Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-16
Christmas Giving of Silly Things


Doubtless it is like throwing dust
against the wind, to put in any ad
vice as to the wastefulness that pre-
walls at Christmas time. But proph
cts have been recorded some thous-
ands of years past and gone, and
there will be some sort of prophets
some years hence. But it is we'll I'M
derstood that the waste of good mon
ey on trifles that last but a little
while, and the throwing up of cash,
that is shoveled out to youngsters
| to purchase fire crackers-runs away
up into the millions.
1 remember hearing a neat and
capable mother, give her experience
with such no-account gifts over fifty
years ago. I guess her experience
will tally with five years ago-wa ste
fulness. Her husband was an only
child and Christmas gifts were del
| uged on to him in his youth. He
| had to olikeWise on his three hope
fuls. He was of the opinion that
these gifts should be credited to
| Santa CIaus-when all three of his
children knew better.
Nevertheless he would stay down
town until the thought the children
were asleep, and then he would
| come in loaded with all manner OF
! foolish things-that jingled or could
| make a nOise-or that were ridicu
| lous to look at-as comic affairs.
For perhaps two days these things
interested the children and were in
everybody's way and getting broken
| generally, and were trod upon &C.
casionally, and discarded, finally, for
something newer Or more expensive.
| | called at the house one day when
| the good wife had issued her ulti-
| matum to all four husband includ-
ed that they must pick up and al
| low a cleaning up, for the limit had
| been reached. With broom in hand,
she waited with reasonable patience
until the gang retired with the
! f1otSam and jetsam of that partlcu-
lar Christmas, and / saw her sweep
UP the discarded stuff into a blazing
wood fire, stuff that had soaked up
several dollars and was absolutely
worthless to anybody, at the start.
These gifts were only for glitter
and novelty and the charm was sOne
and the money they absorbed was
gone, too-nothing remained.
am fully aware, 1 will find ap
preciatiVe readers on this line, but
next Christmas the same thing will
be repeated over and over again
The toy makers doubtless get some
| money and the store keeper will get
their per centum, and the children
may enjoy them a few hours, and
then it is done and over with-ant
the money is wasted as much as il
! q nd hnr -
the stuff. And lots of people buy
toy guns and pistols, to inculcate
q Warllke spirit, l suppose, and thai
is one reason our people run wilC
over military doings when a wal
comes along afterwards.
Leaving the Farms
The following I clip from the col
umns of the New York Times. [
should interest every thinking min,
in America When farmers aban
don the farms all over this countr,
the end is in sight.
Remember this is the report from
the department Of agriculture il
Washington.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9Th
general agricultural situation in tn
United States has improved slightly
as AlluAC"ISu NY LHe HlOlltuIy dSllCul
tural review Of tle department of az
riculture. Cotton, grain and liv
stock products prices, as well a
prices of things farmers have to buy
have risen slowly, the October pric
index en- ten farm products bein;
ITO, compared with 100 for 1913.
This has put little money int,
the pockets of some farmers, pu
heart into many more, and has don,
both for those who carry farm prod
ucts through the channels of trade,
the review says.
THE prices the farmer pays fo