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8 MILLIONS IN THE CHRISTMAS BOX VAST SUMS IN HOLIDAY GIFTS. THEY G4I AL THE FORTCSEB OF A VANDERBILT OR A GOI’LD. Two Million* Sent Horae Annually by Immigrant* to Their Friend* In Enrope—Great Sami l’ald Out a* Christinas Boxes by Wall Street Firms and Other Employers ot Labor—Christmas Harvest of the Elevator Men and the Walters. Immense Snms Spent for Dinner* to the Poor by the Salvation Army and by Millionaires. By Guy T. Viskniskki. New York. Dee. 17.—Just a discarded cigar box, wreathed with Christmas greens and holly, labelled with “Merry' Christmas,” with a generous slot in the top, and placed where no one can possibly overlook it in barber shop and elevator, on the cashier's desk and on the bar. But in the immortal words of Col. Mulberry Sellers, "there's mil lions in it.” The man who would undertake even to approximate the millions dropped Into the Nation’s Christmas box—or its equivalent—would set himself an impossible task. Happily, there 'are figures at hand w'hich give some faint idea of the enormous amount of money that is given away at this glad some season and which warrants the ] assertion that the grand total reaches j way up into the millions and equals j the fortune of a Vanderbilt or a lesser Gould. Immigrant** Gift* Sent Home. Take, for example, the money spent to Europe by Uncle Sam’s new citi zens just before Christmas. It has amounted to about $2,000,000 yearly since 1900. The Christinas boats of last year, the first sailing on Dec. 12 and the last on the 19th, carried to the old country 161,603 postoffice money orders valued at $1,896,295.23, be sides many thousands of dollars in registered letters. Of these money orders, 81,331, calling for $839,638.18, went 'to Great Britain. Thiyty-two thousand seven hundred and fifteen Germans were made h'appy by the re ceipt of $284,828.04 among them, while the number of orders and the amount of money sent elsewhere in Europe were as follows: Orders. Amount. Sweden 14,148 $145,123.88 Italy 5,994 200,795.25 Russia 5,570 97,860.54 Hungary 4,751 93,087.98 Austria 7,156 118,858.45 Denmark 3,209 33,166.82 Norway 3,971 50,638.52 Switzerland 2,237 27,091.53 The Netherlands 521 5,206.04 Italian* Are Generous. It is interesting to note that though less than -6.000 Italians sent money gifts to relatives and friends, the av erage value of each gift was thirty three and a third dollars; while the eighty-one thousand Englishmen who remembered their old associates did bo to the extent of something under ten dollars apiece. Next to the railroad builders from the shores of the Mediterranean, the Hungarians sent the most generous gifts, each averaging sl9. Then came the Russians, $17.50, with the Aus trians next, a few centß less than sl7. The Germans sent the smallest gifts, $8.50. they being the only ones below the English. The Italian with his pickaxe and mud-covered clothes may seem any thing but sentimental and warm hearted when he is passed on the street, but the figures prove that at least at one season of the year he leads all of our new citizens in dis pensing Christmas cheer across seas, ■where, but for the Immigrants' contri bution In the Christmas box. the day would be a cheerless one indeed for many a family. Million* Given by Millionaire*. Although no records are available to show what the great financiers give away in the aggregate, as in the case of these Americans in the making, “till a good idea of the size of their contribution may be gained by bunch ing what few statistics are available. It is known beyond peradventure that in 1901 the firm of J. P. Morgan & Cos. gave to its employes alone up wards of half a million dollars. Every clerk received an amount equivalent to his year s salary, while the heads of departments had checks amounting from $5,000, to $15,000 and $20,000 hand ed to them with the firm's best wishes for a “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." Every financier, banker and broker In Wail street gave away great sums of money that year; it was and still is the record year of good cheer for their thousands of employes. But while the gifts have not been so large since, no man who finds his living In Wall street suffers for want of gen erosity on the part of his employer at this season. For years, no matter what the condition of the market, one well-known broker has given one hundred dollars in gold to each of his office boys, twice that sum to a few of the clerks, and SSOO to the rest, the telegraphers and all others in his em ploy. AH told, this broker dropß DIAMONDS And Diamond Jewelry of every description. Gems mounted to order to meet any taste or requirement. STERLING SILVERWARE. Cut Glassware, Fine Umbrellas. Gold and Silver Novelties. 