Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1901-12-27
The First Christmas Of the New Gen.
tury Found Everybody Happy.
Prosperous and Contented,
YULETlDE's GOOD CHEER
Santa Claus Brings Sunshine and
Presents Galore A Big Holiday
Trade Church Services.

Christmas this year tripped ioyously
across the threshold of the new century
and found this land Of the free filled
with happy homes and peopled with con-
tented citizens. Peace aud plenty
marched in triumph and III splendor.
stepping lightly and sprightly to the
music of speeding time. Everywhere
that Kris kringle went he discovered un
mistakable evidences Of abundant pros
pcrity and unusual good cheer. 1t was
a day OF universal bencticcnce. an oc-
casion of conspicuous felicity. In
seeming transport of delight, nature, be
dccked in robes OF spotlcss white,
crowned the day with Il wreath woven
from the shining rays Of Il cloudless sun
and stretched forth her leweled hand in
blessing and in benediction over a pros
porous land.
The busy hum of industry gave way to
Christmas greetings and children's
laughter. Every kind and character Of
business and Of labor was suspended.
Here ia Red Lodge the miners ceased
from their daily toll and joined with the
balance of the city'- population in rest
and Christian recreation. They found
pleasure in giving because they had
money to buy. Indeed everybody seem
q to bc happy and contcnted There
has never been u year III the history Of
the city that has witnessed such Christ
mas buying as was done in this city the
past two weeks All the business houses
We're throngcd from morning till night
and the merchants report the holiday
trade fully double that of any previous
season. Besides the home purchases
thousands of packages came by mail and
express. Sack after eacl. of extra mail
mattertW;ts received and dispatched by
the Red Lodge postofiice, and the Christ
mas packages are still coming and 90
ing.
In the various homes Of the city there
was plenty of joy and sunshine. Good
old Santa Claus evidently went down
every chimney filling children's stock
ings and leaving presents everywhere
Tables groaned beneath the weight of
turkey and mincc pies and other delica
cies, while private Christmas trees, laden
with gifts, were resplcndent at hundreds
of firesides. There was no poverty in
the pantry, no skeletons at the feasts.
Christmas services and public dances
furnished food for the soul and foolish
ness for the feet. On Christmas eve the
Methodists indulged in Christmas
anthems, while on Christmas night they
WED with the Episcopalians and Catho-
lies and Congregationalists and members
of other denominations and no denomi
nation at all in attending the grand ball
at Labor Union hall and chasing the
glowing hours with flying feet.
a splendid program of interesting
Christmas exercises was rendered at the
Methodist church by the Sunday school
scholars. There was large attendance
and a big tree filled with presents, with
Santa Claus much in evidence, to the
great delight Of the little folk. The ex-
ercises consisted Of song by the Sun
day school, recitations by Jennie Wilson.
Bernicc Melburn, Owen Wilson, Olive
Mackery, Maggie Fairgrievc, Matte
Rubeson, Mable Torreyson, Agnes
Donnell, Pearl Solomon. Moura Honey
we'll, Blanche Wayman, Edna Dick,
Mabel Chapman and Mrs. Green: vocal
solos by Rev Mr.. Dunlop and Kittie Ry-
bolt; duets by Eleanor Lennon and Mrs.
Dunlop and Eleanor Lennon and Maud
Chapman, and dialogue between Frank
Piety, William Newman. Maud Chap
man, Addie Torreyson, Fannie Torrey-
son, Katie Torreyson, May Knatz and
Myrtle Carroll.
The Christmas tree services at the
Congregational chnrch were held last
night and called forth an audience
which filled every seat, packed the aisles
and crowded the parlors and anteroom.
A pretty cantata was excellently inter