Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 37, Number 30, 9 December 1911 — Page 17

THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUX-TELKG RAM, SATURDAY, DECE3IBER 9, 1911.

PAGE FIVE. E m, ". .'. Mi

All Rugs Look Alike in an Advertisement, But Entirels Different on Your Floor. Seo These Values That Will Look Exactly as Well on Your Floor as the Advertising Reads in the Paper:

Coprrlffht X9H by I. J. Robinson.

ROBABLT the Germans are the greatext lovers in tbe

world of Christmas and Its tlme-fcallowed ceremonies. It Is to them we owe many of the legends from which are de

rived oar moat picturesque customs, a large share of the children's toys, from doll to hobby horses and aeroplanes, and 11 the fragile tinseled class ornameats with which we decorate our

OhrlstixMui trees. The little Tillage of iLMssba, Germany, may well be called the workshop of Banta Clans, for there !fk peasant spend their lives In a toylamd that they Industriously create, tbe work being done In their own homes.

The light of the flickering candles

that Martin Luther bong on the little

flr tret, that he was the first to bring

Into the bouse at Christmas time and

decorate In this way, has abed Its

twinkling glory through all the years since then. In Germany especially is the Christmas tree, now lavishly trimmed and brilliantly illumined with myriads of candles or many-colored

electric lights, made the most important feature of the holiday festivals.

Its setting up and decoration are mat

ters of great mystery, taking place

behind the closed doors of library or

of sitting room, which becomes at once

the "Christmas Boom." Sharply at

six o'clock on Christmas Eve the doors are thrown open wide, disclosing a wonderful tree, all a-glitter and a-trem-ble. In the villages, an old man, bundled up to his ears in furs, bubbling over with the good spirits of Yule-tide, and known as Knect Ruprect, goes about giving toys and sweets to the children from a huge bag he carries slung over his shoulder. And what preparations go on in the

kitchen, for a mouth before the holi

days! There is no home, be it palace

or cottage, that Is without Its pfeffer-

kuchen, small ginger spice cakes.

Honey cakes are also made in great

quantities, to satisfy the sweet tooth

for which tbe Germans are well known. A special bread is made at Christmas time, which contains almonds, raisins and poppy seed, in the usual generous Teutonic proportions, and which Is stewed in milk. Goose usually takes the place of our turkey, on the Christmas dinner table, and carp cooked in beer Is considered a holiday dish. In France the celebration extends

over three days, during which time there are many special services In the churches, and many charitable projects carried out. In tbe south of France the peasants go through a pretty ceremony of blessing the Christmas log, that Is

much like' the Yule-log celebration In England. The family dinner takes

place in France usually on Christmas Eve, and the table is laden with such delectable dishes as pate de foie gras, boar's head jelly stuffed with pistachio, truffled turkey, or perhaps a Strasbourg pie, made of truffles md the livers of

fattened &eese. Frog legs, lobsters, oysters and snails served with the sauces the French know so well how to make, are holiday entrees. The Russians cease work entirely, sometimes for as long a time as a month, In order properly to celebrate the holidays. The clergy call upon each and every member of their flock at this time, with the sanguine expectancy of being made tbe recipients of substantial gifts, which It may be said in passing, are not always given with that free spirit of generosity that we all know should accompany a Christmas gift, of all others. On Christmas Eve the peasants take part in a picturesque celebration known as "Kolenda." In the starlit night they gather about the bouses of the nobles, singing Christmas carols, and catching in their worn old caps the coins tossed down to them from the serenaded. A great masquerade held during Christmas week is one of the most im

portant celebrations. At this function the peasants dress to represent various animals in order to perpetuate in this way the memory of tbe lowliness of

Christ's birth in the stable.

On Christmas day on imprs9ive sight may bp wen in Roumania. A great procession of priests, and Roumanians dressed to represent different Biblical characters, march slowly to the River Danube, singing chants the whole way. When they arrive at the

glistening, frozen stream, it is blessed with great ceremony by the priests, the

ice is broken and a small wooden cross thrown into the water. The cross is considered to bring great good fortune to whomever recovers it. In the land of windmills and poppies there is also a procession of all the men of the villages, but this occurs at midnight on Christmas Eve. The villagers, in quaint, varied costumes, assemble in , the public square where one of their number is selected to bear a great illuminated star on a long pole. With ; the star to guide them through the ; often unlighted streets the procession winds through the village, the men chanting "Gloria in Excelcis." A verltable feast, prepared by the women, is served to them after their march. In our own Philiipines the Christmas celebration is distinctly religious ia, character. It is a pretty sight to sea the children of the natives, carrying beautiful chains of flowers, parade through the streets preceded by a band, and singing Christmas songs, on their way to the various churches.

1 9x12 ft. 9xt2 ft. Velvet Rugs 9x12 ft. $22.50 values for 9x12 ft. Sl8'98 9x12 ft.

$19.75.

9x12 ft. Axminster Rugs. $30.00 values for ... $27.50 9x12 ft. Brussels Rugs, $25.00 values for $22.50 9x12 ft. Brussels Rugs, $2S.OO values for $26.50 9x12 ft. Brussels Rugs, $32.00 values for $28.50 A Variety of Patterns At Each Price

9x12 ft. Wilton Rugs

$42.50 values!

for $37.50

8 ft. 3x10 ft. 6, Brussels Rugs $26.50 values for $23.50

8 ft. 3 in. by 10 ft. 6 in. Axminster Rugs, $24 values for $18.97 S ft. 3 in. by 10 ft. 6 in. Axminster Rugs, $28.00 values for $23.50 6x9 ft. Axminster Rugs, $12.50 values for $10.98 SMALL SIZE RUGS

8ft 3x10 ft. 6 Wilton Rugs

$39.50 values;

for $34.50

$1.98 27x54 inch Axminster $1.49 $4.00 36x72 inch Axminster $2.95 $1.50 18x36 inch Axminster 98c

$5.00 36x72 inch Smyrna Rugs ..$3.90 $8.00 36x63 inch Wilton Rugs . . $6.90 $5.00 27x54 inch Wilton Rugs . . $3,90

WE EXTEND THE COURTESY OF A CHARGE ACCOUNT

Main Street, Corner Ninth

A (Gift TIM Is Woirfla

WMle

terir Piaeo Co, 4i

Pflaum

A (Efil

For fllhie Wttnole

'ammnfly

Have you thought of the Christmas season as the one time in ail the year absolutely incomplete without music. Why not matte this one a "joy forever" by presenting a STARR PIANO to tho onos at home. It is a player appreciated by the old and young the one piano for everyone whethor a trained musician or not. Our stock is very complete at present and there are no storage charges on instruments selected for Xmas delivery, so come in at once before others have picked over the line. A demonstration will convince you we have a player proposition suited to your particular needs.

Tie

Warerooms Tenth and Main Streets.

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