117 BROUGHTON, WEST. Sternberg & Cos. The freshest, newest and handsomest ChRISTHAS DISPLAY In Georgia, and LOWEST PRICES. Open late every evening this week. Call and view our selections. * No obligation to buy. SILVER. 25 PER CENT. OFF BOYS’ AND CHILDREN’S OVERCOATS „ ®£* WT i r CQtf Beginning Monday morn ing and continuing every day during the week this discount will be in force throughout our stock of Boys’ and Children’s Over coats. something like SIO,OOO into the Christ mas box. Stnrted With Banker*. The custom of giving money gifts to employes undoubtedly had its origin among bankers and brokers; but it has gradually spread until now the em ployer who does not distribute Christ mas envelopes to make glad the men and women who work for him is the exception that proves the rule. A certain big department store in one of the Eastern cities has given each of its 2,000 odd employes $5 apiece for several years past. The amount is not graded according to the employe's position and importance. The members of the firm takes the ground that they give the $5 bills sim ply as a reminder of the good will they bear their workers, and so the head of the silk department is not entitled to a gift one tithe bigger than that received by the humblest package wrapper in the store. For some reason or other $5 has come to be looked on, outside of banking and financial circles, as about the right sum to be given to employes. Inquiry among office workers in the skyscrap ers and the salespeople in the retail and wholesale stores has substantiated this statement. Employe* In Skyscraper*. But many a firm does not limit its Christmas box contributions to those who work for it directly. This is par ticularly true of concerns with offices in the skyscrapers. The elevator men, the superintendent, the window clean ers, the scrub women, all are taken care of. And the amount of money they get is a' caution. In one of the lesser skyscrapers of New York the three elevator men, when they counted up their gifts on last Christmas Eve, found that they had received a little over SIOO apiece. These men had put up a box artistically painted with hol ly designs, in each elevator. Quite a lot of small change was dropped into them, but more was given them di rect by the tenants, in sums varying from $1 to $25. The Christmas pickings of this trio is small, though, when compared with that of the men who run elevators in the great office buildings that have several thousand tenants instead of several hundred, as in the trio’s case. The Waiter*' Harve*t Time. Another class of men which reap a harvest during Christmas week is the waiters. In the downtown restaurants of New York, Philadelphia and Chi cago, where only lunch is served, the waiter who does not clear $75 over and above his usual perquisites feels sure that there is no “good will to ward men” on earth. Yet his holiday tips would be regarded as a mere pit tance by the dignified automaton who attends to the stomach’s wants in the swell hotel uptown. Five and ten-dol lar bills come his way in a seemingly never-ending stream, for your million aire at dinner around the mellow sea SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. DECEMBER 18. 1904. CHRISTMAS JUST ONE WEEK OFF! Falling on Sunday the Day will be One of Dress. Some Rare Offerings in Haberdashery for Gift Buyers: Bath Robes. Guaranteed Fast Colors. 54, 55, 5 6.50, 57.50. Ladies’ Umbrellas. Extraordinary. 55, 56.50, 56.50, $lO. Silk Mufflers. 51.50, 52.00, 52.50, 53.00, 53.50 Beautiful Neckwear. 25c, 50c, 75c, SI.OO, $1.50, 52.00. Men’s Gloves. SI.OO, $1.25, $1.50, $2.00, $2.50 J M > '■2*/ • *3l r w —IS son finds the chief aid to good diges tion in making happy those who wait on him. Waiters who ought to know declare that it is not uncommon for a waiter in such a place as the Waldorf- Astoria to come out S3OO and S4OO and even SSOO ahead during holiday week. An Army of Walters. Merely in New York’s first-class ho tels and restaurants there are over 4,- 000 waiters. Chicago has about 1,000, and Philadelphia two thousand, less. Nine thousand waiters all told—and in the light of the figures already set forth their share of the millions in the Christmas box certainly amounts to several tens of thousands of dollars. Even if each waiter got only $5, the sum total would be $45,000. But it is undoubtedly above that, for even the "food slingers" in the “bean shops" and “hasheries” say that nearly every one remembers them; and as each waiter of this grade has to look after several scores of customers in the course of a day the