New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-25
CHRISTMAS PRELUDES.
JOYOUS HOURS BEFORE THE HOLIDAY.

PREPARATIONS IN THE CHURCHRs.
Hard times have battled valiantly with the
spit of Christmas and have come forth from the fight
conquered at least for to-day With strong faith IN
the power which Saint Nicholas holds over the human
heart the shopkeepers piled high their counters and the
people came and depleted them. Saturday In many re-
spects was the day before Christmas for 1t ended the a
tiyity of holiday buying and holiday preparation Inc
Intervention Of Sunday whet to the small boy
curiosity who found the space between tue bringing nome
Of the brownpaper parcel and the appearance OF s con-
tents most aggravaungly long The bright sun
shine of Saturday although IL rendered the Walk
ing somewhat soft, left no reasonable excuse
for either purchaser gazer TO stay WITHIN
DOORS and the people, taking hint so pleasantly put
forth thrOnged the streets throughout the DAY anu 'o
into the night noticeable feature OF the shopping
was the crowded patronage received by WeH-hho"n
stores and the pitiabe desertoL hose whlch paSeu
their claims to custom merely mt show windows
and handsomely stocked counters People unwilling to
risk the chance of mistake kept away from the nrihs
they did not know The Others, however-those whose
names are household and appear before the eye
frequently in the advertising columns of THE TRIBUNE
could scarcely accommodate the crowds oil HlehuS '
aocked to their stores indeed, several establish
ments the crush became so great that IL was louhu
necessary TO station guards at the doors to regulate tn"
number Of persons entering while others in the passage
ways turned the tides OF travel in specified directions
Christmas activity reached Washington Market before
daylight The first sign OF lie was the appearance Oh
numerous heavy wagons laden with butchered DeeFes
and sheep Then came the vegetable vans, plea hlgn
with the fragrant harvests Of Flatbush and East New
York Shortly upon these followed the wealthy pueh-
ers and grocers who absorbed the choicest OF FISH, esh
fowl and vegetable for the longpursed people OF New
York Brooklyn, and Jersey City. An army OF muck
sters came next. each with his "one-hoss shay ana
shrll-yoced boy, who varied the discOrdance OF tho
hucksters bass cry with the dssonance Of his treble
fru{f IN nrDferpncGS
the several vendors, carried of 10 find convenient
lodging In some frequcnted avenue, aud thence to
stomacs less frequcnted. Then came daylight ana tue
baskets carried by stout women or weak men, ana from
this time TO midnight the market popuous wash
ington Market may almost be said TO be two markts-
within, the TOR families in easy circumstances VINO
know how 10 economze. aud without that which sup
niles those who practice the most strict economy To the
former 20 servants and welltodO German matrons 1t
has been found that a servant who Is good market
woman more than her wages ana car fares by
buyi in this market in .tead Of at retail Dealers ana
the number OF big market baskets that come and 20 III
the Sixth and EIghth-ave and upon the Elevated
Railroad show what number OF uptown families have
learned TO appreciate this Lesson. Some even send
servants from Brooklyn and find II profitable To sup
ply this demand for household comforts requires VAST
stock but the market although often tried, mas never
been found wanting. Nor Saturday an exception.
Basketfu upon basketiul, thousand times re
peated, was carried away and yet the rows
OF beef mutton, and fowl, the piles OF fish and
oy,ters the baskets Of fruit and vegetables and the fir
kns OF butter and boxes OF cheese varousued seemed
undmlnished certainly the ardor OF the market
man with his constantly repeated, "What can 10 TOT
you ma amt What will you have to-day SirP Articles
torn in handling proving less attractive III appear
ance than the best quickly found themselves outside III
the baskets and carts Of the cheaper dealers Here
Babel rcigned complete. Jostlipg men and wOmen'
lighting their way through crowds OF shrly-cryins
bucksters or stopping TO lagge about the price
OF some attenuacd chickcr trucks and draYs and hand
carts mixing In neItricabc confusion; vendors oil TN
ware toys cheap caps, gloves, aud stochngSi wagons
loaded high with golden oranges lady apples Ensh'h
walnuts or raisins, selling at abuously low prices
piles of weas crosses, stars &C., OF evergreen ana uh
fruted Christmas trees, unsuggstive OF Monda! DIP
dens-a these formed picture that only the pencil Oi
Hon,rth or the pen OF Dickens could do mstlce 10.
