The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-26


Again Uncle Jere Rusk has reason to
congratulate himself with the success
with which be has managed Uncle Sans
weather bureau, and again the country
thanks Uncle Jere for the unusually
delightful weather for Christmas.
Instead of the snow storm on top Of
the three-foot mantle. in which this Sec
ton was wrapped a year ago, yester-
day, Christmas day, 1891, was as pleas
ant as spring time, but Uncle Jere was
not running the weather bureau a year
ago. II variety really is the spice of
life, an existence in this cline is not
altogether devoid of havoring.
The sun rose bright and clear yester-
day and the fears of those who antici-
pated Indictment weather were relieved.
The homes of the poor who were unable
to buy fuel were as comfortable as the
homes of the rich. Overcuats and wraps
were thrown aside and the population
Of Roanoke, that remained in the city,
turned out en- masse to celebrate the
day.
During the early hours of the morn
ing the reports of fireworks that com
menced the previous evening, grew less
frequent. but with dawn of day the bat
tie, as it were, was renewed. Tho
shouts of the enthusiastic small boy,
mingled with the constant boom and
crack, kept things lively throughout
the day But for these things Roanoke
had the appearance of the Sabbath.
Most of the stores and other places of
business were closed, and everybody
was bent on good time.
The few stores that were omen did hit
little business mos people having pur-
chased their holiday goods on the pre-
ceding days. Not even the saloons
were crowded. Most of the boys who
indulge their appetite for the cxhilar-
ating fluids taxed their capacities to the
utmost on Christmas eve, and many of
them were not even in conoition to en-
Joy tho good things that burdened the
Christmas dinner tables.
The traditional Christmas egg-nogg
has as firm hold upon new Virginia as
1T ever held in tho luxurious days of the
broad plantation. Eggs were broken by
the thousand yesterday, and but few
people in Roanoke commenced and fin
ished the celebration of Christmas day
without at least one glass of the stand
ard Christmas drink.
The elegant hotels of which Roanoke
boasts outdid themselves yesterday and
many were the menus that the most
fastidious epicure who dimes at Delmon-
icos would have thought it worth his
while to interview.
While there was no great rush OF
guests at any of the hotels, there we're
number of private dinner parties. who
enjoyed the feast of good things. They
did not forget that it was Christmas, and
wine, wit and wisdom flowed freely
around many boards.
Roanokers are a great church going
people, but they don't take Chris 6lnas
that way, though the services at the
few churches that were open were we'll
attended.
AT the Episcopal church Rev. DR..
Meade conducted an appropriate service
and administered the communion. The
music. which was prepared especially
for the occasion, was of high order of
excellence.
The Brethrens' Tabernacle was we'll
filled, and Rev. D. c. Moomaw delivered
an address appropriate to the day
Perhaps more people attended the
Catholic services than any other. The
church was appropriately decorated,
and even at the 5 o'clock service there
was quite good attendance. The 8
and 10 o'clock services were also we'll
attended, and of a very interes ting
! character. Rev. Father Lynch, the
pastor, celebrated mass, and the ex-
cellent music was one Of the features of
the service.