Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-25
CHRISTMAS EVE SCENES.
THE CITY READY FOR THE
GREAT HOLIDAY.

The Streets and Stores ThronGed Until
Late at Nieht-Every body Preparing
for the GIsd Festival - Some of the
Busy Places in the City - Rain Does
Not Spoil the BoDfires and Fireworks
Christmas Trees for the Little Ones
The Services in the Churches To-Day
1t was a rainy, muddy Christmas eve.
The rain and mud, though, did not lessen
the bundle-laden crowds that thronged
Broughton street until near midnight.
Tie big Exchange clock had struck u
long before the last loiterer had gone
home. The stores closed late, and the
tired clerks mad not long got to rest after
the hard rush OF the week before Christ
mas had begun.
In a thousand homes, their cheeks
flushed with excitement and hugging new
and wonderful toys, little ones were sleep
ing at last, tired out with joy and glad
ness. In thousand others graybearded
old Santa Claus, with his pack, was slip
ping down the chimney with his arms
full of presents to put into the open stock
ings, while his sleigh-which had to be
put on wheels here-waited for him on
The roof. The great holiday of the year
had arrived, and the city was ready for it,.
READY FOR A HOLIDAY.
1t is not an easy job to get ready for
Christmas. For more than week the
streets and stores nave been crowded and
the rush yesterday, in spite OF the nasty
weather. was as great as that OF all the
week. WHAT to buy was at last settled,
and presents galore, pleasant memories,
afiectionate sentiments and everything
that goes 10 make up a joyous holiday
in ha oil hat,
all the world rejoices.
BUSINESS TO BE SUSPENDED.
To-day Christmas turkey and big din
ners Will take the place OF the hurried
lunches that have been eaten for the past
week. There will be general suspen-
sion of business. TIE banks and eX-
changes and city and government offices
will be closed, except the post office,
where special hours Will be observed. All
the courts adjourned yesterday until
next week. A few of the larger retail
houses Will be open during the fore
noon and the corner shops and fruit
stands will keep open all day to supply
the fireworks trade, but the wholesale
houses will be closed altogether.
the rain yesterday and last night
was a setback to the pa
triotism OF the small boy with
a back yard full of barrels and his pock-
cts full OF peppers, but he made the, best
of it,
CHRISTMAS EVE BONFIRES.
In most of the squares south oil Liberty
street bonfires were lighted as soon as it
was dark, and were kept burning until
nearly midnight. In some of the squares
there were firework displays, but the
chief displays will be tonight.
All over the city there were the unmls-
taxable signs of Christmas eve. The
generous feelings OF the season were
shown as clearly as usual. There were
abroad the usual number of gentlemen
who bad difficulties with their night
keys, and the usual number who had
trouble with their parcels.
THE LATE OUTS.
A few Christmas eve serenaders were
still out at l O'Clock this morning, but the
blasts Of their horns were not as steady
as they we're In the early night.
Altogether it was a very quiet Christ
mas eve. The streets were never before
so thronged, and the toy shops and stores
where holiday goods are sold were
crowded until long after 10 o'clock. But
the crowds were good natured and quiet,
and the police, although they had all they
could 90 to keep the sidewalks from being
blocked, were called upon to make very
few arrests.