Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-12-23
JUDGED BY A CHILD.
4 Story Of President Wdshington'S
Oaly Christmas an NclO YORK.
BY FELIX oLDBoY.

Christmas eve came pleasantly to
New York in 17s9.
There had been so little frost and
snow that oil people shook their heads
Ursyely and said that the seasons were
changing. As they pushed their chairs
hack from the open tireplaces on which
hinge logs cracked and roared and shot
ont spires of flame, they recalled the
Winter Of a decade before when a
brigade of British troops had marched
across the bay, from Staten Island to
the CITY. drawing their artillery with
them, and wondered when they would
see an old fashioned Winter again.
Now there was but light covering of
snow upon the ground and the stars
shone bright and large through an Mt
mosphere Just tiuged with frost
The future metropolis at the lower
end of the island of Manhattan had
doubled its population in the six years
that had passed since the soldiers of
the King had evacuated Its soil, and
now numbered some thirty-three
thousand souls. As the seat of govern
ment of the new United States it had
not only drawn to itself a swarm of
public men, but it had become the ac-
knowledged social centre OF the coun-
try. Boston and Philadelphia had
dEindled into mere tributary cites,
glad occasionally to send their society
leaders to bask in the splendors of the
growing capital. Every dwelling
house was occupied. Rents had
doubled in many instances. Carpen-
ters, painters and masons found their
hands full and new structures were go
log up on every side. Stores blDs-
somed with fashionable goods; ware
houses at the water side had been re-
modelled markets were bountifully sup
piled; commerce had lifted its head
and the wharves already showed a re-
spectsble amount of shipping. Even
the section which had been swept by
Are thirteen years before and had heen
wilderness of desolation to the close
Of the war, had begun to bloom as an
oasis and the new Trinity Church was
almost ready for conservation.
1t was to be indeed a Merry Christ
mas for New York. One had to but
walk through the streets to acquire
evidence Of the city's prosperity and
consequent good feeling. Wall street,
the great centre of fashion, was a
brilliant spectacle on sunshiny after
moons. Gentlemen in velvets and sat
ms Of many cO!Ors, with diamonds
sparkling in their sword hilts and shoe
buckles, and ladies in costumes that
could only vie with theirs in richness
without hoping to excel, promenadedi in
front of the new Federal Hall in which
Congress- was holding its session and
a1abanna1 rrraattnna nlfh tho IL
pants of the stylish equipages that
ratified by. Most happy were they
when they caught sight of President
Washington as lie drove to or from the
hall in his great cream colored coach,
with its six white horses and outriders In
livery, the stylish establishment being
usually preceded by his two secre-
tsries on rseback and full uniform.
At the same time Broadway, from st.
Psul's Chapel to the Battery, known
then and later as the Mail, was fire.
91ert4,1 - = o.owds of gaiiy dressed
promenaders, who spoke approvingly
Of the proposed extension of the side
walks from Vesey street to Murray
and of a foot pavement on the East
Side along the Bridewell fence. The
rage for improvement had not yet con-
templated the grading of the hills on
the Broadway road between Murray
and Canal streets.
Beyond all doubt the city's pet pride
was President Washington. The first
residence assigned to hiIn-the house
OF Postmaster General Osgood in
franklin Square-having proved in
convenient on account of its great
distance from town, the President had
removed to the spacious double house
on Broadway below Trinity Church,
known as the McComb mansion, where
he lived In the same luxurious comfort
that had marked his home at Mount
Vernon. Near by was the house of
ohancellor Livingston, sumptuous in
Its Gobelln tapestry, beautiful paint
lngs and art treasures of every descrip-
ton, rivslling in costly elegance the
ducal palaces OF the old country.
Here, when wearied with the cares of
state, Washington was accustomed to
drop IN informally, at any hour that
suited his convenience for a chat with
with the prattle of the children. No
man was fonder of the little ones than
ne, and it was the one grief of his life
-he Auc NOiCt Ol no Ol his WIS
heard In his household.
Upon a city and community thus
blessed with prosperity the Christmas
season OF 1879 came only TO swell the
tlslng tide of hilarity. 1t brought
Visions of family reunIons; of hearth
stones around which the well-filled
Bookings of the little ones hung full
10 overfiowing with gifts of st. Mich
oias; of peace and good will from man
70 man through the whole breadth of
tne land. To no household in the city
nd the festival promise more of genial
content than to that of Stephen Won
dfomp, late Major of a regiment of
Continental troops that fought under
washington, and now wealthy mer-
T9ant doing business on the Strand.
MS great storehouse on lower Pearl
street., then called Queen) was blazing
rHh light at every window, on this
Cfeistmas eve of 1889, and as the spa
Olous front door opened to admit more
guests, the sounds of merriment rang
'St out into the street.
on the opposite side of the way, and
'eanlng against tree, stood a man
.no watched the hospitable scene with
= sSorrowfnl rather than curious eyes.
Aiiid, dressed without care, and look |
ttne more hkea a stranger tina. a citizen,
1e seemed to have nothing in common !
sith the merriment of the season, and |
..ia !! thought appeared to have struck |
''h ~ he sscsnded the stoop, iftad