The New York herald., 1869-01-02
How It Was Celebrated in the
Metropolis.
A PIERCING HAIL STORM.
Thu, Theatres, Skating Ponds
and Kinks.
The Day in Brooklyn, New Jersey
and Elsewhere.

Every creature was jolly with mrth and carouse,
that accordT to the reliable report OF the mesmerc
"Commissi0l ler'' of the HERALD, secret meeting
was held so mewhere in this city, which was nume-
rously atte nded. 1t was, we are told very peculiar
gathering and the close atmosphere OF the room was
richly sceated with stable odors Of every imaginable
degree aid perfume. The meeting in fact, was one
of owners Of horsenesh who take delight and profit
by hiring ont their services at much hour 1.-THE
more the merrier.r There were stable men OF all
degrees, from the proprieors OF arisocratic .estab
lishmenls,r with coachmen and footmen in livery,
down to the driver OF dllapidated old coach. sta
toned daily and nightly on Chatham square, wating
for q stray engagement. At first our mesmeric
Commissioned supposed that this strange gather
ing OF Jehus from all over the city had some refer
TO the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty TO
Animals and that ii was possibly intended
TO arrange for New Years call n,dsse on Mr..
Henr Bergh, and TO present TO him some token Of
appreciation for the lively interest he takes in the
health and comfort OF the dumb brute.n This sup
position. involving such kindly feeling towards Mr..
Bergh ana unusual regard for the welfare OF horse
flesh, was soon dispeed, however, as the proceed
ings Of the assenbage quickly disclosed It's object
tD'ye see' - said one OF the most eloquent speakers
at the meeting "'t's ies' so. Other folks makes
hay when the sun shines looks out ginerally for
makes hay when 1t don't shine, but rain, an the
more IL rains the better for US. Folks must make
calls on New Years, an if we can git rain snow
or hail the young chaps as has the rocks must ride
In our carriages an we can fx our own prices, We
seer An moves that all subscribe petition to
the weather clerk to gave es for this one day, the
awfuIlest weather he can dig out from all the rub
bish IN his ole cupboard. AM ye see, to make the
thing sure, we might wrap into the petition deal
OF stamps New Years present to his Wor
ship.r This motion was numcrousy seconded
and unanimously carried except the portion refer
ring TO the dea Of stamps,n as it was claimed that
an implied promise OF costly gift might satisfy the
weather clerk for the present, and after the days
harvest was gathered and counted it would still be
time enough TO think OF it. spiritual medium was
then procured and through her communication was
opened with that mighty individual having full
charge OF the weather, and all preminaries being
satisfactorily arranged between the shgh contract
ting parties the suices OF heaven were opened and
down poured upon this sublunar sphere
Wen, need we say what? Need we describe the
weather vouchsafed to us on the first festive day OF
the new year The men OF the tribe OF Jehu must
have been delighted while the rest OF the 2000 900 OF
people in and around New York gave themselves up
70 feelings the reverse OF comfortable. Such a wind
1t seemed If sturdy old Boreas Auster had congre
gated all his most vindlctive and mischievous mps
into one "little sly corner'' in the nor'west and
bid them TO blow as fnriousy as ever they
did In their lives, bent on marring all
the pleasures Of man and making all the
beasts OF the air and of the forest and particularly
those OF the stable, execrably unhappy as it was
possible 10 do. And the snow But twas'nt snow
perfect nondescrpt combination OF rain, snow
and hail was pouring down upon luckless earth,
covering the surface many inches deep, and blown
into every corner and crevice by the mischievous
blasts Of Old Boreasi relentless retainers. Or rather
1t should be said, II was neither ram snow, nor
hail, but perfect avalanche, tremendous food, II
the term be allowed. OF dimnutve iclcles which
''hs Worship the clerk OF the weather, IN COM
piance with the prayer OF the petition mentioned,
empted upon US IN a manner seldom seen before
And all this on day on which New Workers are
specially Interested IN moderately fair weather. 1t
rs The day set apart by custom as old as the founda
tion OF the city Itself 10 make formal visits or
..calls," the ladies OF each household receiving
the congratulations and compliments OF the
season from the male friends OF the family.
The number OF good housewives rendered
extremely unhappy yesterday IL rs almost fmpos-
siDle 10 count. The paTiors had been cleaned, the
carpets swept the furniture busted, the polish and
the gliding furbished UP, all TO present neat ap
pearance 10 the scrninzing eyes OF callers And
II must have been worse than being fastened to the
Tor many matters J0ntids to see their carpets
stuck inches ne deap Il lie S es Of % crushed SesG and
melting iclcies and have their chairs occupied by
men whose garments were dripping as II soaked in
much, for they are not wateriight. Another source
OF disaRreeableness the reduction in the number
Is being reserved for the children who are gen
crafty, not fond OF stale sweetmeats. Many
bottle was left uncorked, as the callers" for whom
these dainiies had Deen provided failed TO appear.
But II Is not TO be supposed that the practice OF
New Years "cails'' was entirely suspended. BY no
means. The gay youths could not be deprived OF
their pleasure excursions through the pariors Of
their acquaintances, even II IL raned pitchforEs
showed bricks or hailed whole lcebergs. Not they
In nf nrQq and fpflr ha tr.l
the early morn IN the corridors Of the principal
hotels and in the sitting rooms OF their boarding
houses contributing each his share TO make up the
amount the greed OF some Unsuitable Jehu demanded
for the use OF his rckety, tum0ed0wn vehicle
during the day. 80, And up and down tne avenues. up
ing there, the knights OF the Ell and the yardstck,
the heroes OF the counting room and dry goods could
be seen, rather enjoying the uneasiness with which
careful mammas cast sly gance- at their boots and
gave vent 10 involuntary sigh at seeing the
s,ots on their carpets. And then the weatherrne
n furnished an excuse To drink the more OF
the ardent lust TO warm up little, you
happy New Year'' and "many returns.n the
weather formed the most fruitful topic for
bohemian had been about 70 take note Of ali The
damnatory epithets which polite language invented
for the use OF sweet lips In denouncing the "vile,
excruclatingly bad weather. he could have COM
piled an amount OF linguistic information much
more valuable than by moving around grocery sills,
corner groggeries and candy shops. Speaking OF
the Bohemian 1t should be stated that ne was the
most forlorn creature all day yesterday. Having for
feted the good WIN Of the whskey retailers he had
no place TO beg his supply OF grog. and the houses
OF decent people remained closed to him.
In a religious aspect the day was rather barren
In former times the Church celebrated the lst Of
January as the feast OF the circumcision Of tue Sa
viour, but IL has fallen into desuetude. The more
were people bent on the goods OF this world. and
while Christmas IL the great festival for the young
folks, when presents are distributed TO them with
LAVISH hand, the incoming Of the year is dedicated
10 the remembrance OF friends and the "od chdrenn
OF the world, and gifts a. various as human In
genuty could provide tnem and adapted TO the size
Of every purse, were as plentiful as the Icy cover
on the streets.
The places Of amusement Jared badly. Tho man.
ayers, one and all, had been particularly anxious
and busy 70 cater for the public pleasure In every
conceivable way, aud. matinees and evening per-
formances, concerts, equestrian exhibitions, operas
bouffes and dramatic representations innumerabie
had been announced 70 draw crowded houses day
and night. But the attraction failed. Between the
doors Of nome and the opera house, theatre circus,
concert hall, there lay the fearful clasm OF storm
ecOurqed Heety streets. which lew OF the playgoers
yentured Into, and when the managers overlooked