The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-27
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL MATIERS.
CHRISTMAS FEsTIvIT1Es-FIRE- CRACK
ERs - TIN-HoRNS - ExHHARATING BEvER
AGES-SERyICEs AND Music IN THE CHURCHES
many respects Christmas-day was one of tht
real old-fashoned sort. Snow covered the
ground and the air was sharp and pene
trating, rendering the comforts of home, in
cluding big fires and egg-nog bowls, more
than usually attractive.
Tie visits OF Santa Claus to the children
were made with accustomed promptness
II his presents We're less costly, they were
no less welcome than in former years. Hi
favors were widely distributed, and thu
little ones of the poor as we'll as OF the ricl
reioiced in his unfailing memory Of thei
wants, and his saint-like forgetfulncss O
their little sins.
The boys were most generously provided
with fre-crackers, torpedoes, and tin-horns
They were set to work making "melody
by the time the last stroke OF the clock hat
announced Christmas-eVe gone and Christ
mas-day come, and continued till all quie
folks had gone to bed. The noise on Broat
and Main streets was at times considerable
but the eXceSses committed with tin-horns
an former wears were but rarely repeated
The horns Of the boys were innocent in
struments compared to the huge tin con
Germs manufactured some years ago, ane
bought by men with the intent and purpost
OF making their friends and neighbors mis-
erable.
Christmas would be nothing to the boy!
without noise-manufacturng agencies, ant
the police very properly allowed them libe
raj margin for enjoyment.
The merry Jingle OF saeSgh-bells was heart
in all parts of the city Monday as well a
yesterday. Laughing lassies, wrapped il
| furs and buffalo robes, and seated besid
their admirers and behind dashing teams
made pretty pictures for those who stoot
| indoors, with noses tlattened against tn
window-panes, watching the movements Il
the street.
AS for boys sheds, the pavements wer'
covered with them. Storekeepers may pro
test that this, that, and the other sort o
business was dfIll, but vain would be an.
attempt OF theirs to establish the fact tina
they did not seE vast numbers of SledS.
| 4 very merry practice has recently com
in vogue on some of the fashionable up
town streets, hy which the young ladie
waive their dignity for brief season, ant
seat themselves upon boys sleds, and, wit
one or two benllX at the rope, are draw
over the pavement almost as fast as rein
deers sweep ahe Laplander over snow,
fields. Dozens of charming creatures en-
ioyed the INVESTIGATING delights Of this sor
of amusement Christmas-day. The idea ha
become fashionable. Perhaps before Ion
all the bellies will have the beaux in barnes
making use of their swiffness of foot.
The Christmas dinner in every househol
is feature 'of Virginia life, and the goo
things OF this world were by no mean
wanting on Monday. In the minds Of man
OF those who looked upon the greanin!
boards and calculated the cost thereof,
doubt arose as to whether the people ar
quite so impoverished as they represent
II they are they strain point to keep u
old-time appearances. The proprietors o
st. James Hotel, having many stranger
within their walls, spread before them din
ners of richest delicacies superbly cooked
and endeaya1eh to make them feel at home
MIR. Cronin, the Oregon elector, who "heet
like bird" to keep ahead OF the inter
viewers, can scarcely imagine how much h
lost by not staying here to dine with All
Hoenniger. Mr.. H. Fl. Hathorn, Me1
York member OF Congress, and Governo
Walker, were among the distinguished
guests at the Exchange.
The services lat the Monumental chure
were conducted by the rector, Rev. Georg
Woodbridge, D. DE- assisted by Rev. ALL
Joyner-the latter reading the service ant
the former preaching an admirable dis
| course appropriate to the day. The muSl
was decidedly the best we have ever hear
| in this city on any similar occasion, tn
programme being as follows:
Opening Voluntary, Wheat; Anthem
There weae Shepherds" Buck; Glorias
Wheat and Warren; TIE Deum lin B minor)
Buck; InteiAate (from "Stabat Mater y
Niillard; Hymn .20th--" Hark, What Meal
Those Holy Notices." Warren; Response
to Commandments, ,Gonnod; Gloria Tlbl
Wheat; HYMN 2lst-'s Christians. Awake
Salute the Happy Morp;'' Warren; Aseri p
ton, Carnells ,9dertory-"I VIII EXto
Thee, Lord" lffem :" Ella" y, Sir Mlchae
Costa ReeessiHiaL Nv Wheat.
The whole OF tbe. above music was rem
dered in such an .ssaexceptisnable manner
as to render it "a a,difihsult task to say which
portion is deserving of special notice; but
your reporter thinks that probably the
grandest Efforts 'of 1.-THE day were the "Te
I Deum," in Is minor; .eJubilate,' from Sta.
bat Mater; TGenty-frst hymn, "a Christians
Awake" and the Otfastsry, 81 syill Exto
Thee THE last &eipg sang by ahc gifted
asprano, Miss Alice :Sw@n, whose highly.
tesaltiyated voice properly interpreted this
Ilmasterpiece Of Sir Michael COSTA. Her
ttEias were perfectly exquisite, and she held
| the vast congregati@m which thronged the
elupch spell-bound while her solo wss be-
ing sang.
Ths members Of the quartette are Miss
Alice Swain, sopraBss Miss Maggie Red
ford, asntralto; Mr.. Joha ID. Redford, tener;
and Nj. William Fl. Gsant basso. AL
seemed 10 be in excetIest voice. end sunG
their various roles with great sweesness and
consumnse taste, showing the careful
training OF the master-hand which guides
them, wbicb il is almost needless to add Is
Mr. Leo. r. Wheat, whose organ-plsying
on this occasion but served TO add another
to the many laurels he has already earned
as the organist pa, excellence OF America.
The glorious old Monumental organ, un-
der his almost magic touch. sounded to our
ears nearly as well as the grand orchestras
with whose aceomDaniments some OF our
northern Episcopal ehurehes are favored IN
their Chrlstpas and Easter music.