nickels and dimes soon turn into dollars. Dinner. for the Poor. Another contribution of generous proportions put into the Christmas box is that for dinners to the poor. Hun dreds of dinners of this character are given on Christmas day throughout this broad land—dinners with turkey and cranberry sauce and pie and ice cream and all the good things asso ciated with the day. And these good things cost money—turkey at 25 cents a pound, and the other delicacies in proportion. Last year the Salvation Army fed 300,000 poor in our large cities, and over SIOO,OOO was collected for this pur pose bv means of the army's pot. now a familiar sight at this season to every dweller in NeW York. Chicago, Phila delphia, Boston and other cities. Amounts varying from one cent to SSOO are dropped into the pots. So many pennies are contributed in New York and Chicago that machines are em ployed in counting them. Politlclnnx 1.1 In-i n I (livers. While the Salvation Army dinners are by far the most ambitious of all dinners to the poor, those given to newsboys by their patrons, and the meals spread for the delectation of their constituents by the political dis trict leaders of New York’s East Side are not to be passed over lightly. That is a poor and small dinner, indeed, which does not cost SI,OOO, and the Sullivans of Bowery fame have been in the habit of spending several thou sand dollars for turkeys and trim mings. The millionaire does not lag behind the politician In his efforts to give good cheer to the poor. He does not do so promiscuously. He is more than willing to give big sums of money to charitable organizations at other peri ods of the year, to be spent as the or ganisations see fit on people and in stitutions that he personally knows nothing or very little about. But at Christmas he insists on looking after the worthy poor with whom he is ac quainted, or of whom he has intimate knowledge. The charitable organiza tions recognize this failing, and they diplomatically refrain from soliciting contributions a't this season. Their great harvest day is Thanksgiving, when they ‘aim to have a touchingly worded appeal at the plate of the mil lionaire when he sits down to give thanks for the golden bird und the other material evidences be fore him of a kind and beneficent Providence. In he Hole of 4he Kentlnl Lord. So it happens that the millionaire Just now is unconsciously, perhaps, playing the role of the feudal lord of other days, who went among his re tainers and the poor of the country side, scattering Christmas largess to one and all, and leaving good cheer und merry hearts behind him. The millionaire does this pleasant tusk every bit as well as the feudal lord, and with u hand even more liberal. A Gould or Morgan or a Belmont thinks nothing of disposing of barrel after barrel of choicest turkeys in this way. A big wholesale poultry desler In New York has hud one of the country's leading inllllonairea for a regular lyis iotner for the laat alg Christmases, and each aeaaon he placea an order for 600 turkeys $1,200 for this one Item alone. Typical of these modern "feudal | lords" ta John K, Andrus, Mayor of | Yonkers, N. Y,, and owner of sso,oou,- •m worth of property, lie give* sway I more than $260,000 to charity every ■ year, and by far the greater part of , this fortune Is distributed at this ses- I son The poor of Yonkers always .have a Merry Chrlsimss hawaiise of I Mr, Audi us. Last year he gent out 1, Lounging Robes. Very Elegant. 55, 56, 57.50, $lO. Men’s Umbrellas. Unique Handles. 53.50, 54.00, 55.00. Initial Handkerchiefs. Halt Dozen in Gift Boxes. 75c and $1.50. Fancy Suspenders. In Boxes. 75c, $ 1.25, $1.50, $2.50. Men’s Dress Shirts, Dress Collars, E. & W. Collars and Cuffs. 200 dinners, and gifts by the wagon load for the children. Tlie Christina* Club. One of the millionaire's stock ways of showing “good will toward men”' is. by means of the Christmas club. Whenever there are two or three mil lionaires in a community they are al most certain to have formed a Christ mas club. Perhaps the most famous club is that one composed of the Rit tenhouse Square set in Philadelphia, which boasts such well-known mem bers as the Cassatts, the Harrisons and the Wetherills. This club, after the manner of its kind, but on a far more elaborate scale, provides a high class vaudeville entertainment, follow ed by a dance and a dinner, for the poor who are personally known to the members and their families. The money they spend for this purpose would make a fortune for the aver age man. These clubs are conducted so quiet ly that accounts of their doings never get into the newspapers. It is safe to say that the average