Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-27
ONLY A MEMORY NOW
TINE HAPPY CHRISTMAS OF 1894 HAS
PASSED INTO HISTORY
The Observance Was Hearty Bat Orderly.
Many Small irss-sUsday-schooi Cess-
brasions- Other Features.

OT0t0m8-StUCG
Ysad christmas fallen on yesterday In"
s,eaa Of Tuesday tho day would have
been what IL known as o typical Chriot-
mas-day. for yesterday witnessed the
arst snow OF the season. As 1t was.
tho weather on the festival OF festivals
WAS save for an occasional shower, ex-
ceptiopaily pleasant.
There was nothing out OF the common
in the Christmas observance In the
Catholic. Episcopal. Lutheran. and some
of the other churches services were held,
and fne musical programmes we're rem
dered. Family gatherings were the order.
spec,ally bountiful dinners were served
nj the hotels and the charitable and
other institutions. and great deal OF
nrivato charity was dispensed. Tnere
WAS. OF course, the usual fusillade OK
pop.crackers all during the day. con-
siderable display OF fireworks at Night
and numerous small entertainments. III
has been generally remarked. that while
The demonstrations OF Christmas-eve ana
f-hr,stroas-day were fully up to the
standard In the matter OF noise ana mer-
riment, there seemed TO be less drinking
than on any Christmas for years Ger
ta,nlv there was less drunkenness ana
no serious disturbance was reported. IN
the afternoon and at night not a Few OK
the bar-rooms were closed.
MANY Fires on Chrlstmas-Day
The are-beils kept up an almost IN
cessant charging on Christmas-day. ana
while there were no serious disasters,
number OF alarms were turned IN, anu
hui for the prompt and faithful service
OF the department the consequences MKT
have been great. The most dam"e,"s
bIaz. occurred at 9A5 O'CLOCK luSsuas
night AT the grocery store and dweiHiis'
ownca by Mr. Charles Bowling. nj iAe
cnrn.r 81 Twenty-ninth and X sUeetS'
The store is occupied by Henry Sommers
and the dwelling above by the family OF
THOMAS Montgomery. The origin oil ti@
fire was unknown and the damage wds
about 81. 600 10 400. The loss was covered
by Insurance.
khortIy before 6 o'clock in the morn
ing an alarm came In from BOX ~. Tue
cause being the burning OF the root OF
No. COZ north Twenty-second siect
owned byC. Null. and occupied by Albert
Allen and william Thomas (colored. TIE
hI,ze was started by a flrecracker thrown
on the roof, and the damage was trinihs:
nor Al WAS sounded in the AFTERNOON anu
The dspartrnent found a chimney enre At
No. Goa north Ninth street.
The house of j. II. Holmes, colored
preacher, No. 100 moth Fourth street.
caught fire from some unknown causs,
snd an alarm was sent in from BOX 10 at
Gas Z. NJ. Damage tifiing.
Another blaze was started by pop-crack-
ers Tn the house OF Robert Shelton (col-
orpxD at Moore and Gilmer streets. The
tsropert\is owned by w. r. Lambert. am
Nttie obstruction was made by the fiames
uousa No. 6O6 west Leigh street, owned
nv J. Holzgreve and occupied by i. Ia
Light. WIS damaged by fire TO the extent
OF n fSw dollars. =,
Box :; was soanded at 2:5o =. NJ
but the blaze. which had started In TIE
house Of Amanda Taylor tcoloreI' NO;
4Oi west Baker street, was exun yulsh.u
before the |frsmen arrived with the ap-
psratus.
suuday.Schooi Celebrations.
Several of the churches had their Sun
day-school celebrations on Christmas
day and Yesterday. AT Leigh-Street Bap-
fist church a most attractive programme,
In which the children and many OF Tie
older ones took part. was rendered CHRIST
mas-day. Santa Claus was impersonated
By Mr. H. A. Hawkins, and with LAVISH
hand he dispensed presents right ana
left TO the young people. The sunday
school room was filled almost to over
flowing, and exercises appropriate to the
occasion were INDUCED in by the little
ones. who sang songs, recited pieces,
and generally enjoyed themselves. These
exercises were followed by the distribu-
ton of prizes to pupils who had MADE
a good percentage during the year, ana
many presents from teachers to chill
aren, and from the latter TO the former,
were made Rev. DIR. w. L. Wright, pas
tor of the church. participated in the fun.
and after the ceremonies was presented
with a handsome suit of clothes and
revolving bookcase and writing-desk, the
Gift of several ladies of the church.
FROM sANTA'S SACK.
Santa Claus made his appearance at
yenable-S Street church I'm the afternoon
at O'Clock, and from a sack laden with
many good things made presents TO the
pupils An interesting entertainment,
consisting OF Rotations, dialogues, and
singing. was given by the pupils OF the
school DR.. Dill. the pastor OF the
church. was presented with a handsome
umbrella by MIR. James +. Flournoy's
class. The exercises lasted over two
hours.
The children Of Barton Heights Baptist
Sunday school were given a Christmas
entertainment at 10 o'clock In the morn
ing. Santa Claus moved among them, and
gave a present to each child. delight
full entertainment. consisting Of recita-
lions. dialogues. and singing. was rem
dered by the children.
At Glen Allen the children OF the Bap-
list Sunday school were given Christ
mas-tree. The entertainment was cha
racterized by good music. and many de-
liChtful recitals followed
THIRD PRESBYTERIAN.
The entertainment at the Third Presby-
terrain church was a most delightful affair.
The programme consisted OF recita-
tons by several OF the scholars,
responsive reading 0ed by Superintendent
Pleasants) on the part of the whole school,
and the distribution OF several very
handsomely bound Bibles and other books
TO prize scholars. These exercises were
interpreted with some excellent singing,
mostly Christmas carols. In which the
sweet jingling of merry bells was initiated
almost TO realistic degree The closing
portion OF the entertainment, which was
doubtless the best 10 many Of the chill
dren. consisted in each scholar receiving
a bundle Of many OF the nice things that
abound at Chrlstmas-time.
Barton Heights Methodist church on
Christmas evening presented scene or
rare pleasure. the occasion being the an
nual gathering OF the members, Sunday
school scholars. teachers, and officers,
which Santa Claus took u prominent part.
REGULATIONS were given by Misses Cora
kidwell, Carrie Tyler. Grey Odlum AZiie
Perkins. Mary starrltt, and Hattie Wright.
Beautiful gold medals, suitably en-
graved. were then presented by Rev.
3. c. Hatcher pastor Of the church, to
The following young ladies: Misses Eva
Tyler and Cora Kidwell. for bringing in
scholars; Misses Eva Tyler Minnie
Blount. Carrie Tyler Belle Hankins,
Addie Powell, George Powell. Grey Cd
lun Irwin Trimmer. Fannie Tanner. Ellie
Wright. Virginia Dare Burton and Ester
Misses Powell. for attendance. Presents
were also given to each scholar by Mr..
w. u. Bennett. who acted In the capacity
OF Santa Claus 10 the satisfaction OF all.
Two beauilfully-bound copies OF Los
sings History OF the United States were
presented TO Mr.. and Mrs. w. I. Wright,
who had been present each Lords day
during the year.
Christmas Notes and Incidents.
Master Thomas b. Curtis. the i-year-old
grandson OF ex-Counellman w. II. Cur
us entertained number OF his little
friends al his grsndfather's residence. on
Shufsn I'm, Christmas afternoon. A
beautiful Chrlsimas-tree, abundantly laden
WAN presents. had been erected IN the
PrioIs. and around this all assembled,