Evening star., 1901-12-25
Welcomed by Blowing of Horns and
Ringing of" Bells.
CROWDS THRONGED THE STREETS
Every Age, Station and Calling
Represented.
H Apply Chill rem


True to the time-honored legend, the real,
up-to-date, twentieth century Santa Claus
with rotund stomach, twinkling eye and ul-
ira benevolent mood, made his entrance
upon the stage Of happiness and good cheer
last night and bade the festivities incident
to Yuletide begin.
His coming had been anxiously antici-
pated and waited for for weeks by many
hundred scores Of young tots who surround
this mythoaogicaf parsonage with all the
traditions that have come down to them
through the ages.
But times change and men cnange with
them, and why not this benevolent old gen.
tleman ensconced in furs and mystery?
Santa Claus is nothing il he is not ener-
getic and ambitious 1t Is, therefore, ridicu-
lous to suppose that he entirely disregaried
the march Of progress and its many star
thing and time-saying devices of locomotion
and chung to his traditional reindeer and
familiar old sleigh. And, again. the absence
Of snow and ice at this season precluded
such method of making his rounds So
attired in heavy furs and other character
iStic toggery betting his eXhalted position
he undoubtedly dispensed his souvenirs OF
the joyous season by an entirely different
means from that which has been his wont
In the dark ages" Of preceding years.
1t is not known whether the good old
man emulated the example set him by
Santos Dumont and circumnavigated the
atmosphere by means of the seemingly
paradoxical airship or took a more practi-
cal, If not terrestrial, view Of the situa-
tion and made his visits in a wagonette
propelled by either steam or electricity.
Certain it is, IL he employed either means
of transportation that from the number of
homes visited In such a limited time
he far excelled in speed either the record
made by the inventive Brazilian when he
circled the Eiffel tower or the perform
ances of Fournier, the fast-fying French
man, with the automobile.
Royalty Received.
Leaving for the nonce Santa's method of
dispensing cheer, it is certain that the
reception accorded him by the denizens Of
the national capital on his arrival last
night was Of no mean order.
The past coronations of rulers and the
magnificent ovations that have greeted the
return home Of triumphant conquerors
paled into insignifcance in comparison to
the welcome accorded the traditional Yule-
tide saint.
Sounding brass and tinkling cymbal was
as sweet zephyr compared to last night s
noisy demonstration. 1t was veritable pam
demonium broke loose. Noise reigned su-
preme while folly held its court. Never be-
fore have the city's streets presented more
animated appearance. They were crowded
with joyous humanity from early morning
until the church chimes at midnight rang
out In joyous pealS the approach OF the
anniversary of the day when nineteen hun
dred and one years ago child was born
in Bethlehem, whose mission was echoed
in the refrain of the angels who sang at his
birth-"Peace on Earth, Good VIII Toward
Men,"
The throngs of merrymakers on the
streets yesterday seemed to re-echo the SEN
timents voiced so many years ago. There
was happiness written on every face Of the
thousands who pushed and tostled each
other good-naturedly on the busy thorough
fares and martS Of trade.
The Varying Crowds.
Seventh street, Pennsylvania avenue and
portions of F street were well-nigh impas-
sable, SO dense were the throngs. Caste
and station were for the time completely
ignored. Rich and poor, prince and pauper,
iostled elbows.
All ages were represented in the crowd
from the prattling child to the old sire
whose tottering footsteps. white locks and
bent frame indicated the touch of the
hoary hand of time-a veritable antithesis;
the giggling schoolgirl with ruddy cheeks
and bubbling over with enthusiasm; ambi-
tious youth trudgfng by her side, casting
sidelong looks of love, with heart aflame
and pockets depleted-an exemplification Of
cause an effect.
The debutante, swagger, chic, entrancing
confection in laces. furbelows and furs
with walk a la Du Barry. the latest fad in
pedestrian accomplishments, with visions
perhaps of ardent suitors bringing titles
and coronets from across the seas per-
haps, to cast before her shrine. The blase
clubman near her, correct in all sartorial
appointments, squire of danes. putting
aside recollections of the anise bag and the
huntsman's horn, conjuring up more timely
thoughts of what to give to make my. lady
happy"
The matron, an anxious mamma, with
hrr6 20
tree; the business man, the clerk each for
getting for the time the cares and perplex-
tiles incident to their respective callings;
the vendor OF numerous wares to catch the
elusive coin of the passerby, and last of
all, the mendicant, pleading, fawning for
aims to make happy at heart one day in
the year-a sad, but ever-present remind
er of the unequal distribution of riches In
all. vivid representation of Shakespeare's
Seven Ages" moving In rapid panorama
before the eye, all on shopping bent. The
air was redolent with the odor of holly and
mistletoe emblems Of the festival.
In the homes the little tots had retired
early, much earlier perhaps than was their
usual custom. and were soon in the land of
Nod" with thoughts Of Santa Claus.
while angels kept vigil, caused MANY a
smile to unconsciousy creep over their
young faces while they slept Near by
yawntng stockings hung by the fireside
placed there by dimpled hands before the
sand man had made his rounds. Stockings
to be filled by one so dear to their young
hearts to emblemize the birth of Christ
who said, Suffer little children to come
unto me, for Of such is the kingdom Of
heaven"
In Noisy Mood.
After nightfall the throngs strolled up
the streets blowing horns. ringing bells and
in hundred different ways giving noisy
demonstrations Of their happiness At mid
night there seemed to be no decrease in
the din. The trumpeters brought their In
struments into play at this time and the
shrill note Of the bugie mingled with the
less musical sound Of the tin horn. As the
morning hours wore on the noisemakers
retired one by one, and finally the city set
tied down to slumber to await the dawn
and to renew again the observances Of the
day.
Struck by an Express Train.
George Baker. a resident Of Philadelphia,
Is patient at the Casualty Hospital He