Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-18
CHRISTMAS THIEVES
WANT SANTA TO HAVE
ALL PURSES SHOWING
A Few Suggestions About How
to Help the Merry Pick
pockets-Shop-early
Crusade
CANDY BOMBS READY
Including today, there are only siS more
shopping days before Christmas.

shopping DAYS before Christmas
! One thing that should be avoided ls
/ this business OF getting Christmas con-
| fused with Good Friday. Easter and other
| days. II may seem incredible, but a
| young woman, graduate Of college was
heard remRrkng something about the
Sad occasion which was the cause OF
the first Christmas" and about how this
Sad occasion" had somehow developed
into time OF rejoicing, in the course OF
centuries
why. what do you think Christmas
means?"
well. Of course, know what It
means-that Is, everybody knows that
- and so on, but she never did tell
what Christmas meant, and really doesn't
know.
Great reforms arc never observed in the
mNksig. After it's all over and the
change ras gone into effect people say
the reform would be good thing. and
after dabbling at 1t n little say Behold,
what we have wrought" II is this way
with the shop-eary crusade. Ten years
ago on n December IS. like today, peo-
pie would be just starting In to buy
Christmas prcsents.
The battle has gradually been Won "a
much as 1t ever can he and the crusade
crv is kept up now Just to remind shop
pcrs. The hurdcs, work was done by
those who wcrc crying in the wilderness
wears ago and whom nobody would listen
to- at first What fun was there In shop
ping before tn" shops began to- look
ChristmnssyT So they kept on putting
II Off and stlll keep on putting off the
acturl shopping today, only to wake up
to tho realization that the times have
changed without their knowing II, and
suffer the penalty Of knowing that the
earIv shoppers have gotten the choicest
goods.
For there are lots of things that can
not he duplicated Some dolls for in
stance. arc the only ones of their kind
lust that subtle beauty do they possess
which cannot he done twice by the most
cunning arti1Ccr of dolls And maybe
the early shopper got them all. They
deserved to.
\ pleasant surprise gift for an An
archst friend is a chncolntc-hllcd bomb,
There are also 3-nCh shells, which look
very realistic and may be guaranteed to
do as much damage as the real article.
II partnkcn of too freely.
Candy is n great thing to fall back on
when one Is up I'm the air about what
to buy for some one. There Is great
virtue in sending n perIshablc gift. flow
Crs. candy. interesting German cakes.
etc. 1t shows that the sender Is not
cEotistc as to want lasting monument
to his generosity to be received. but is
willing to have his gift forgotten. like
the wind. 1t is n sign Of tho Christian
virtue of humility to send perishable
gifts
There are those burglars to be thought
Of II Is hard to bring Christmas to them.
II has never been done successfully here
tofore, until We have gotten them safely
in the Eastern Penitentiary. But here
are a few suggestions which the police
offer to those who would like the poor
burglars and plckpockets to have n little
Yule-tlde fun:
On leaving your home see that tho rear
doors and windows as well as the front
entrances are left insecurely fastened.
Place n card on your door or window
announcing the time of your return.
Carry your handbag by the chain or
strap: don't loop the chain or strap
around your wrist and keep your hand
over the clasp. for then a thief cannot
get at It handlly.
Place your handbag or purse on
store counter and turn your back.
Wear valuable jewelry while shop
ping.
Pay for any c. o. d. packages that
anybody may leave at your door without
opening them. 1t would be very rude
to dlstrust IA delivery man.
Carry your wallet in your hip pocket:
IL slips up nicely and can be easily re-
moved; don't think of carrying IL in
your inside vest pocket, for it IL impos-
sibie TO get II out OF that pocket.
If person iOstles YOU in street car |
or I'm u street crowd, smile at him pleas
nntly and don't feel for your purse hc
might he pickpCckct and would feel
hurt II YOU seemed to criticize his way
OF living.
In any case, II YOU are really robbed !
nnd the thiefs caught ana locked up in |
Jail don't gloat over his capture, at |
lenst. not until after Christmas. In rhich |
festival thieves have better right to |
Join than the proud, the greedy and the |
hypocritical.