Philadelphian knows absolutely nothing of the most unique Christmas entertainment that is given yearly in his town, where the poor and the lowly, the maimed, the halt and the blind are solicitiously looked after and their slightest wish fulfilled by the members of the most exclusive circle of the most exclu sive society in America. The Harbor* anil Bartender*. Millions of money already account ed for, and nothing has been said about the Christmas box contri butions for America's 132.000 barbers, 89.000 bartenders and 9.000 boot blacks; the ash man and the garbage man; the furnace man in Philadelphia, the apartment house janitor in New York and Chicago; the butcher's boy, the grocer’s boy, the milk man and the Ice man; the household cook and the second girl; you and I—ad in finitum. Millions In the Christmas box? Perhaps as many as make up the for tune of the Mayor of Yonkers, N. Y. ♦ i —Cholly—“D'ye know, old chappy, I went to three balls aftah the thea tah lawst night?” “Weggy—“Bah Jove, old chappy, you’re in luck, don’t you know. I had to go to Thwee Balls before I could attend the thea tah at all!”—Cleveland Leader. In the Hall of Fame and Fun William Travera Jerome. Juriat. Smoking Jackets. Novelties. $5, $6.50, 57.50, $lO. Men’s Canes. Very Swell. $1.50, $2.00 and Up. Silk Handkerchiefs. Plain, Fancy, Initial. 25c and 50c. Gold Link Cuff Buttons. Guaranteed. In Boxes. Scarfs Pins, Watch Fobs, Tie Holders. j g**m*row The Deacon’s Story. By EVAN B. BASCH, In the Georgia Tech. In the first place, it was not Christ mas Eve. I had excused myself from my wife to see a friend on business, and as I never lie to her about going out at night, I stopped at the postoffice on my way to the club and bought a postal card from my friend at the stamp window. As I said, it was not Christmas Eve, so we had no business telling ghost stories. But when we began spinning yarns around the punch bowl, we agreed that every one who laughed should take a small “panacea.” Then followed some very witty stories, and when we were all pretty jovial, the conversation turned to “dear depart edd,” and then to ghosts. Most of the ghost stories were weird, so we all had to pay the forfeit fre quently. The deacon especially seemed to be in a merry mood. "Fellows,” said he, “you may not be lieve the one I am about to relate, but I’ll swear to it.” We all knew what to expect, and from each bosom there came a weary sigh. “We are resigned; proceed,” said the doctor. “I take my text from the first chap ter of ” he absent-mindedly began. “Oh, what am I saying? Anyway, this happened to Banks. Banks, you know, was the second cousin of Jones, the undertaker. Jones was the man who bought up all the coffins when he heard that the yellow fever was break ing out. He didn’t get a corner, though, because Brown wouldn’t sell his. Brown said ” “Well, never mind what Brown said; tell us about Banks.” The deacon became confused, and said we were not treating him right, so we gave him a nice, stiff drink, and started him over again. “I take my text from ” Former sl2. sl4 and sl6 Suits —fashionable to the extreme —in this Ante-Hol iday Sale at the net price of w Top Coats, Long and Me dium Overcoats, full sl6 values, in this ‘dust Before Christmas” Sale at the net price of 1 w Two Veritable Clothing Snaps “Are you going to tell that story or not?” we interrupted. “Darn it. who is telling this story, anyway? Where was I? Oh yes; I take my—. No. I was talking about Fido. Banks called him Fido, because the ghost treated him like a dog. That reminds me of a dog I once had—. Hang it, how can I tell this, if you all keep interrupting me? Banks dreamed four nights running that a man with a green hat came and told him where Capt. Kidd’s treasure was buried. It worried him because, every dream book that he read said that things came true if you dream about them three nights running. He couldn’t help thinking about the fourth night. He got so worried about it that he finally took to drink. He visited the “fountain of youth” pretty often, and on the night I am telling you about, he came home tipsy. Poor Banks.” The deacon sighed softly, and tears rolled down his cheek. So we took a minute’s recess for refreshments, and started him on his story again. “Banks succeeded in finding his home, and the key-hole—double mira cle! He wasn’t feeling well, as ‘some thing he had eaten for breakfast the previous morning’ gave him a bad case of hiccoughs and chills. He had such a chill that he couldn’t hold 9, match in his hand and must have used up half a box trying to keep one lighted. "Banks got in bed without waking his wife, and was almost asleen, when something made him open his eyes and look up. There was a ghost, standing right at the foot of the bed. He thought at first it was the dream again. But no! It was a ghost, a real ghost. He was so frightened that he began to laugh. And he laughed— and he laughed—and he laughed—and he—, —, I say, who is telling this story, you or me? Suddenly Banks stopped laughing—the ghost had on a green hat! 