CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE STREETS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1941, 26 December 1913, Page 8

CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE STREETS.

NO SCARCITY OF MONEY FOR r GIFTS AND PROVENDER. 1 Cast free for the;moment from' caro J for tho need 3 of tho future, a joyous t throng packed tho city Btreets on tho ; night of Christmas Evo. It was a f crowd out with tho solo intention of t enjoyment, and enjoyment was expressed \ in divers different ways. With many j it ran to sending loud blares of discord 1 through long tin trumpets, making c night hideous and; -with..others to re^U

flectivo contemplation of the passim* show. , " There, was a marked absence of street decoration An odd shop here and there displayed a bunch of fern, or liuii" out a Japanese lantern, but the old-timo otrcetive decoration was entirely missing. But while street decoration was passed over minute care had been devoted to attractively dressing out the windows of tlio shops. And what delights wero there, tor young and old itoch advancing year makes its marked clittoreuco in tho goods exposed for sale, ami every difference is m tho nature of further beauty in apparel, increased luxury in tablo delicacies, and greater ingenuity in tho workmanship of toys. riie toys! What didn't the bi« shops ?• i ? „V 10to WCl '° to 5 s c"ough to delight all hearts, and many pangs were no doubt felt by young citizens at the futility of attempting to purchase such marvels. Gono is tho old day when toys woro of tho cheapest description, made for the moment, and not for all time. Now tho toys are the works of mechanics and engineers. Mechanical wonders are built to perfection in solid brass and iron—built to exact scale to ensure perfect running. Steam engines of most up-to-dato mode! jostle for pride of place,with warships carrying their full complement of guns; gaudy circuses, aeroplanes, and steam cranes demand attention. _ Dolls are no longer content to stare in blue-eyed innocenco from cardboard boxes. No, they must have electric-lit compartments', be able to shut their eyes "and shout "Mama." But Santa Clans still remains, despite tho flood of modern "improvements," for who would destrov tho faith of the child hi tho fur-robed figure that once a. year goes ringing by in 1113 reindeer sled, anxious to scatter largess in the I shape of presents? Many young feet soon wearied of tho streets, and were hurried home to bed, there to bang out stockings, as was tho custom' a hundred years ago, and, as was tho custom a hundred years ago, to find them bulging in tho morning, a direct evidence of tho loving kindness of someono watching over them. Christmas trade- boomed. On every hand the purse-strings -were opened I wide, and good feelings found cxpres- | sion in spending. Gloomy forecasts for | ruined trado were upset in a most decided manner, and the shops were packed. "With fine weather for the three days immediately before Christmas, tho traders have niado up their loss of the last two weeks. Tho markets have been well-stocked in anticipation of Christmas trade, and poultry and produce found a ready sale at e-ood prices. Fruit was plentiful and sold well. In fact Christmas 1913 was as good as any Christmas that has gono before