Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-28
Christmas.

The great holiday so universally OBJ
served in almost every country and By
almost every race of Christianized PEG
pie, has come and gone again, with al
its joys and sorrows, its pleasures and
We might say, its pains, only we doubt il
there are not some headaches still linger
ing behind as we write, but they too will
probably be gone before this article is
read by the subscribers to, and borrowers
ofsthe Journal.
Preparations for Christmas were com
meneed early in the week and large guam
titles OF toys, presents and provision.
were secured several days in advance.
But the rush for Christmas presents and
provisions eliminated on
go 3 ........... CHRTTMAs EVE.
q The different provision houses were
jammed with people bearing away large
baskets filed with meats, poultry, veget-
ables and other choice comestibles, and
the stores, jewelry shops and toy shops
we're also crowded, and shop keepers
looked tired and jaded with the unusual
amount of labor they had been called
on to perform. Christmas trees were in
great demand and many very handsome
ones were constructed by private fam
iies.So great was the rage for this
Drnidic conception that we heard of a
case where a man had trimmed a nice
frin bis front yard; and gathering up
the Topped off twigs, and, boring holes in
a stright hickory cane, construct ID a
handsome imitation of Christmas tree,
which he sold for 81 80. Turkies we're
almost as abundant as porkers in Cincin
maitland live turkeys were carried through
the street wearing a look of hopeless res
ignation as if they new their fate. Ducks
ceased to- quack out of respect probably
of the doctors, and chickens and quails
were uneeremoniouslJ consigned to the
perditions of the kitchen and the pantry.
The little people ran along the streets
in crowds gazing with eager delight and
hope and regret at the innumeraole
sparkling and shining toys, and Christ
mas presents in the various
show-windowsI wishing that Kris Kinkle
would slip this or that toy into their
stockings, while they slept.
Parents crowded into the toy shops,
selecting for. Willie and Harry and Fan
ME and Efie and Annie and Carrie, and
young men and young women were look
ing out rich gifts for sweet hearts and
lovers.
The streets we're crowded with hurry
ing and lettering people, and young Am
erica in crowds clustered en- the corners
with cigar or lucifer match in one hand
a shooting cracker1ia the other, and a
bundle of the same Chinese invention il
their, pockets, and pop, pop went the lit
tie tOrpedoes or every hand, and at al
most every step, timid maidens were
heard to utter merry scream as the tor
pedoes exploded at their feet
The,passer by was often startled by thc
loud report of the mimic cannon planted
on the curb stone, and joyous greetings
and curious inquiries were heard OF
every hand,
Many Of the Sabbath Schools held thei
leFees, and gathered the rich fruits from
their handsome Christmas trees, account
of which, SO far as we were able to gath
eF them we published in our last issue
and at an early hour the little folk
tucked themselves away in their snuI
little beds, to dream of the brilliant scene
they had witnessed, after strictly charg
ing papa and mama to wake them earl
on