'Ha! Ha'' said the ghost, in a hollow voice. 'You have dared to larf.’ Banks was really scared; he tried to coax the ghost into going away. Then he offered him the 'departed spirit’ of all the spirit he drank that night. “By this time his wife had awaken ed, and hearing Banks talking about ‘spirits’ and ‘ghosts,’ said: “ 'William J., you are drunk!’ She called him “William J.’ when she was angry. " ‘You have dared to larf,’ repeated the ghost, with a ghost of a smile on his ghostly lips. “Of course Mrs. B. could not hear or see the ghost. “ ‘Shut up!’ yelled Banks, at the ghost, of course. “ ‘William J.! how dare you say that to me?’ “ ’You have dared to larf,’ said the ghost, for the third time. ’’ ’Dam you and your green hat,’ said Banks to the ghost. Mrs. B. had bought anew green hat that morn ing. “ ’Come with me to seek the treas— $32.00 NEW YORK And Return —VIA— SEABOARD SOLD DOMINION Air Line Railway D Steamship Company. SCHEDULE hr. Savannah...l:ls p.m. or 12:10 a.m. R. R. Time. Ar. Norfolk 8:00 a.m or 5.30 p.m. Eastern Time Lv. Norfolk 7:00 p.m. “ *• Ar. New York 2:30 p.m. ** *• By leaving Savannah on the 1:15 p, in. train yon can spend the followingfday at Norfolk and Old Point Comforti by leaving on the 12:10 midnight train you make direct connection with the steamship. Tickets at above rates sre on sale daily; and art limited for return six (6) months from date of sale. Full information, reservations; etc, at City Ticket Office, No. 7 Bull street. Phone 28. CHARLES K. STEWART, Assistant General Passenger Agent. Rain Coats PIffISffJ9O^WSOKrtCKKWAfiHI JL. They are very popular this season and the styles and qualities we are showing range in price from $9 to $25. The changeable weather of winter makes them doubly serviceable —they keep you warm and keep you dry. sure,’ said the ghost. ‘I will show thee where it lies hidden from the gaze of mortals.’ “Banks didn’t stop to put on his clothes, but taking up his silk hot, he followed him out of the house, and they walked quickly to the grave yard. “ ‘You will need something to steady your nerves and strengthen your mus cles,’ said the ghost, producing a bot tle. (Here the deacon acted the part by taking a drink.) So Banks sat on one tombstone and the ghost on the other, and between them iay the soon emptied bottle. "When his nerves were sufficiently steady, they began working. Taking up a shovel that he found near by, Banks was soon digging the dirt from a grave that the ghost pointed out. • "By this time Mrs. 8., looking for ‘William J.,’ found her way to the graveyard. There was Banks, his silk hat on the back of his head, and night shirt fluttering in the midnight breeze, throwing the dirt from his mother-in law’s grave over his shoulder, and singing in a loud, rollicking tone: “ ‘Fifteen men or a dead man's chest, Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum.” And the ghost had vanished! " ‘William J.!’ was all she said, and they haven’t spoken since. Poor Banks!” The deacon, blessed soul, burst out crying, and his sobs could be heard all over the house. We gave him a last drink, and presently he laid his head on the table and went to sleep mut tering, "Poor Banks.” —Officer—What is the complaint here?" Orderly (offering basin) —"Taste that, sir.” Officer (tasting)—"Well, I think It’s excellent soup." Orderly— “ Yes. sir; that’s the trouble; they want to persuade us it’s tea.”—Glasgow Evening Times. Low Eicnnlon Rates During Hall days via Atlantic Coast Line. On account of Christmas’ holidays Atlantic Coast Line will sell tickets to all points east of the Mississippi and south of the Potomac rivers at rates one and one-third fares for the round trip. This Includes all stations on the Atlantic Coast Line and connecting lines in the territory described. Tick ets will be sold Dec. 23, 24, 26 and 31 1904, and Jan. 1, 1905, with return limit Jan. 4. 1905. Tickets at same rates will be sold to teachers and students in schools and colleges on presentation and surrender of certificates signed by superintendents, presidents or princi pals, Dec. 17-24. Inclusive, with return limit Jan. 8, 1905. For further information apply to ticket agents, De Soto Hotel; both ’phones. No. 73, or Union Station; Bell 235, Georgia 911. It pays to patronize the best service.— ad.