The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-26
A GREEN CHRISTMAS.
Yet There Was Feasting
by Many Happy
People.
CHEERFUL LIDERALITY EVERYWHERE,
Inmates of Institutions Shared in
the Festivities-SOme Lead
ing Events.

in this city and to sadden the thoughts
of few. 1t was peculiar Christmas Day.
The weather WAS murky and misty,
damp and disagreeable; mild and more
like April than December. Some people
who wanted to be out of doors were pre-
vented by this condition of affairs, and to
others-the great majority-it made but
little difference, for Christmas, unlike
any other holiday, has its joys, pleasures
and excitements at home. 1t is essen
TALLY a home day. Santa Claus is the
children's friend, and the old fellow loves
to give them pleasure at home.
There are in this city, however, many
unfortunates whose only home is that of
charity, but big hearted old Santa Claus
did not forgeI them. He was just as faith
full in his efforts to please the poor little
ones as he was those who had kind par
ents and plenty. He stopped on his
rounds at each of these homes for unfor-
tunates, aud left supply of goodies and
useful articles that for one day at least
brought sunshine to the souls of the re-
cipents of the gifts.
The number of Christmas night dances
were fewer yesterday than usual and the
attendance at the churches in the moIn-
ing was not SO great DIS 1t was Christ
mas year ago. The weather
probably had much to do with this. The
churches. with but few exceptions, ha d
special musical services for the day. The
specially prepared programme of Grace
Episcopal Church on Erie street, was de-
lightfu1. The Bergen Reformed Churc b
also had an excellent programme and SO
did the Palisade NJ. E. Church. At
Christ's Episcopal Church the anthems
were of high order and the music In st.
Marks Episcopal Church was exquisite.
Hedding Church had service of song
that was delightful and the voices showed
careful training.
High mass was celebrated In all the
Roman Catholic churches, and the cere-
monies and music in St. Peters. St
Marks, St. Bridget's and St. MichaePs
Churches were very impressive.
AT THE CITY HOSPITAL.
At the City Hospital, the inmates who
were not too ill to appreciate Christmas
| Day, enjoyed themselves hugely. When
each patient awoke in the morning, he or
| she found a Christmas letter from the
| Kings Daughters on their pillow. 1t
was a pastoral letter and pleasant
| greeting. The Police Commissioners
| provided the patients with chicken
| dinner, which was served in a first-class
manner by Warden Osborn, who never
tires in trying to make his charges forget
| their sufferipgs.
| An unknown philanthropist sent the
| patients fifteen quarts of ice cream, and
| the First Presbyterian, Bergen Reformed
| and First Universalist churches sent
| several boxes OF oranges to the hospital.
| Dorcas Circle remembered the sick and
| lame, and for Christmas gift sent TO the
| hospital a quantity of fruit and wearing
| apparel The Blessed Ten of the Re-
| formed Church sent lot of toys to the
sick children to gladden. their hearts, and
the Willing Workers Of the Bergen Re-
| formed Church sent to the hospital one
box of oranges. Besides these gifts a
| number of patients We're remembered by
| their friends.
Christ's Hospital Jared very well also,
| and many good things were sent there by
the different guilds i'll the Episcopal
| Church aud from individuals The hos
| pital chapel, wards and stairways were
| decorated with evergreens, the work of
| the women of the guilds. The patients
I enjoved a turkey dinner.
St. Francis Hospital was not forgotten
| by The generous. Many Christmas gifts
| of clothing, fruits and toys were received
| for the patients by the Sisters.
| The children at tie Aims House and
also the poor old paupers were remem-
bered by those who had plenty. The
| Freeholders had provided candies. toys,
| cakes, oranges and nuts and turkey
dinner for them, and many charitable
persons made individual gifts.
During the afternoon an entertainment
WAS given dU Uuc AliuS LlOuSC ny tAO
| children which the old and young and
visitors enjoyed very much. Warden Ryan
allowed his Zouaves to parade, and the
youngsters, one and all, knew that they
| had a holiday, and one more bright spot
was added to the very few in their lives.
The lunatics at the Asylum had as much
| liberty as safety to themselves permitted
and were given turkey dinner.
The prisoners at the Penitentiary were
not required to do any work and were
given the freedom of the corridors and a
turkey dinner. The friends of many of
| the prisoners visited them. and brought
| uelicacies to them during the day.
AT THE CLUB HOUSES.
| At the club houses yesterday, there was
much life. Everyone seemed TO
| feel that it was Christmas and that
he must enjoy himself, and
! he set out to do so. Cards, billiards,
| and bowling were the principal sources
| in extensively. At the Palma Club
| billiards. and bowling were the favorites,
as was the case at the Jersey City Ath-
letic Club.
At the McLaughin's Association Hide
| the Heart was he choice, but other
| games were enjoyed.
| The O'Neills divided their time between
| hide the heart aud forty-fives.
| The Union League Club made an on
| slaughG on progressive euchre and hide
| the heart. and several billiard matches
| for suppers also took place, which were
served by Steward Blue in dainty man.
ner.
| The members of the Hudson Demo-
| cratic Society and Berkeley Club enjoyed
| whist and progressive euch e.
All of the public bowling alleys were
| in use from early in Ghe morning until
late at night, and the rolling of the balls
and the jingle of the falling pins was
| music to the ears of the players, as sweet
| as the bird-llke voice of Patti.
| But these things were The pleasures of
the many. The sorrows of the few that
Christmas brought could be observed at
| the wet and gloomy cemeteries, the
morgue. the police stations and in the
| anbulances and at the deathbeds in sor.
rowing homes.
AMONG THE SCHOOLS.
The school, children i'll many of the
schools held their exercises Thursday.
School No. 4 had the following enjoyable
programme:-
/ Christmas Carol, "Listen to the Bells"
School; recitation, "a Mixed Relation
ship. - Frank Rafter; recitation. what
the Little Girl S i'd" Libbie Flee; piano
solo Mary Bowen; recitation, How jim
mie Tended the Baby" Howard Rogers:
recitation, ''Suppose," Lizzie Kelly; vocal
solo. Mabel Phillips; recitation, Smith, .
Sinney Rice; recitation, IAN Old
Woman's Complaint. Agnes Donelan
song, Joy, Joy to ALI" school; dialogue
1.-The Silver Dollar" Misses Grimes and
Flanag n and Masters Pennal and Eli
son; plano solo. Matte Symes; recitation