Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-26
CULLINGS OF THEDAY
How Pittsburg Enjoyed the Festival
of Bright Christmas.
LIVELY INCIDENTS PORTRAYED
Crowds at Churches, On the Streets and
at Theaters.
THE WEATHER MAN KNOCKED OUT


In his great snow palace, under the cold
glare of the Northern lights, sat old Father
Christmas, awaiting the hour Of midnight.
In his wrinkled fingers he held the golden
beaker, brimming with ruddy wine; and
over his sturdy shoulders was loosely thrown
a mighty robe of furs. In the courtyard
his reindeer team stood paving the snow
clad ground and jingling their bells in
pleasant unison. Their hot breath hoated
upward through the frosty air, and they
seemed impatient to be gone.
But old Sieur Noel was in no hurry to
wend him forth over hill and dale. He had
scampered SO often. over the snow to the
little folks be loved in the far-off South,
that these journeys had begun to grow mo-
notonous. So he sat with the wine in his
hagon, and silently waited.
DRAINED A sTIRRUP CUP.
Presently twas midnight, and the old man
knew it, for he knows many things that
others reck not of. In an instant he was
upon his feet, with the golden cup lifted high
above his head. "WassailI'' he cried, and
drained the bright wine to its last drop.
Then with gallopIng of hoofs, and scat
tering of snow, the brave old monarch Of
merriment was speeding swiftly southwark.
In the good city of Pittsburg, as in many
another city the wide world over, the burgh-
ers were awaiting the coming of this guest
from the realms of ice. Some of them stayed
to see the morning in, with song and merri-
ment; some very wisely laid them down in
the arms of Morpheus and slept the sleep of
the lust. Some again strobe through the
streets in the fresh breeze of night to the
glowing church portals, and kneeled them
down in the warmth aisles to join in the
glad pecan of praise swelling up from lips
and finger" to the honor of the Christ child
born in Bethlehem so long ago.
BROUGHT GLAD TIDINGs HERE.
To few, indeed, in this great city did the
mighty festival bring .aught but happiness
With the last stroke of midnight all
Pittsburg chuckled gaily, and wished the
world 'Merrie Christmas.
Soon as the day began to dawn the crowds
swarmed in the streets, and hundred bells
tolled out greeting to another yule tide.
1t was green Christmas" but spite Of
the time-worn sun, no one felt downhearted
or discouraged, and all the good things sa-
cred to the day were enjoyed with as much
gusto as if the snow lay thick about the
caves and on the pavements. Everyone
seemed to be as merry as the season itself,
and jokes and fun were freely banded.
Fifth avenue. toward midday, when the
sun streamed down in strange disregard of
all tradition, was a happy hunting ground
for the "gnys and cranks." Such was the
good-fellowship observable on the big thor
oughfare indeed, that one observer re-
marked: eff this be a green Christmas,
folks seem to be making the snow fyp
The hotels were practically empty, while
their guests were actually full; and indeed
everybody who could leave his house to get
out into the sunlight seemed desirous Of
doing so.
PRETTY WELL, CONSIDERING.
If the patrol wagon consumed little
more grease than usual, the general Jsobriety
of the vast crowds which filled the highways
and byways was really remarkable.
As night began to fall, the merriment
only waxed faster and more furious Lamps
we're lit, and couples whirled gaily together
beneath the hanging holly bOughs. The
children romped about the hearthside, all
alight with the blazing yule log. or its arti-
fetal substitute; and their young voices
rang out to cheer old Christmas to his sad
goodnight And so he went from among
us as he came, with the tolling Of the bells
and the sound of merriment, and every true
man felt better for having seen another Yule-
tide.
The reindeers galloped back again to the
Ice palace in the snowhills, and the greatest
festival of the year was over and done.