have been opened and it is be-
lieved by the majority of Wilmington
merchants that this years shopping
season will come close on the heels
of the successful seasons in history
because of the organized effort tc
have every persons shop early"