Smyrna times., 1882-12-27
The Christmas HOLIDAYS.

Juveniles, has come and nearly gone,
since our last issue-the few remaining p
days up till New Years's belonging
only to the children in its festive sense.
1t gives us pleasure to say that as a
whole it has been a success a real
time of peace and good cheer to those
who observed it in its proper spirit.
To the other large class, those who
saw or enjoyed it only by their animal
senses we are at a loss to say whether
there was enjoyment in it or not.
Christmas-eVe is a very essential part
of the great event. This fell on Sun
day by the calendar, but it was in fact
on Saturday. Whatever may have
been done before in the way of prepa-
ration, there is still much always to do
on the last day. This was especially
the case with Saturday, as the two
previous days had been stormy,
and the stores and shops were
thronged with purchasers, from the
vicinity around, from the Forest, from
beyond the Maryland line, they came
to town to see and purchase or give
themselves up to brutal appetites. We
are sorry to have to chronicle much Of |
the latter.
Those people who never fail to make
us a visit on Christmas-eve were on
hand as usual and succeeded in what |
they came for, debauch. The facili- |
ties in this town and ut Clayton for the |
darkeys to get whiskey made them |
especially noticeable as a class for
drunkenness, noise and profanity dur
ing the afternoon. Several were arres-
ted and put i'll the lookup but more
ought to have been. There was no
disturbance of the peace otherwise
until the evening.
There were much fewer people in
the town than in the afternoon, in fact
not more than is usual on a pleasant
Saturday night, but many of these
were of the class who think that
Christmas is not Christmas unless they
| get drunk, have fight, or something
on that order.
"Joe" Ennis was on hand, as usual,
with twenty or more young men who
seemed to acknowledge him as their
leader. In passing up the street Ennis
assaulted a colOred man without provo
cation and a follower named Walker
knocked him down with a black jack.
Another cOlOred man was similarly
treated. No extra police were on duty
and Ennis was rescued from the Alder
man and his police by his crowd.
This made them masters of the situa-
tiOn in a defiant sense.
The cOlOred men felt they were
assaulted because of their color, and not
for anything they had done, and the
more they chawed' it over the more
they felt it was an indignitS not to be
borne, and q half hour later they band
ed together to a considerable number
and went in search of Ennis, but he
did not appear on the street, being
secluded in the hotel all night. When
, we say that the order was bad under
: such circumstances, we say what would
} be readily inferred.
SUNDAY.
/, The bright Spring-like day of Sunday
, would of itself have made it a cOnspic
: uOus day, had it not been so intimately
connected with the Christmas-tide
: The congregations were large. The
: NJ. E. church was simply but neatly
: decorated. Over the pulpit recess wa.
> the inscription in large evergreen
: letters, Peace on Earth" Below thi
extending to the gallery was a dOubl,
line of festOOning, which with th'
trimming of the gas brackets constitu
8 ted the adOrnments.
# The Episcopal church was elaborate
: ly dressed. Festoons extended aroun,
t the whole inner wall caught in wreathe
0 at the windows and the gallery front
Y while in a line below in evergreen
" letters were appropriate scriptura
If verses, HOsanna to the Son of David
HosaDna in the highest" God man
fest in the flesh" God my strengtl
and Redeemer," &c. In the rear G
the chancel on the wall in circula
form and ornate letters was, "BehOl
- l bring you glad tidings of great joy,
:, :, while in a line that formed the base {
~ the half circle was Christ is born
~ Bethlehem" In the central space WI
large gilt star in dark trimming
over the doors at either end of I'll
49, chancel were Wonderful" "Counse
~ ~ lor while other decorations were
:" % and about the chancel. There were L
a flowers in either church. The sermon
- were preached in harmony with Il
e spirit of the day we celebrate"
MONDAY.
"a A more bright, beautiful. mil
10, bracing Christmas day never dawnt
le, on humanity lit was perfect. II
sS- full-orbed moon rode through Il
heavens the whole night apparent
or increasing in brightness, when Il
se, rising orb of day arose from the Ea
he and eclipsed it with its superior sple
IN doris Ere the grey. of morning h;
heralded the coming of the King
go Day." the bell of the NJ. Z. chur,
hrs rang out on the clear morning a
calling the faithful to the alteration
is the babe of Bethlehem" as did t
Ith song of the angels the shepherds
ny the Judean Hills.
oh The music of the bells
ife That in all the towns and dells
his Brings down the Christmas JOY to ev'ry heart
i'' Puts all passions vile TO flight.
And sends sOrrOws out of sight.
ST And bids man from his drOss to stand apart"
The seventy or seventy-fve perso
a who met at the early hour of da,
vn. went in the expectation of meeti
Him as much as did the magii VIII
ok, they followed the star to the mang
dy and, as one of them expressed it,
yn. presence was Just as real as it was
will the two disciples whom he joined
,an the way to Emmaus after his resurr,
ton.
ter In every house where there We
Law children (and Christmas amounts
little in it's holiday aspect where the
ing are none) the din and confusion ON
red the gifts of Kriss Kringle commend
early and was kept up with but lit
at intermission throughout the d
Christmas trees were the attractions
ur- a great many homes.
of The Liberty Cornet Band gave
has usual parade through the streets VIII
Irs. was enjoyed by those attracted to
in open air.
The usual Christmas service was h
ent ut the Episcopal church with mu
AVS. prepared for the occasion, closing W
ton, IL very neat and appropriate sermon
ill, sixteen minutes from the Rector
ity, the doxology of the angel at the Ann
citation, Glory to God in the High
diff and on Earth Peace and Goodwill
1me Men"
Bell, The Christmas dinper was
ldy, absorbing question for the pftern'
fred and the preparations were never I
bert haps more ample.
/. G. The evening was devoted to
C,,nIn., onbnols nf both tho nhura