Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-27
A QUIET. CHRISTMAS.
NOTHING LIKE THE NOISE OF MANY
PREVIOUS CELEBRATIONS.
seasonabie INTELLECTUALLY Reunions
Presentations - Skating and
Other AmussmeDts.

Ibis Christmas was unquestioheoiy
vast improvement on last Christmas IN re-
spect of the quietness of its Observance.
There was q very general attendance upon
church services on Sunday, both morning
and night. and the firing of pop-crackers
during the afternoon and evening was
the exception rather than the rule. IL
should be said to tho credit OF our people
that. as a rule, they did not forget 1t was
the Sabbath and maintained the reputa-
ton of the city for respecting that DAY.
Yesterday was also unusually quiet, con-
sidering that il was the day set apart Tor
the secular observance of Christmas. lnere
Was nothing like the pandenonium Oh
noise that sometimes characterlZes tue an.
niyerssry, particularly IN the matter OF
horn. blowing and the explosion OF cannon
crackers. ,,,u
The weather was intensely cold and there
wore comnaratiyely few people on the
streets. Business was entirely suspended
except by the saloons and shops III whlch
fireworks and confeotioneries were SOFA,
and the latter did not by any means do
thriving business.
The SOCIAL FEATURES.
There were many family reunions
throughout the city; number OK persons
kept open houses for their TRENDS anu
many of the charitable remembered the
poor by taking them part OF their own
feast or opening their purses.
At tho almshOuse q good dinner was
served TO the inmates, which was greatly
enioyed by them. The only member OF
the Committee on Relief OF the Poor pres
ent was Mr.. BOwden.
A SPECIAL dinner was served to the con,
victs in the penitentlary on Sunday, ana
III. Far
The prisoners in the city jail were gwen
their Christmas dinner Sunday.
The lakes at the reservoir and Forest
Hill Park and several OF the ponds III the
nelghborhood of the city were frozen over
so as TO bear. and attracted crowds oil
skaters.
There were number of presentations
and last night many small entertainments
for children.
TIE POsT-oFFICE FULL or PRESENTS.
The post-office observed Sunday hours
Yesterday, but q good part OF the force
was kept busy during the entire day pre-
pairing for the delivery Of the mails to-day
and tomorrow. Up TO Saturday noon the
package mail had not been very heavy Tor
the season. but Saturday night, Sunday,
and Yesterday 1t came IN IN great volumes,
and when a DISPATCH reporter visited the
Office Yesterday afternoon 1t was piled up
in stacks all over the floor. MIR. Rowe,
euperintendent Of carriers. said II would
take two DAYS TO deliver It. Hundreds OF
people called at the Office during the after
noon for their mail.
TIE MILITARY CLUB.
The officers Of the Military Club kept
open house at their quarters, on Broad
street near Seventh, yesterday, and dozens
Of the soldier lads dropped IN during the
81 49, - fA 81
ton and to certain refreshments, both
| haud and solid, which filed one OF the
! tables. The rooms, which are beautifully
furnished, were the picture of comfort,
and those who partoOk OF the military col
! latiOn well had occasion 20 feel hap
Nv. for the caterer had bestowed
| his most sublime touches on the
| ogg-uog and punch. The gathering was
purely an informal one, but there was
lots" OF good cheer and kindly feeling.
| Among the visitors during tho day We're
| Colonel II. &. Jones, Major John II. DIN
ueen. Major William Nj. Evans, MAJOR II.
| NJ. Boykin, Major Kuyk. Captain Il. ID;
| Crenshaw, Captain L. NJ. Crutch1eld, anu
! Lieutenant X. L. Fandeyenter.
HUNDREDS 90 SKATING.
The unusually cold weather for the past
! three days has frozen nearly all the ponds
| and lakes IN this vicinity, and yesterday
| hundreds OF skaters visited the Reservoir
AID Forest-Hlll Park. Several parties also
went out 20 Youngs Pond. At the first
/ mentioned place the crowd was quite
/ large. but the ice was not so good a. might
! L we been expected. IL was very thin
mar the edges of the water, and decidedly
| shaky" IN some places. Notwlthstand-
| INC this. however, many ventured ont, and
| scores of ladies' displayed their skill upon
the skates The ice at FOrest-hlll Pat
wa9 firm and smooth, and those VINO
skinned over the lake found great enjoy
ment. II the cold weather continues a
| day or so longer skating will De excellent.
BROKE THROUGH THE ICR.
About half-past 2 o'clock, when merri-
ment was at ltJ height among the skaters
! at New-Resoryolr lake, Miss Nellie Parker,
| q daughter Of Dr.. ". ". Parker broke
| through the ice near the little island IN
| the eastern part OF the lake. MT. STANLEY
! Tyler went u the rescue and got her out
| Of the water and upon the island. IL then
| became necessary u bridge the space be,
| tween the island and the mainland, and
| this was done D. Mr.. Claiborne Barkes-
| dale, Dir. James NJ. Phillips, and Of hers
with timbers they secured IN nelghbOr-
I iuc ward. Miss Parker was taken 70 Il
! house in the vicinity, provided with d
! change Of clothing, and soon made com
! Portable. She experienced no III euects
| from the accident and was able to receive
| company last night. Tho water was only
about three feet deep where she broke H.
WORK OF THE POLICE.
The police have had their hands full
! during the last two days, although there
| have deem no serious disturbances. In the
| First District there we're about fifteen NJ.
| rests in the SecoLd District, about sixty
and in the Third some twenty-eight. Most
| of the arrests were made yesterday and the
| charge in nearly all the cases was drunB
and disorderly on the streets"
There we're q great many intoxicated men
on Broad street Yesterday and the disorder
at the Theatre matinee was so great tnat O
number of arrests had TO be made. Most
| of these were IN the dress circle, but four
Young men we're taken from the orchestra
| seats near the stage. The mouse was
| crowded and there was great deal OF loud
| talking. Several parties endeaYored "a
engage in fstlcuffs. The police did all
| that they could to maintain order, but II
was a hard thing 10 do.
The performances there both in the
| afternoon aud night were we'll attended,
At tho Academy there was but small
crowd aud the house WAS not open NJ night
! About noon yesterday sedate citizen
/ was seen going up Main street holding VI
/ DN tuelE COhL-cOllhTS AMO gtulAiN HbyNt -
| wears of age. who were so intoxicated thal
! they could not navigate alone.
TOO COLD FOR TIE CHASE.
The hare and-hound chase TO which the
| Richmond Cycle Club had been looking
| forward 10 with so much interest did not
| take place Yesterday in consequence OF
| tho cold weather. DR.. Frank Steel and
| Mr. George +. Shaver were TO have been
! .be hares and the remainder of the club
were to have been the hounds. MessrS.
| Steel and Shaver and Schaap and LONG
were ali who put IN their appearance, and
| they rode out 70 the reservoir and tested
| their agility on the ice. The affair, had
| the weather been propitious, would nave
been a very enjoyable one, for th'
! cyclists, as they would have ridden q dis-
| lance of about fifteen miles. The chase
will take place as soon as the weather mo
derates, and il is expected that the whole
| club, which IS composed OF eighty wheel
| men, will take in the affair.
| The club is IN fourishing condition,
! and arrangements have been completed
| for monthly social entertainments for the
! benefit of the membership. The next meet
ing will take place January 9th at the
rooms of the organization.
CHRISTMAS Al THE Y. NJ. C. A.
The services at the Young Mems Chris
| tian Association Sunday afternoon were
appropriate TO Christmas. The interior oil
| the building had been handsomely deco
rated with evergreens and the services
were of very interesting nature. Ths
young mems meeting at o'clock was held