and vicinity where they are made up 

 into stars, anchors, crosses, wreaths, 

 hearts, triangles, horseshoes, and miles 

 of roping for decorative purposes. 



For the entire length of Monmouth 

 county the families within a mile of the 

 bay shore are nearly all engaged in the 

 business of making these decorations 

 at this season. Four miles from Key- 

 port is the town of Keansburg which 

 now surpasses the former place in this 

 industry. Neighbors are referred to as 

 "making" or "not making" and num- 

 bers of new faces appear in the town, 

 attracted by the industry from the 

 north, south, and west. The wages 

 paid are not high but anyone who can 

 "make" can always find a position dur- 

 ing the busy season. 



The small villages along this strip of 

 country now present a pretty appear- 

 ance. The houses are almost hidden 

 behind stacks of evergreens of all kinds. 

 A peep into a detached summer kitchen 

 will disclose a group of girls gathered 

 around a long table piled high with 

 evergreens, and at first glance they 

 appear to be principally engaged in 

 pleasant conversation, but you will not 

 have to watch them long before you 

 are aware that their busy fingers are 

 turning out Christmas decorations at 

 an astonishing rate. Or, if you should 

 happen to look in at night, you might 

 see the tables and evergreens pushed 

 to one side and gay groups of girls and 

 young boat-builders, ovstermen, and 

 fishermen engaged in a lively neighbor- 

 hood dance. 



Materials other than evergreens are 

 used in this industry to a considerable 

 extent; laths are used to make frames 



for the stars and crosses. Willows 

 are gathered in quantities from the 

 marshes with which frames for wreaths 

 are made, but the trade in rattan is 

 probably the most benefited, as noth- 

 ing else will give such satisfaction in 

 making the frames for hearts, anchors, 

 and other decorations of this kind. 



The completed decorations are 

 shipped to New York, Philadelphia, and 

 Boston, but not to Chicago. In Chi- 

 cago we find a different state of affairs. 

 We are so near the evergreen forests 

 of Wisconsin, where Christmas trees 

 may be had for practically nothing, 

 that the cost of transportation alone 

 from New Jersey would be greater 

 than the price realized would amount 

 to. 



Numbers of hulks of condemned 

 vessels lie in and around Chicago 

 which are practically worthless. These 

 boats are taken in the fall by seamen 

 who are out of employment up along 

 the Wisconsin coast and there loaded 

 with evergreens, are brought back to 

 the Chicago river and docked, and lie 

 there until the load is disposed of to 

 the holiday trade. The decorations 

 are mainly manufactured in the city in 

 the store-rooms of the dealers. 



That the business of bringing these 

 trees down from the north is not with- 

 out serious danger and hardship is 

 evidenced by the wreck of the schooner 

 S. Thai, which occurred off the coast 

 near Glencoe, 111., a short time ago, in 

 which five lives were lost. Five lives 

 yielded up that our children may en- 

 joy an hour of pleasure! 



Do they ever think of the cost? 



A WINTER^S WALK. 



Gleamed the red sun athwart the misty haze 

 Which veiled the cold earth from its loving- 



g-aze. 

 Feeble and sad as hope in sorrow's hour — 

 But for thy soul it still hath warmth and 



power; 

 Not to its cheerless beauty wert thou blind; 

 To the keen eye of thy poeHc mind 

 Beauty still lives, though nature's flowrets 



die. 



And wintry sunsets fade along- the sky! 

 And naug^ht escaped thee as we strolled 



along-. 

 Nor changeful ray, nor bird's faint chirping 



sonff. 

 Blessed with a fancy easily inspired, 

 All was beheld, and nothing iinadmired; 

 From the dim city to the clouded plain, 

 Not one of all God's blessings triven in vain. 



— Hon. Mrs. Norton. 



221 



