Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-28

Christmas morning dawned auspiciously.
The air was crisp and life-giving, not over
cold; and the sun sun rose behind the eastern
hills, tinting the sky with yellow and purple.
II was the loveliest of winter days. Santa
Claus had not forgotten his customary visits.
and the little ones were amply remembered.
Stockings hung up on the chimney over night
had grown plethoric. and bulged out with
their load of treasures. There were mv..
terious bundles at the doors, packages under
the plates at the breakfast table, and sur
prises everywhere. "Wish You a merry
Christmas" was repeated over and over again.
Az the sun rose higher, the church bells rang
out their joyous peals in honor of the birth
of Him who gave US this ''holiest of all holy
DAYS. At St. Marks church morning pray-
er was said, and Christmas carols sung bv
the choir The interior was deliberately and
beautifully trimmed with evergreen. At St.
Mary's church high mass was celebrated. and
Rev. Father Murphy preached a sermon ap
propriate to the day. The church was finely
decorated with evergreens. There were no
services at the other churches, although
many of the sermons on Sunday were full of
Christmas thoughts.
SLEIGH BELLS
If Mr.. Vennor had only given us his
eleven feet of snow. What joyful day it
would have been! The sleighing was rather
poor, but it was improved. The livery stables
leased every turnout they owned, and there
we're scores of private teams prancing over
the roads.
OK THE RIVER.
Crowds and crowds of skaters of both sexes
improved the glare ice, and SKINNED over
the bosom Of the kennebec as lightly as
lark ceaves its native ether. Ahem! The
ice was pretty badly cut up and tumbles were
frequent, but nobody minded them There
we're all kinds of skaters. The urchin was
there with his old-fashioned turned-up irons,
fastened with leather strap and iron
buckles; the scientific skater was there with
his patent steel skates, without a vestige of a
strap or buckle, describing. curves, and cir
cles and ellipses, and parabolas with rapid
ity that would make a professors head swim.
In the evening great fires were lighted, and
the healthful sport was kept up until late
hour.
Or THE STATE RANGE.
All day long rifles cracked on the State
range as the marksmen faced the targets.
There were about thirty contestants. Some
very pretty shooting was done. f. w. Moore
captured the first prize, as usual, scoring SO
ont of possible 20 points.
The HINDoO JUGGLERs.
About 800 ladies and gentlemen gathered
in Granite Hall in the evening. The lecture
on India" by Harry w. French, illustrated
by means of stereoptican, was OF absorb
ing interest. The hall was darkened, and
disolving views were thrown upon an i'm
mense screen upon the stage. Mr.. French is
an easy speaker. and his remarks added much
TO the pleasure of the entertainment 1t
like chapter from the ''Arabian Nights.
The audience forgot where they were forgot
that the mercury was crawling down to zero
outside, and reveled in the marvellous pictures
of castles, and temples, and landscapes.
Every now and them hearty applause would
greet some especially fine scene. After the
lecture came the feats of conjuring and mag
ic by the troupe of swarthy HiLdoos. This
was the less interesting part. Most OF
their tricks are better done by Ameri-
can jugglers and the snakes were so
nearly torpid from the cold weather that they
could not perform.