New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-29
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE DAY.


SALIENT FEATURES OF THE DAY.
A GLOOMY DAY, BUT MUCH QUIET HOSPITALITY
AND CHEER-EXERCIsES AT THE VARIOUS IN
sTITUTIoNs. -,
An unpropitious sky greeted the eyes OF all
observers of Thanksgiving Day" III this city upon
awakening yesterday morning. Low'lying gray couus
were drifting across the heavens; the sun was niu
from sight. The prOsDect was gloomy ana iorDluulhE'
, About midday however, the sun broke through tue
clouds and for few moments at that tme ana al pie
,ntervpls during the afternoon, IL shOne brightly But
II was the very mockery of cheeruness ana gave ho
hope Of a real victory the clouds, which toward
night were banked up in huge black walls IKE soilu
battements grdng the horizon The ar was cooi uui
ing the day. and raw at night At ngh'1a, however,
the air suddenly became far colder, and Wlnry WIN
swept through the streets.
The streets the business portion Of the city were de-
serted the stores we're closed and the machinery OF
manufactures STILL 1t was plain that the comhu-
nifty as whole observing the day by at least ceS
satiOn from work To thousands 1t was merely one Vi
the holidays of the year. But to other thousands IL was
truly day apart for special thanksgiving 70 Goa LOT
his care during the preceding year. The ehurchts tna
were opened-and nearly every church in the city had
some special servce-were well filled with Worshlppers'
At noon the streets we're crowded with the mmls-
takaby church-going class on their way homewaru'
aud the city wore a Sunday look The religious nature
buttons OF the city, for in fourscOre asylums ana
hosuitals charity fed with lavish hand the I'M
fortunate inmates. The day was mixture
OF Sunday and holiday, nevertheless as IL
always has been. There was ball-paying going on
IN the fields outside the city. the speeding OF horses
along suburban lanes and athletic contests OF various
kinds To the children it seemed apparently foretaste
of Christmas Hundreds OF them bought tin horns and
vigorously footed the ear-tOrturng instruments all day
long Despite the Of rain the Streets especially
on the East Side, filed with pedestrians 1t seemed
almost like Sunday in early Spring so numerous were
the children their gay dresses Frequently the stroll
Ter came upon bands Of children playing "soldler"
Coats turned inside out served uniforms, brOomsteks
for guns, tin pan for drum, and q boy wearing a
black mask a representative of the "sambo" that
acts targebearer for all the target companies One
band Of these amateur soldiers noticed standing
at rest" in long line before candy store, while their
General was pleading for supplies in the store
In thousands of homes reunions of friends and rela
tives we're held which made the day memorable one.
The railway trains which departed on Tuesday and
Wednesday had many passengers Oh their way to eat
the Thanks giving turkey with the old folks" In some
back-eountry farmhouse But the "od folks of this
city equally spitable and their tables were sur
rounded Yesterday by merry assemblages as ever
gathered in country dwellings. walk through the
markets on Wednesday night revealed to every
late buyer that the stalls had been swept
clean of everything of much value in the way
of poultry aud vegetables. The turkeys that
manned we're mournfully lean specimens OF their KIND
All this preparation reached its natural and fitting eli
in tie dnner-the main feature of the day. After
dinner and in the evening calls made About many
household fresides stories told and "reminiscences
OF old times related. Several OF the theatres held
two performances during the day, and there large
number of social entertainments Throughout the day
great quiet prevailed the city There was little
disorderly conduc and few arrests for drunkenness
were reported by the police. Many men wandered
through the streets thought puzzled 10 know what to
do Apparently tneIr desire for hilarious amusement
quenched by the sober and sunday-ke air of the
day So doubt about the proper thing to do, they did
nothing