Evening star., 1939-12-02
Our Search for Original
And Lovely Gifts Now
Begins in Earnest


On Yuletide Purchasing
By HELEN voGT.
with apologies to Henry Wads,Dorth Longeous GREAT ep
paul Reperes Rtde")
Listen, dear readers, and you shall hear
OF the Yuletide choppers far and near
On the hrst Of December, in thirty-nine,
Hardly person not in line
Who would purchase present for Christmas cheer.
They said to the stores, IF the days will march
On neeting steps from the death Of tne
Hang a red bell aloft in the hrst-hoor arch
OF the big main aisle so we'll hear the chime,
One in the morn, and two in the eve;
And we at the end of the day then will leave
Ready to go and tell OF the fun
To every interested daughter and son,
For our Christmas shopping then will be done"
Then they said: Were off" and in dreary ranks
Silently rode to the family banks
Just the burst out bright and high
Where looming UP to touch the sky
The local shop Browns department store;
A lighted place with each gift
Lovely than the before
And huge green wreath that magnhed
BY the neon candles at each side.
Meanwhile, the stores, through letters and ads
Prepared for the selling about to begin,
Then that morning around them rushed in
The first Of the crowds in the 18th street door,
Clerks sharpened up pencils and pulled out pads.
And the shopping started above the din,
Drifting down through the waiting store.
Then they climbed to the gift shop dazzling bright.
BY the escalators, with hasty tread
To the well-hled racks which round them showed
Hats for ten dollars the latest mode
BY the moving stairway, slow and sure,
To the highest and the topmost floor
Where they paused to gasp and look around
moment at the gifts there found.
Then they started upon their chore.
Right there, on the counters lay the wares,
In their Yuletide spendol, all brand-new,
Placed in rows, bright in hue,
Then they could with added cares,
Forbdding price tags they swayed
Dangling aloft a long parade,
And seeming to whisper, "All is high!"
A moment only they breathe sigh
For the place and the hour and the Christmas time
For the lovely presents so sublime:
For suddenly their eyes are fixed
On present for father there
Where the big aisle widens to meet the stair
A line Of gifts that to say
This is for Elmer and Patty and Kayl"
Meanwhile, impatient to sell style,
Black-frocke and armed with a hearty smile
Behind counters paced the salesgirs
Now they moved back from the AISLE
Now gazed at ewery, gold and pearls
Then impatient, tapped toe,
And turned and Strengthened another row:
But mostly they watched with eager eyes
The onward march in search of prize,
AS folks about the lovely store
Searching, and finding, and buying some more
And then! as they looked down the polished floor
scurry and then a rush once more!
They sprang to their posts with trembling and fear,
And waited and waited, while shoppers did
The Christmas shopping days here!
A furry of feet in department stores,
hand cutchng collars, hand grabbing ties,
And behind, by the counters, in passing, are cries
out by the crowd pushing right through the doors
That ALL And yet through the breadth Of the land,
spirit Of Christmas stretched out its hand;
And the spark begun by that great demand
Kindled the world into flame with its
So through the days barged the Christmas crowd;
And through the days went the cry of the chase
To every department. counter and place
A spell of purchasing long and loud,
A voice wanting bargains, hand in the purse,
And a crush that shall get constantly worse!
For, borne on the history of the past,
Through all our records, to the last
In the month December and Christmas and cheer,
The people will always rise and seek
The worrisome presents far and near
Ard let everything til Christmas weekl