Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-01
CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCES
How the Festal Day was Cele-
brated in Wilmington.
A DAY OF QUIET ENJOYMENT
Bright Music and Fitting Ser
mons in the Churches.
Merry Dancers and Festive Merry Makers
comparatively Few Presents
to Mayor. Chief anil Patroinen--Good
Cheer for Hospital Patients.

| lne usual accompaniment on tin horns,
which began before darkness fell on
Christmas eve, and continued with an
occasional lull until midnight About
davbreak the discordant salute began
| again and broke out at intervals through
/ out the day.
This was the sign Of the coming Of
the day that was heard on the streets.
Indoors people quietly, with happy an
ticipation and thankful hearts, prepared
to observe the great Christmas holiday
The business streets on Wednesday
afternoon and evening were crowded
with Christmas shoppers, who thronged
the stores in search Of appropriate gifts
| for relatives or friends. The express
offices were deluged with packages for
all parts of the country and Europe,
and the extra force of clerks worked
late shipping and delivering the Christ
mas tokens.
Nearly all of the public schools held
appropriate exercises on Wednesday
afternoon. AT No. 16 several prizes
We're awarded to winners i'll a competi-
tion for excellence in study. Contribu-
tions were received at the schools for the
Associated Charities. Many packages
of provisions and clothing were brought
in by the scholars. They were sent to
the Associated Charities, where the man
ayers distributed them to the needy and
deserving poor.
CHRISTMAS DAY
was quietly observed. Every one who
had fireside of their own took advan-
tage of the opportunity and spent the
holiday at home. Many stores were
open during the morning, and for few
hours the streets were lively with be-
lated buyers, The stores closed UP
toward noon and from that hour the
city had quiet, Sunday-like appear
ance. There was some drunkenness,
and early in the afternoon an alarm of
fire attracted a crowd to the lower part
of Market street.
An unusually large number of Christ
mas trees were sold in the market, and
on every street, shades were raised in
the houses to give passers-by glimpse
of the beautiful Christmas fruit they
bore.
IN THE CHURCHES.
Asbury and Scott M. E. Churches held
the usual Christmas morning services at
a. M, the Rev. Vaughan S. Collins
and the Rev. j. ID. @. Hanna, pastors of
the churches, led the services.
At st. Peters Prot Cathedral, the
Church of the Sacred Heart. st. Paul's
and st. Mary's Roman Catholic
Churches, early mass was celebrated at
o'clock in the morning, and also at
1890 o'clock. Vespers was said at 7.3O
o'clock in the evening Mass for colored
people was celebrated at st. Joseph,s
Church at 5, 8 and 8 a. IN. At Z p. M,
the children of the school gave an enter
tainment.
At ST, Johns Episcopal Church SER
vices, including beautiful selections Of
Christmas music, were held at $50 and
f0.30 a. m. At Trinity Church Holy
Eucharist was celebrated at 7.30 a. M.
Services We're also held at 1890 a. M,
the Rev. H. Ashton Henry preaching
the sermon. In the evening the Sunday
school festival was held and Bishop
Coleman delivered an address. Services
at Old Swedes and Calvary churches
were held at the usual hours.
The Christmas entertainment of the
New Jerusalem Church was held in the
evening.
Rodney Street Presbyterian Church
held Christmas services in the morning.
The reformed Episcopal Churches Of
the Covenant and Redeemer, held a
union service in the latter church in
the morning. The Rev. Charles Hem
bricks of the Church of the Covenant |
preached the sermon.
POLICE NOTES.
Good order was preserved throughout
the city by the police. Twenty-eight
arrests were made during the day,
mostly for drunkenness. The patrol
wagon answered 23 calls. Samuel
DR.. u. G.. Shortlidge and
Samuel Fl. Baynard presented boxes Of
cigars to the force.
On Wednesday evening Mayor Har-
rington was caned by DIR. Shortlidge, at
the police station. The cane is of oak,
silver mounted The same
evening Chief of Police Swiggett was
presented with a pair of handsome gold
cuff buttons, gift from his class in st.
Pauls M. E. Sunday school.
GENERAL NOTES.
An entertainment was held at the
Hospital in the morning.
Each patient and nurse received pres
mt. There was Christmas tree in one
If the wards. There was also a large
rec at the Delaware Hospital. Every
patient and nurse received an appro-
,riate present.
An entertainment, followed by re-
reshments was given in the w. G. L. U. ]
eading room at Eighth and Market
treets in the evening. ,
Both theatres gave matinees and even {
ng performances. The attendance was
lot as good as last year, !
Prof A. S. Webster gave his usual n
christmas matinee dance at his dancing I
cademy in the afternoon. 1t was /
tended by about 100 persons. i
German Bakers Union gave ball 4
4 the evening in German Hall. About so
ouples participated in the promenade.
iottlieb Ihle was master of ceremonies, 8
-ugust Papendiech first president,
gorge Single secretary and Fritz !,
chmidt treasurer. Humboldt's orches- i
a furnished music. :, !,
Street-car travel was heavier than ';
sual. The cars of all lines ran well :;
He'd. z
Several members of the Fame Hose = =
ire Company, serenaded their fellow Z
renen with blasts from horns. They 4
ere entertained at all of the engine "
buses. !,
Numbers of little folks were made =
lppy Thursday in being the recipients n,
the pretty Delaware dolls whose w
Unity attire brought them first pre- r.
iums at the recent National Doll !,
Exhibition in New York city. The n,
eater share of them were distributed -,
nong the little inmates of the Homo -
r Friendless Children, the Cheerful
ONE, the Homeopathic and Delaware so