London, Dec. 18.
It in. previous Letters' wei tien In the clatter of Christmas I have waxed lyrical over the London shopirl, please forgive me for doing so Again, 'Chance has given me experi-free of shopping in other lands, and would not. seem' to disparage the foreign attendants. But, the London shopgirt simply leaves them panting. 1 spent yesterday. afternoon in one of the big) Kensington stores, though fact you might try any shop big or ttle' with the same results, and {or pleasantness, patience and general fany' and troublesome asterners those girls deserve extra large haloes and white wings. - Remember foo that they are'on their feet all ay (so that the Wings" would be specially acceptable) and are work ing. in "the week before Christmas till 10 and 11 at night making up their order books and tidying up for next day. So though they will never See, Tek my word of Bratitude be One curious item of the season's interests—no, Iam not generally writing of what will be dead before this reaches youwis that well-berried holly is extremely soree this year, Just the reverse of last year," We live ina great holly growing distlet near London, and trees which were ablaze fast year have hardly a berry fon them now. It is the same every Where, and the prices of well berried fuelly at Covent Garden are. five times those of last year.
But this runs counter to the general tradition that a hard winter Signalled beforehand bya. plenitude' of berries. "Last winter was mild and open. This winter 0 far has. been ery hard and the birds' come: down eagerly for their morning crumbs. Tt we are ate in putting them out they Bit on the trees round the tawn and scold us." As regards the holly trees, have been told that the birds only fall back on them as.a last resource. T'tried eating a holly berry once Cas everyone probably has in childhood) andi can pelleve
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.