The calendar says so, the weather emphasizes: it and a certain. unrestrained intention to accept the fact all tend to indicate that Christmas fs'a few days away, but It Is dificult to believe. The principal characteristic of Christmas is not measured In dates but by a slowly developing Anticipation which gradually reaches its climax aller i series of approaches each nicely Atting into the next until the joyous festival arrives and then equally slowly disappears. Unfortunately, Shanghat has been robbed of the process this year. What IE. G, Wells describes 2s.a "time lag" has interfered with everybody's thoughts as a result of the Sino-Japanese hostilities and memory of tragic events has been 0 vividly Impressed on the mind that August Seems only next month to December. Sti ven in this crisis, Christmas will survive. The shops ere announcing their yuletide offerings,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.