Evening journal., 1915-12-28
EARLY SHOPPING ESSAY PRIZE WINNERS
ANNOUNCED AS CONSUMERS LEAGUE IS PRAISED

sympathy with the movement, ana
that he believed that all public-spirit-
ed persons and newspapers fully real
ize the benefit and mutual helpfulness
to be derived from such a movement.
Miss Anna Woods Bird. secretary OF
the League. thanked all for the hearty
cooperation that the league had re-
ceived Judges for the contest were
Mrs. Charles r. Miller. Chancellor
Charles NJ. Curtis and superintendent
OF Schools Clifford J. Scott.
The Winning Essays.
The first prize winning essay fol-
lows:
The Gath of December was a cold.
gray day. but nevertheless Mrs. Lind
went around the house singing gaily.
She had no worries or troubles now
as all her Christmas gifts had been
carefully purchased early in Decem-
Der. She had received excellent
values for her money; she had met
with kind and courteous salesladies /;
and she had found the stores not
overly crowded.
While she was singing gaily the
doorbell rang. and its very tone seem
ed to bring gloom. Sure enough, for
there stood Mrs. Lind's elderly cousin,
Miss Simpkins.
She had come for her cousin ia
accompany her on her Christmas shop
ping trip. Unfortunately Miss Simp
kins had not prepared a list of articles
that she wished to purchase for hei
various friends and relatives. which
meant very unsystematic shopping
/ However, they showed Z their way
/ through the crowded stores with the
rest of the beated shoppers. only &c
confront the justly ill-humored clerks
who were already exhausted by the
overbearing mass of late shoppers
10 was next to impossible TO please
Miss Simpkins. for she herself was
becoming very irritable and annoyed
by having had to wait her turn I'm lin'
with the throng. Out of sheer des
peration she purchased very trashy
useless and unsuitable gifts. just 4
have the terrible ordeal over
AS a result Of this postponed shop
ping very little thought was given 4
the buying of these gifts. Further !
was necessary for Miss Simpkins t'
pick from stock that had been picked
over, which meant TO select from
inferior and much handled goods
goods that may have been handled b,
diseased people.
When she reached home she wa
weary tired and worn out and
could Justly be added that undoubteC
ly she added as much misery to tn
clerks that served her
The ordeal was not over yet. Sh
~
when she found that some of the dc
liveries were too late for the git'
that needed to be sent some distance
and a gift received after Christina
is like an acknowledgements bu
little forethought. The delivery me
cannot be blamed for the late deliver
for they have worked far into IN
night to remove the deluge of parcel
that have resulted from this lat
, shopping.
At the opening Of Christmas da,
I when the bells rang out Peace O
y earth. good will toward men," Mis-
{ Simpkins sat in silence and rehectC
4 most seriously for some time on the'
s words. Finally she said aloud. "Ho
r. have ] shared that message?" Wi
q remorseful conscience she review'
e the events of her Christmas shoppin
e The following year Miss Simpkil
= headed the list in the campaign Il
d early Christmas shopping.
k ALICE NJ. VERNON.
No. 124 West Eighteenth ST.
4 The second prize essay follows:
!. Everybody wants and ought TO enjC
d Christmas. Early shopping gives yC
the advantage of more complete a
e sortments, fresh merchandise and be
n ter service. If your gift is jewell