The New York herald., 1874-12-26
The Day in the Streets, In the Churches and
in the institutions.
THE POOR REMEMBERED.
Observance OF the Festival Out
side the City.
MUSIC AND FEASTING.
Santa Claus Visits the Prisons,
Hospitals and Schools.


When the sun rose, chasing night into the past,
d-santa Claus gathered up his skirts and hurried
TO the couch OF Time to take his yearly notes.
Almost with the sun that was 10 light the day OF
the birth Of Christ, the myriad votaries OF the
vrizzly King OF good cheer jumped from their beds
and rushed to the mysterious stockings to see
what the King had sent them. Then such scene
began as IS rarely seen In any household
more than once year--on Christmas
Day. The happy owners OF the well filled
uockiDes rushed TO display the liberality OF the
god OF gifts. aud JOY ana laughter greetings and
merriment took possession OF many houses. Yes.
terday's sun was in graceful Keeping with the
general features OF the time. The dav was In
every sense glorious one All that could be de-
sired OF the weather it promised and gave ana
al the people who could be away from home
we're out 20 ENJOY II. AS the morning wore on
the streets commenced to show signs Oi the holl-
day lie that was already reignlng In such num-
bers OF homes. The churches were carly filled,
and crowds went on, passing TO aud from
them until long alter midday. Closed stores
and general cessation from labor gave o sab
bath sanctity and reserve the day outside. very
different from The Christmas echoes Of the pre-
vious evening. Then
BUNDLES AND BASKETS
seemed to have proclaimed the beginning OF the
Jete throughout the city--n the markets, the
stores. the squares, the streets and the avenues.
They were everywhere; on mems shoulders, on
their backs and in their hands; IN shops. IN
wagons, IN coaches IN carts and
In wheeibarrows: women carried them
and children struggled beneath the weight OF fes-
tival toys. They were of every shape and size aud
quality. They we're long and short, thick and
hin and
Of things, and all the things were Christmas
presents-presents lor boys and girls, presents
for youths aud madens, presents for men and
women, and heaps OF presents for grandiathers
and grandmothers They were then made up in
shops and opened yesterday IN homes Their con-
tents were Qatheret by children. lovers. sweet
hearts, husbands, wives and, even bachelors.
scores OF people who scarce had time then
10 look at their own in the general rush
tied up bundles or crammed more things into al
ready bursting baskets Tor others. Those for
whom they were being tied up ana crammed
looked on from outside the counters in glad antcl-
patton OF the pleasure they would give to those for
whom they were Intended. They spoke OF every
gentle feeling centred in the human heart. Love
was bound up in them Tor fathers, mothers,
brothers, sisters. wives sweethearts, friends, and
relatives. Desires to give delight we're woven In
with the donkey carts and wagons, with the TAM
bourInes and nddles, with the humming tops and
drums, with the easy chairs and tables, and with
.ne
PICTURES AND PIANOS.
they were then enwrapt with gratitude and
hope, reverence and Joy, affection ami esteem,
admiration and respect, and opened yesterday
with tue corresponding sentiments enhanced
thousand iod in the big hearts OF the little re.
cipients. something good natured aad kind and
holy and hearty rose out OF them when they
were undone that nlled the air as wen Is the
hearts cf all Who crowded round to investigate
their mysteries. Christmas day and Christmas
time and Christmas goodness and Christ.
mas cneer. was SO intense IN them
strings and paper. Unbounded In her delight the
cnIld went rouud TO show what was IN her parcel
to every one and make them sharels IN her nappi-
uess. The maiden flushed and the white haired
LADY By the fre went back in memory 10 the DAYS
when she was cnld and maiden. AS she looked
st the last git from an e,ergivlnR hand the eyes
dimmIng beneath the crush OF years grew Urlght
and moist ana tney saw beside 1t the fist
git OF the .imlo lover and the many Others that
Dad cone with succeeding Christmas, as
times rolled on with the lives or both. She remem-
bered when the head now white as her own was
young and black like many around her, and she
thought, TOO, OF hundred gifts that had been
sent 10 her. which were yet IN the Iuture for them
The trusting love and steady faith OF which each
Christmas Drough: new proof were present to her
mind, and she looked happily on those about
silently blessed the hand that sent them all. 1t
was as pie 10 see and think ON those who
were sent by Santa Claus or somebody e.se more
iangbe-as 1t was to look on those who sent or
brought them the night before. Inc young maD
ana wondering what lie wonld GET ana trying 10
choose between what ne would and what he could,
;els as
Of the time as the head OF the family at the head
Of rue board and all the nappy young heads around
it nervousy Impatient to attack tne heaped up
viands. The turkeys and geese and chickens
tnat mad caused snca stniiing OF BASKETS on
turn upon the tables, and soon after lots OF little
boys and girls were IN q similar condi
was not confined TO the boys and Rris etner.
More than one or the easy-goinR, SATISFIED
Of The table, whether in dress coats or Shirt
sleeves, icit obliged 10 confess 70 the old lady
shortly after the feast was over that her plum
pudding was OF such excellent quality that he was
tempted beyond his comfortable capacity. or
course the OLD lady suggested nip of the sixty
one" IN the cellar as settler, ana the old gentle.
man felt bound to comply with a direction OF
% excellent % nature and try nte the eneet t
me suea aTea, res oazed emsay n the fn on mans ns
house, ard the monster decorated rounds OF beef
and turkeys and geese and chicken made his
table groan with their weight and quantity, and the
sslxty oner flowed and the punch nowi steamed,
ana young and Old laughed and danced and sang,
snc misIletoe, the poor were not forgotten.
they. too, were treated TO Christmas The rich
man had spared rom mis- abundance that the hard
pressure OF poverty may be for the moment
raised from the afflicted and the toer shared las
little with them.
those who were poor by chance, those who were
poor by age. those who were poor by superior
viii aud those VINO were poor because they are
not yet able TO help themselves. were all PROVIDED
for ana cDarltaDle hands dealt out 10 them the
things contributed for their Christmas
daner. The Christmas baskets and the
Christmas bundles ol Christmas Eve which
were bought and sold, carried ana sent by a rush
Ing, pushing, hustling, busy, nolsy. laughing,
cnan1ng, eager tnrobg. were the signal oi the
season. Tney began the carnival OF Christmas
that was YESTERDAY IN the peoples faces coming
voice and manner, that was playing IN their
parlors, tnat was sung OF In tDcT churches that
was coursing through the air.
ST. THOMAS CHURCH.
81. Thomas church, corner Filth avenue and
Flty-thIrd street. The arrangements for the cell