The age-herald., 1901-12-25
Old Santa Claus Distributes Ills Gifts With Most Boun-
 tifuI Hand
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TREES
The Charitable Societies Provide for the Needy and Brighten a Great Number of Homes-Post.
 office Hours.

IOddy lO Oc iuCdl III ltS summer warmth and its spring-like brightness.
 This holiday of holidays Is enjoyed by old and young, as much lf' the fathers and mothers as by the little tots and half-grown boys and girls.
 Santa Claus remembered Birmingham and distributed his gifts more bountiful than ever before. Thousands of little ones will be supremely happy this morn Ing when they look at their stockings. and every body will feel Christmas in his bones
 Sunday School Entertainments. While there will be religious services today in only three churches-two Cath ollc and one Episcopal--the Christmas holiday was never so generally celebrat- ed in the way of Sunday School Christ mas trees as 1t has been this week. Some of the churches had their Christ mas festivals on Monday night and many of them last night. The Second Presbyterian, corner 10th Avenue and 18th Street. will have an entertainment at 7:3O this evening and there will be sev-
  evening. Among the churches, which had Sun. day School festivals last night were the First Presbyterian. the Central Presby- terian, the Vine Street Presbyterian in West End, the Episcopal Church of the Advent, St Johns Methodist and the Elyton Methodist.
 There Christmas trPa at the Boys Industrial farm yesterday evening and the youngsters were very happy.
 The United Charities.
 The headquarters of the United Chari- ties has been a very busy place for the past two days. Many wagon loads of contributions have been received and dis bursed.
 One wagon load of provisions given by the merchants on Morris avenue was re- ceived late vest erday afternoon at the associations headquarters. Their store room is quite an interesting feature.
 They now have an extensive stock on hand, consisting of several barrels of sugar four meat. meal. candies. fruits and clothing.
 Besides donations of clothing. groceries, etc, they received in contributions over $10O in cash
 The United Charities provided for S2 families yesterday.
 The Salvation Army will give free dinner to the poor today, commencing at D. m, at 172O First avenue.
 Clothing, etc. will be distributed. So far the public has been generous. and good time is expected. All are invited to att tend
 The biggest entertainment of the season will take place tonight at the Auditorium under the auspices of the Elks. Bir- mingham Lodge is noted for It's generous deeds, but tonight 1t will surpass itself. It will plant a 5000 Christmas tree on the Auditorium stage. and there will be a present on it for every poor child in the city.
 Church Services.
 The services at the Catholic churches will be as follows:
 St. Pauls Masses at 6, 7:30 and 10:O a. m. ss
 Church of Our Lady of Sorrows-Masses at 6, and 10. sf
 Services at the Church of the Advent (EpiscopaD will be at 7:30 and Il a. m.
 The most brilliant music of the day will be heard at St. Paul's at and l03O and at the Church of the Advent at Il o'clock. St. Mary's-on-the-H Highlands will be closed today owing to the absence of the newly-chosen rector.
 The Postoffice.
 The general delivery of the postoffce, the stamp window and register window will be open today from 9 to Ii o'clock. There will be one delivery made by the carriers both in the residence and business portion of the city, and collections will be made on the same hours as Sunday Tn the residence portion there will be one collection as the residence carriers pass the boxes on their one delivery.
 The malls will be sent out of town as usual. no changes being made in either the time or number of outgoing trains.
 Heavy Mails.
 Postmaster Hughes said last night that the receipts and dispatch of mail Monday and Tuesday were more than the sam @ two days of any previous year. And Christmas presents going from and com ing to Birmingham were nearly double what they were one year ago. In the two days he says there were between 50,- OO0 and 5000 presents sent and received by the citizens of Birmingham. The clerks worked more than sixteen hours a day, and there was no delay inq the dispatch of the Birmingham mails.
 The money order department in two days hao between 12oO and 1900 money transactions.
 The register clerks worked from a. m. Monday to a. m. Tuesday and re- ported again for duty at s:3o Tuesday morning. having had but five hours sleep. and at midnight the clerks in the register and money order department were still working. The clerks at work in the mail ing and distributing department assisted the usaui night force.
 The postmaster expressed pleasure at the manner in which the clerks and car riers connected with the office had per- formed their work.
 In Jall.
 While all on the outside of the bars are enjoying themselves during the merry Christmas time. there are several hundred