The New York herald., 1876-12-25
MERRY CHRISTMAS
''TwISE THE HOLLY, WREATH THE BAY"-sANrA
CLAUS SECRETS ouT-rHK POOR AND THE

Tor CHRISTMAS comes out once year
That day OF days, Christmas, is here again, and
breathe freer now that weight OF secrets is oil our
minds How have hbbed and prevaricated during
the past two weeks. but IL is all THIS
Ing papa got his slippers worked by his dear little
daughter; 10 be sure they trlfe small and tho
pattern little gay for OF his years. but he is
delighted, and mamma has received the rug that Jane
has worked the sly. Ones domestic circle is
turned into nest OF intrigue and plotting during the
week before Christmas The girls have with
closed doors and with piles OF worsled their laps
and started like guilty things every time they
heard a footstcp IN the hail What a de-
lghifuliy mysterious time 1t is! How the children
hang around the chimney in anxious groups and shout
their wants up the sooty aperture. and II passing
gust Of wind chance to blow twg or shake the SCOT
down into the room, how they scamper away for fear
that old Santa Claus really coming after them
Although ardent admirers OF that old gentleman there
few children who to meet HIM face TO face.
We know Of little girls who. when they think that
he is In the parlor dressing the Christmas tree
pass the door Of that awful except dead rum
hardly daring to cast q sidclong giance toward the
fatally fascinating place, yet they love the dear old
and him the little notes and stick
them up the chimney that he Will be to send
them Just what they want Would 1t not be tho
height OF cruelty to tell the children that their
patron saint, the ono whose visits they so eagerly
await by year. ono al all but papa and mmama?
We have known children TO cry themselves almost i'll
after being SO cruelty uudeceived. How pltcs
those 10 whom Christmas day 10 nothing but bore.
They make presents because thoy think thOy mus
give them before the day and have feeling for the
joys OF a surprise Ifn lot to get nothing but
a sponge monkey would want to know or 1t TIL
Christmas Day.
hare Ia TINA han ma mt In ha v,tfh
his family II Christmas Day. How the father OF
half . dozen bouncing girls and boys feels for poor
Jones who has wife or children, and who takes his
solitary dinner at the club and poor Jones sighs he
Smith staggering home under tho weight OF wax
dolls, toy cooking stove and jumping jack for the
youngstersl Christmas Is . merry day with tho
greater part OF tho world, but to how many Is II
the saddest day OF tho year! They remember
a doar who kept the table in q with
his Jokes and fun year ago. but who has gone to that
world where all days alike. Christmas is mcan
choly day 10 u bercaved family. Next the blowing
OF penny trumpet under your window there is no
sound musical the ring o the snow shovel against
the ICY sidewalks ON a Christmas morning. Al the
first sweet scrape you bound out OF bed and are in
stantiy reminded festivity In the very
that to-day is Christm.s Day. You only stop to pun
where the stockings are opened. An artist could
mako an amusing sketch OF certain mothers room
which we know oi where family OF children Of ages
ranging froin seventeen to forty gathered around
tho bedside and opened their stockings in turn.
the clegancies ol tho toilet are dIsresarded
and the various costumes convey but ono
idea ot haste in their selection. What Jolly
time il is and how the peas OF laughter aud ons OF
admiration ring out on the frosty mornngl Christ
week this year has been as II should be- cold aud
clear, with surface OF snow on tho ground.
Christmas without snow is only u make-beeve. We
like TO have snow storm ON Christmas Eve, SO that
the noble army OF shovellers VIII make the welkn
the churcn bells tho STILL cold air and TO
good people slipping and sliding along the polished
How heartily the voices sing The Christmas carols
particularly that dear old one bcginniDg:-
Christ born Christmas day.
Twine the holly wreath the bay:
Carol. Christians, carol,
Carol Joy uily;
and with what vigor they
Shout the glad tidngs,
EAuitingly sing.
He who stays away from church on Christmas loses
one OF the pcasantest features OF the day. He is
halt INSPIRED With the feeling OF true apprec citation
unless he has seen the altar IN Its holly and evergreen
Dress the green star the east and the red berries
twned about the chancel railing and heard the CHOIR
snug the anthems and carols OF the day. Nowhere
Christmas Day service more Impressive than a little
country church whose congregation have spent the
week IN making the place gay with green's and gilt
paper texts, where every ms neg bor and
where all exchange a "Mcrry Christmas" at church
door
And now Merry Christmas 10 tho readers Of tho
HERALD, and, IN the language OF Tiny Tim, "God bless
AT the roxRs TO-DAY
Warden John Qunn's handsome Roman face beamcd
with pleasant smile yesterday when u reporter OF
the HERALD asked him now the prisoners under his
charge would fare on Christians Day. "rhe Commis
sioners," The Warden replied, shave made provision
tor grand dinner; in fact, " he added .Dives OF old
more substantial least than they'll be treated to- We
have 400 pounds OF turkey, seventy pounds OF |
Chickens potatoes, vegetables and all the etceteras
including modest dessert. Kind ladies have US
a large quantity vi evergreens OF every possible de-
sign, with when we have decorated the walls OF the
male and fcmaie prisons TO the topmos. tiers The |
interior of the ronibs now SAID Mr. QUINN .looks as
cheerful as we could possibly make IT.
Tux IDLE MENs CnKIsTMAa
The pleasant weather which made Christmas Eve so
finely in harmony with the festival OF to-day was a |
welcome favor to the poor homeless wanderers
work. Had the day been stormy and dismal the SUI.
ierinss OF the poor would have been greater and their
unfortunate position more kcenly felt by them. there
Is nothing mercless than the slush the rain and
the frost TO poor hungry wayfarer. AS II was the
streets were pleasant and tho December sunshine
warming, and the charity OF this city is too well
to allow the thought to be entertained that ut this
season OF good Will and generous feeling there q |
hungry man or woman IN tho community yesterday.
But stll 1t was cherries Christmas Eve Tor the
vast majority OF tho idle workngmen. Tho they
have endured tor so many months has lett them well
nigh AS demoraiized as they be. The
scattered single men have much 10 bear,
OF course, but their burden light cotn.
pared with the men whose families in utter
around them In the streets yesterday, SO lar as
could observed, the wanderers OF SO many AS
TO be especially noticeable contrast with recent days
when they we're to be around Nor
there many applicants at tho police pleading
TO be sent TO the Island for food and shelter Where
they found resting place II would be difficult say
but the 'ramps" have considerably vanished from
the city the respectable poor, the homeless dlo
men, may be able 10 themselves ay where
out Of the streets.
Inquiry made TO how the families OF the
workngmen relieved for the Christmas festival
On evory side stated that the charity given
not at all equal TO the need, did the
Jority OF the families OF the idle The number of
applications Tor relief received by superintendent
kellock have been daily increasing, but he has
no reoi TO give, and there Is other place
except the private charitable societies where
the poor apply for assistance The cases OF
published almost daily the HERALD do not give
idea 0! the extent 10 which families reduced
though they show particular class OF deserving
persons who are suffering. All OF these cases are
voIched for by respectable citizens, medical and
others, under whose notice each particular has
come. Even these can receive no help IRON the DE.
partmcnt OF Charities and Correction But there
thousands OF women. wives and mothers who have
been tor days past calling on Mr. kclock relief, OF
whose poverty no one knows but those imm mcdiateiy
arc no fha chart bfe