Tbns IL WAS all day. and almost until tho chimes OF
st. Paurs announced The arrival OF the Sabbath.
sWh the coming OF nightfa the scenes about the city
became even more nterestrg than In the daytime Inc
people poured by OF thousands into Broadway and
the prpcipal avenues until the sidewalks became almost
mpassable, and rapid locOmOtion was Impossible
striking scene presented AT Fulton Ferry "hefe inc
throngs of parceadcn rOOymtcs cOncenterrd IN their
tourney homeward for twO-days rst. The spectacle
IN the great thoroughiarcs such Grandst the BOWey
Avenue A. FIRST Third sixth. aud ElZhth-aycs.. almost
ufiCs description Up anu ubHh INC tIonha s'i"tb'"
the fathers and mothers Often with babes In their arms
and surely with sled and doll for little Jack and Molly
asleep at home tine sweethears with the conscou ness
OF whispered secrets I'm their faces the weary shopgrs
for once grow brigeyed In spite OF Themselves beneath
the gasligbt and with rostpchcd roses ~
the children In twos and throcs and tens Loud
and hilarious, aud perfectly Wiling 70 hpen,u
money II they had u to spend The drama OF ine StIGe.
WAS AN eyeIyary tUg one Win no Two scenes hhr 'Io
were found the vendors who had hlled thef NJ
the market IN the carly morning, and mere ,,ney re-
crNug their wares IN eNefFHBuBug
until sold out or grown hoase Win continued
The conjunction Of snow and sunshine brought out the
cItys stock OF slcghs In full force ana Doh IenIi
enters AT O'clock IN the afternoon the
scene had reached the hight 81 ls animation. snowy
horses celebrated speed were TO be seen with we'll
known faces behind them. Hundreds OF brghtloOklnB
slegns passed rapidly 10 ana no. hlng the ar Win tne
exharatng music OF THEN silver bells ana the Ihgn'eI
OF ILe happy loads they carried. Elegant cutters
lis numberlcss airy shapes; ianly sicshs, iai5,
cGpacons and comfortable aud others when pore ses
OF livery ownership and big bib for New year sJOneu
TO form spectacle of swift variety and beauty. Ine
rush OF the seighinS was over at 0Ocloch Oly iha ~
appeared after darkness had SGT ill., when brilliant h
moon turned the night 10 sliver skating upon tne 1en
trail Park AXE WINS somewhat injured by the snow upon
the Ice but, nothing daunted large crowd mace te
best OF circumstances and crowded. the pOhu t a'o d"
night. -, A.. ,..,,,, -, ,ho atocr Exchange
oOk place on Saturday, to tho great satisfaction OF Tue
hatters, who wish that business men III HeneIh Mouu
institute a similar custom. The arms ana equipments
consisted chiefly OF orchestra OF tin horns, win
bTazcn rtnuet or two two rubber balls with an extra
ordinary capacity for hitting mats, hafDhrle OF ho
and battcrlng ram III tnc snupc VI
last am excellent weapon OF Oicnse. The nst OF keu
and wounded was long and heartrendlng An olu nan I
with coucertina played number OF tunes IOr the
iocOse brokers, which were inaudlDe III inc huopp "
their tin horns but he was rewarded WIN na'ii Vi
COns A. ,....,.. ,ros
he Christmas decoration Ia many OF the churches was
finished on Saturday, while others deferred TINS Work
and carried in place OF or after the evening SERVES
Of last night The display In Lplscopai enuS1 th
generally speaking Will not be- so elaborate as that OF tbe
Cathoc edihces and In many instances VIII DO OF Tue
simplest kind. Among those which will be notably
unassuming in their OF OrnameniatlOn are
ST. ThOmnss st. Bartholomew, st. Marks ana 81
Georges while Trinity, Grace Church, Christ Churcn
81 Ignatuss Church OF the Heavenly Rest ana lew
Diners will be even more elaborate than usual impress
siye musical services viii be given in ST. Thomas Grace