New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-26
1T WAS A MERRY DAY.
FINE WEATHER PUT THE FINISHING
TOUCH TO THE FESTIVAL.
CHRISTMAS DINNERS WERE PROVIDED
FOR THE POOR ON A GENEROUS
sCALE-oTHER FORMS OF
CELEBRATION.
CELEBRATION.

CELEBRATION.
Did YOU have a merry Christmas, or. what is
more important did you do what you could 10 give
others a merry Christmas? Did you refraih iroi"
scoldlng even II the cook did drink more than was
good foF her OF the brandy you intended TOT the
plum pudding sauce? Did you remember the jan
itor who always forgets you in your time OF heeo
Did YOU give a tip to the ONCE boy who does as
little for you as he can; TO the hallboy whoih you
80 seldom meet in the hall on other days! Dlu you
keep your temper when the drunken celeora'or
bumped into YOU in the street? Did you pretend 10
like the horrible music OF the hand organ winch
started the children to dancing2 Did you say
I merry Christmas TO every acquaintance you met
though II was the rival who outstrpped YOU 'he
borrower who neglected 10 repay you. the creditor
who dunned you the doctor who ran up DIX ui'i
against YOU but failed to cure; the heiress VINO
Nted Won the washerwoman who loses or steals
your collars and tears your shirts, the tradesman
who overcharges YOU and 10 every other person
YOU know no matter how unnterestng. VINO
crossed your path? II you did all this ana also
observed the old rule to eat some plum pudding anu
some mince pie too, Christmas Day, you are
sure to have good luck next year. otherwise you
will have 10 rub along with whatever kind or luck
fate sends you.
Well Christmas is over now. and to-day 'he
workaday world resumes its accustomed routine
the asperies OF which cannot but be softeneo' lor
a time at least. by the season OF goodwill ana
men are likely to be a little raspy this morning
particularly II they ate too many indigesuoie
dainties yesterday, were in the condltlon re-
ferred to by certain absent minded man 10 Whofn
a refined and sympathetic woman was relating the
sad story Of permanent cripple. oh 1t must be
perfectly dreadful 10 he paralyzed, said the tender
hearted woman. Yes" replied the absent minded
man. you feel mean the next day
NOT A GREEN" CHRISTMAS
oSaap
full churchyard surely could not apply to such
a one as yesterday. Although there was no sno"
on the ground there nothing green about
n except the decorations. In fact there was
short furry OF snowiakes about noon. II was
genuine winter day, with an eager and nlppinR
frost and the air dry and crisp as good
ginger snap-the very best kind OF a day TO get up
an appetite for dinner assist the digestion OF
one by long walk. And hundreds OF thousands
Of New Workers. took advantage OF 1t for that puT
nose II was not a day for lounging in the parks
or sitting on the benches. but pedestrians moved
brigklv along the streets in large numbers, ana
vehicles Of all kinds in demand.
In the residential quarters OF the city the bright
Christmas wreaths, green. with crimson ribbons,
hung on countless windows. and passengers OF the
elevated trains could see many Christmas trees IN
the second and third story flats, telling Of the home
~ Joys OF the children within The decorations IN
The churches were lavish and beautiful The fact
that Christmas Day this year Immediately fol-
lowed Sunday no doubt accounts for so many
churches having their Christmas services on the
day before yesterday. Had December % fallen
nearer the middle OF the week more churches
would have held special services yesterday In
most other respects the festival was observed as
IN former years. The poor were provided with
ample dinners OF turkey and mince pie by many
charitable societies and individuals. and the chill
hdren especially both rich and poor. were MADE 10
rejoice and be glad .
The crippled children IN the New-York Orthopedlc
Hospital at No 12s East Fifty-ninth-st.. had
nophe Christmas festival On Sunday night they
hung I'D their stockings which were not limited by
the size and conformation Of twisted little feet In
the morning they found them well filed with gfts
contributed by various friends OF the INSTITUTION
Then yesterday afternoon they had Christmas
tree and the affair a much more festive oc-
casion than one would ordinarily associate with
the drear word hospital The patients lhsIe
nre not as a rule actually sick, and when the gifts
had ali been distributed there was as Joyous
buzz Of childish conversation and exclamation
did ono mot have limbs 6raced by formidable looking
eontrivances of iron There We're sixty-o i III,
mates In the hospital yesterday. and most or them
were able 10 gather in the dspensary room, where
the festival was held. Some even Of those VINO no
have 10 lie in bed. WERE nevertheless aDle 10 Dee
brought downstairs ana placed on lmproWseu
The sufferings Of the fifty bedrdden patients in
the four wards Of St Marks Hospital. In second
entertainment given in the institution yesterday af
ternoon, under the auspices Of the House Commit,
Beck and NJ. Ruttenau. OF the house staff spoke
words Of cheer 10 the patients, and afterward de-
lvered addresses TO the trained nurses and other
employees Of the hospital In the main han.
There was special Christmas dinner yesterday
for the inmates of the Home for the Aged OF the
Little Sisters Of the Poor at No. 2l3 East Sey-
entieth-st The dinner was the gift OF John d.
Crmmins, who has for more than dozen years
given similar treat TO those In the institution.
There were 272 inmates yesterday. and nearly all
of them were able 10 enjoy the dehcacies provided:
Mr.. Crimmins had hash.ight photographs taken OF
the scene Mr.. Crmmins himself with his seven
Labor, assisted in waiting on the tables.
The Auxiliary League Of the Doe Ne NeXte
Thynge Society had Christmas tree for some Of
terested in room No. 76 Of the Bible House. Sew
enty-nve women from various parts Of the city.
bring their children to the room for presents and
10 have good time, and the women brought along
two hundred and fifty youngsters. They had fine
time. for Miss Clcmence Boardman and her sister.
Miss Annette Boardman. who had charge OF the
affair. let all the children help themselves from
The tree, which was an enormous one, and loaded
The Bowery Mission. No. IS Bowery. celebrated
me christmas festival by the presentation Of toys
10 thousand tots from the East Side. An i'm
hung with toys OF all kinds. caused an assemblage
OF children which completely blocked traffic before
the door for some time. The tree and toys were
Settlement who personally with W. Patterson. OF
England; j. O. Hallimonde. the superintendent OF
OF the Bowery Mission Rescue League; Victor II.
Benke. vice president: William r. Williamson, the
secretary, and Mrs. Catherine AIRY, the treas
Orer. that every child that could be got hold OF
not sent away empty handed. IN the evening
Christmas exercises We're held. and Mr. Patterson
supplied supper to five hundred who attended
FOR THE HOMELESS ONES.
Six hundred hungry looking stood in line
outside Jerry McAuleys Water Street Mission yes