The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-31

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Christmas was celebrated with spirit In the
parks, the streets, the churches, the theatres,
and the homes of the New Yorkers. The day
was clear and cold, bnt the skating ponds and
places of public amusement were thronged,
and at all the churches In which music made
there was ardlystanding room left five min
utes after the doors opened.
This was notably the case at Trinity, Christ
Church and 81. Stephens, (Catholic,) where
there were immense congregations, aid the
best choir singers In the city. At Grinlty
Church the old, unfamiliar mass of Huinmel's
was given with great success. The churches
were all beautifully decorated with Christmas
greens, weaved into emblems appropriate TO
the occasion. As an Instance OF the generous
patronage bestowed upon the theatres during
The holidays 1t may be mentioned that the
Christmas receipts at Nlblo's, where the spec
tacle of Leo and Lotos is being performed,
were seven thousand dollars.
The fire department celebrated the day by
running to fires. We seem TO be enclroled
with conlagrations. The alarm bell rings
throughout the night, and we open tne morn
Ing papers tremblingly, at breakfast, 10 see
what has been sweps away. The latest con-
spicuous disasters were the burning Of Bar
NUNS new museum, Grace Chapel, and the
huge machine chop and factory, In Centre
street, In which seven more young girls were
roasted to death.
is it not remarkable that In this age when
the inventive powers OF man are working
seeming MIRACLES the absolutely fre-proof
building has not been achieved Granite,
brick aud iron melt like wax In great conla-
grations like those of Chicago and Bostsp,
and so.called fre-proof buildings everywhere
are going down like card houses to the con-
fusion and CONSERVATION Of the architects.
We are beginning 10 discover, too, that our
buildings are full o. ianlta OF construction. Az
the Filth Avenue Hotel the elevator passage
served as an immense hue. In Centre street
there was but one mode OF egress, which was
cut off by the a ,mes, and the fire escape out
aide was in bad order. At Barnum's and the
Brooklyn Tabernacle hrhly con6ustible wood
work supported the i .Jot" corrugated
proach of the flames like parchment. In
Boston the wooden Mansard roofs invited the
fire In every direction. What the age wants
is building that will slsnd like SalRmander
among che flames. Surely generation which
has given TO the world the magnetic tele.
graph and the sewing machine should be
equal to the problem.
We are feeling the effects here at this time
day wassweeping down from the frozen North
west. Last night the mercury In the thermom.
eters hereabouts Stood at zero. We learn Of
frIghtful excuses Of the weather further
north of US, New Hampshire telegram tell
Ing even Of 1ity degrees below zero 10 that
State yesterday. This Ia undoubtedly the
most bitterly cold snap We have had lur many
years:
raging without. The air is so full OF minute
fakes that can scarcely distinguish objects on
the opposite side Of the street. The sidewalks
are almost deserted. Occasionally an indi-
vldual mufi1eG to the nosetips may be seen
plunging frantically through the drifts, and,
at long intervals, o horse-car labors slowly
along the tracks, the horses smoking and the
driver pounding himself and dancing the
breakdown to keep his blood in cir;
| culation. Bnsineas has virtually ceased
all over the city-iu striking contrast TO The
| hustle and croWdlng Of day before yesterday.
Ah this wrerched New York climate. We
see the beautiful snow falling and pillng up In
huge cloud heaps, aud know that Tomorrow
| the thaw will come, and the sun Will shine,
and all nature will be 10 melting mood, and
the streets will be ankle deep with miserable
| sslushn and mud. Out Ct town, anywhere to
| to the north OF us, the people get some amuse-
nent out OF the snow. They have several weeks
OF sleIghIng at least. But 1t Is seldom that our
! SLOW lH6t0 lOuk lOi q Joy ObgoyIoohpt
and sleighing, therefore, being such rarity,
private stables do not keep sleighs, and livery
stables charge from FIVE dollars 10 ten dollars
an hour tor the nse OF them.
The best new book of the season is "George
Eliors" (Mrs Lewes's) el"Mlddle March" !"
| It Is having large sale, Notwithstanding Its
bulk and cost. The HarperB are the publish.
ers, and as they are not respeclers Of the rights
| Of English authors who have their works re-.
printed by lother American houses. probably
\ some rival Boston house will cut under with
cheaper edition. Everybody reads Charles
Reade, either serially or in the completed
form. His new story In one OF the weekly
pictorial papers, to run year, or longer,
opens brilliantly, and promises TO be as good
as his best. Il ls called "Ihe Wandering
Heir" aud Resde has attempted to conolliate
his old foes, the prurient prudes, oy an
nounclng that It shall be highly moral.
RubeDsteln has returned 10 New York to
give his farewell concerts. He has done only
moderately well in the provinces, and will
return 10 Europe In the spring. Edwin
Booth has rushed in to Dill up The gap ocoa-
stoned by the failure and withdrawal of the
| .'great American play" at his theatre. he
appears next Monday as Richard III. 1t had
not been bis purpose TO play In New YORK
this season. Lester Wsllack also avoids bis
own boards this year, and is making tour Of
the outside cities. The latest theatrical on dit
ia that Mrs. Lewis J. Jennings, vile of the
editor of the New York Times, Ia to return to
A.