The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-26
! GRIZZLY CHRISTMAS
Without, Wind and Rain; With
in, Warmth and Good Cheer.
WITH QUIET CELEBRATION
The People Passed the Day. for the Most
Part, Indoors-Some Sought Church
es, Some Sought Tavern Glee,
Few Walked Abroad.

Christmas day dawned bright and clear,
with the breeze of an April sky for music
In place of the chant of December wind.
With the snow melting from the hills and
the warm-breathed air playing lazily
among the leafiess boughs, it set the good
folk wondering how Santa Claus had
managed to make his rounds in the rein
deer Sleigh one may have heard the tin
kle of frosty bells in midnight
dreams, but the dawn seemed only wait
ing for the robins song as the sun came
over the hills
Long before the break of day the silent
streets began to echo the footsteps of peo
pie going to early mass, while later i'll
The morning other homes poured forth
streams of men and women and gaily.
dressed children on their way to attend
service in the churches of the several
names Beyond this the streets We're
uuiet: the day was kept in homes rather
than spent abroad.
But the promise of balmy weather was
not kept. for by noon dull gray clouds be-
gan to blur the blue sky and not long
thereafter the city was wrapped in the
gloom of an approaching storm. The
April wind turned raw and flayed itself
into ragged gusts that quarreled snappshly
on street corners and in very meanness Of
temper bit the cheeks of people passing
4 and spit big drops of rain down unseclud-
ed neclzs. 1t was a nasty. evil-spirited
wind; it made the unsanctifed swear and
tried the dignity of pillared saints. 1t Is
not joyful for man, woman or child to is
sue forth in starch and polish and frill
as becometh the pomp of Christmas day,
only to be frazzled by wind and ceaseless-
1y pelted with rain. For of truth the
winds came and the rains descended and
great was the dampness thereof. Those
ones who were both sensible and fortu-
nate retired to cosy homes and visited be-
side blazing logs, while the red apples
sputtered on their sticks and the punch
was dipped from the bowl. But those who
possessed not the cosy homes where blaz-
ed the Christmas logs, hetook themselves
out of the wind and rain to the taverns
and made cheer in spite of the storm.
Some Of them looked upon china shaving
mugs wherein frothed the steaming Tom
and-Jerry that distilled the fragrance of
the nutmeg; others-the early Corners
tasted Of the delusion of champagne
punch: while they of the ancient endur-
ance drank of the strong red juice, nor
took Adams ale on the side. And
cheerfulness dwelt in their threats.
But there was no Disgusting that for
Christmas the weather was very poor
goods, not to say quite disreputabIe. Be-
ing no snow save on the crests of the
hills, only wind and rain, there was heard
the discord o. worried tin roofs and slop-
Ply footballs, instead Of the melody of
sleighbells in the silence of the soft-fall-
ing snow. 1t was pitifully dreary and
desolate, except fer the taverns and the
logs; but then. what could one do? Well
one did the best one could and now and
then one swore, which assisted matters a
bit.
Night closed in raw and soggy like the
death of a bad March day Some folk
went to church, where at least there was
light and warmth. Other folk stayed at
home to coax the merry blaze and drain
the jubilant bowl. Pretty much everyone
considered turkey; the destruction was
very great. The small boy with the new
drum hunted up the other small boy with
the wonderful horn. and together they
made torchlight procession through the
halls, to the delight of other folks ears
There is no Joy in life like the joy of a
brand new drum, unless it is the joy of
the Santa Claus trumpet; and the man
does not live who can measure the differ
ence between, since the Childrens Poet
went away to find the Little Boy"