The New York herald., 1877-12-25
THE "EvE" IN THE CITY.

THE CROWDED STREETS AND HAPPY FACES.
Only one thing was needed yesterday to make the
holiday aspect of our strec:s perfect, and that was
snow. A crisp white carpcting on the sidewalks and
fcathery particles to gstcn on the barc, skeleton
branches Of tho naked would have dono al that
needed 10 complete Christmas picture 40 iuil
Of spirit aud animation tho ardent admircr OF
the great festival could wish look upon. Through.
out the day great crowds of people surged through
tho principal thorouRhfares intent on making pur-
chases OF Christmas things Great preparations
had been made 10 meet tho requirements
Of the time. but from all appearances the
rush exceeded the most sanguine expectations OF
dealers In the al aud useful The great cm-
poriums which illed 10 replot ION few days ago
swarmed with eager purchasers yesterday that by
the choicest articles had passed to the capacous
storehousc VI Kris krinsc Fourtcc nth street never
labored IT did yesterday with passing stream OF
humanity and bundles There were all sorts oi
packages IN the hands Of tho surgng throns who
wcndoa their way 70 expeciant olcs gathered around
the chimney at home, PACKAGES that viii nave stolen
from heir places oi oy this u glad
tho OF many thousands OF little witu
coming oil that great feast whose repeated observance
snae caanot witncr nor custom stale. - In addnIon
the Understandable amount and variety OF good
things IN the stores greac perhaps, in their diversity
and attraction than ever before, tho strcets without
were occupied oy inhumernDic pedlcrs OF kncknacks
and small wares, and tho shouting of this band Of
.rncrchants' mingled with and heightened tho uustle
and confusion accustomed By the presence OF tho I'M
mense throug
Around tho markets another lively pro-
sonloJ Tnc busting butcher pnod his kniic inccs
sanity as anxious housewives picked and sorted tor
the day OF fuIsting within the markets great crowds
darkencd the picture, and " was necessary at high
noon hight up the gas JETS Turkeys nu
bers vanished from tho -t,iaco aud ich rounds aud
Ions OF beet were borne homeward In ample baskets.
Grand street, tho east side, was simply impassa
bio IN the evening The shops were brightly illum
mated and nllcd with purchasers who could not
lnd TO get their Christmas neccssaries through
out the day. AS The night advanced tho streets sl
contiu ucd filled TO unusual extent, and through
then glimpse Of Christmas trees bending Win the
weight o welcome gifts that tiny hands VIII grasp at
eagerly to-day.
THE BoYIsH BROKERS' s-scENEs AT THE STOCK
EXCHANGE YESTERDAY.
II the time has not yet arrived for tho lion and the
lamb to lic down together tho season is ut least
present when tho '5ull'' and tho 'bear content
If TO sink their individuality ut loast TO let the
ursiuc nature ruio hilariously and for few hours
permit the stock xchange TO bs converted into a
verilabo bear garden. 'ris y tradition OF tho Ex-
change ana rs ono secs II repeated from to yoar
the conclusion irresstibly iorced that trad-
tion Is responsible Tor the perpctuation Of some
strange absurditics. One would suppose that
steady application OF the mind 10 tho solution
and practical application OF problems OF finance
should be somewhat conducive to system In enjoy
menL TO dissipatc this theory, ut least In its app.
cation to tho New York Stock Exchange, ono need
only have in tue gallery OF that ample cdGco
titton o traditional Christmas foiiies. These
monccd almost eda,cly alter the opening OF tho
Exchange and were continued to Its close ut
O'Clock In tho afternoon, not to tho entire exclusion
OF business by any means. but rather a ridlcu-
lousy discortant accompaniment loud tootiBg
OF horns announced the advent OF the festivities
herald proclasina the coming oil some dis
practice. While groups OF brokers gathered about tho
location OF one pool and another the bounding bali was
hurled IRON post to pillar. deaoshng globes, crush
ing tail hats and provoking the agility VI the younger
The fun and the chairman was powercss to pre-
serve ORDER Ho wanted TO impose nncs, but found
tn plan useless, his the gavel
beng by the turbulent tho
fun Makers who had begun 10 add sriI Whistles bells
other NOISY instruments to the notes OF the mellow
horn. bind fiddler was added 10 this strange or.
cncsira and subsequently three organ grinders joined
usual onioDstratve style, brokers bowling more
vigorously and shaking their lists TO Try ami make
rnr GoyraMsc ~ COMMITTEE
Meantime also The Governing Committee had got
together ard concluded 10 close the Exchange at
O'Clock. This stimulated business somewhat, but did
lesson tho noise Indeed, the variety OF the sports
induRcd in increased and seemed to enhance The
aud vgor OF the iunmakers In imitation OF time
hODorcd custom OF the colorcd race, The boys
cludcd ~ walk Tor the cake The result sono
vigorous competition seemed afford great ENJOY.
rnont 10 those participating, among whom were some
gray haired mcntcrs. Wncn tho accepted victor
usLercd, or rather hustled, forward 70 claim The
prize his hat YVES snatchcd from his head and no
was maucd un.eclIngly. Subsequently tho organ
grinders secured most attention. There were thrcc
latter having an infant IN her arms. IL would
have been marvel TO most mothers 10 havo
seen The little one escape death from fright
at such an indescrbaUe uproar As prevailed Win
rapid moiion tho organnen turned tho handles of
their Internal machines, each one IN execution of u
different tune, all loud and kqucaky by turns, whiio
the brokers, with vigorous horn accompanments,
sharp squealng blasts and loud Whistles. sweed tho
din. Masks were brought Ia ana put ON the organ
mems faces, ana cut papers were strcwn on their
heads whio their hats we're kicked about the room
place OF the now departed footballs. Some OF tho
Ia aurau ~ a Itu9lc of "A v or
organ, whilo others, few yards of, essaycd the
double shulllo to the lvcler tones oil another per-
former In the midst 0 this din ~ one O'Clock the
gong was sounded vigorously, the Cnarman's mallet
raped, and fun and business ceased on the Stock Ex
change Tor another Christmas Eve.
SERVICES AND MIDSIGnT MASSES IN TnE
cHUncHEs--A caGrsTMAs TEEE AT TRINITY.
The Sunday school scholars Of Trinity Church,
ssting OF thirtydvo classes and 600 chdren assem-
bcd at their school room, corner OF Church and
Thomas streets, at two r NJ, wncrc they formed in