New-York tribune., 1901-12-25
MTSTLETOE RULES TO-DA {.
RECORDS FOR MAIL. GOOD CHEER AND
GENEROSITY BROKEN.
THOUSANDS OF TONS OF PRESENTS DIS
TRIBUTED- TO BE FED
pORCEXErI GIFT

| They say that the Druids employed holly ana
mistletoa in the celebration of their rehsious
rites Whether to them is due indirectly the
credit for suggesting the use OF holly ana nstle
toe as symbols Of Christmas gladness ooeS no'
matter To-day one has time Tor his'oIlea
research or for disputation that Is irrelevant u
tho snirit Of the hour Bat what a hold the
bIoodred holly berry and the odd ieaLeo illS''e'oe
have in the affections of the people! Ho" VIII
;pc1v do men perenniaIly surrender themselves
IN the attractiveness of these historic sprlgs-
Place circle of red and green at Wlnoo"
name and instantly a mysterious something
enters the home and abides there Love Tor
tradition and love for custom whose charlh
crows with the centuries have made these RED
and green Christmas tokens Indispensable to
the Anglo-Saxon on Christmas Day,
Bells are Ginning in church steeples to-udS
and carols are being sung In a hundred difrer-
ent ways are demonstrating thelr respect
for the day and all that it signifies
THE CHRISTMAS DINNER.
To thouss nds Christmas means a real dinner
a square meal. that includes pie and puddlng OF
a composition that has the smack of genuine
ness to it. that begins with d soup of sterling
merit and ends with a glass of wine that knows
dlution.
While a mans way of looking upon Christmas
and its blessings depends good deal upon MS
temperament. all acknowledge and appreciate
that Yuletide is a soul satisfying time, over
which broods a spirit that uplfrts ana makes
glad and blots temporarily from the burdened
mind the struggles and frettings of this Worka-
day world.
The streets yesterday even gayer ana
more crowded than Monday. At important
crossings like Forty -second-st. and Fifth-ave.
the tangle of traffic almost unprecedented
Drivers were compelled to wait from fifteen TO
twenty minutes times before they were al
lowed to go number of complaints We're
aimed at the police whose business it was TO
keep these important points clear. Many people
suggested that the police did not do their ut
most TO keep the traffic moving. Transportation
companies had their hands full. Bundles, pack
ages, bags boxes. cases and traps of every de-
scription were hurried about the city as fast as
horses and automobiles could make their way
through congested streets An immense num-
her of presents were sent out of town.
The offices of express companies We're filed
with customers. each of whom in the confusion
seemed to get in the others way, One of the
transfer companies hired an extra warehouse for
the temporary accommodation of the flood of
gifts which poured In. The company was forced
to employ d large number of extra men to pre-
vent blockade OF their business
NO LETUP IN CHRISTMAS MAIL.
The rush of Christmas mail continued The
full force of clerks carriers and collectors
worked until midnight. Never in the history of
the postofice they said. had there been such
mass of mail received and distributed Incom-
ing trains were packed with presents Most of
the mail for points in New-England and in the
South and West had been got rid of Monday
night. Postmaster Van Cott said that all let
ters and packages would he delivered on time
we have at work extra force of delivery
wagons" said an official of the postoffce.
These are employed for the dspatching of
mails to branch stations. TO the Brooklyn Post
office and TO the railroads. The number OF
pouches which these wagons have carried Is
fully 30 per cent greater than was delivered at
this time last year or three times more than is
carried ordinarily in the same length OF time.
The tota! receipts at the general and branch
offices on Monday amounted to $4,000 To-day
we estimate the receipts will be in excess OF
$4,000"
Those who have given and their numbers are
legion are particularly happy to-day. President
Roosevelt remembered again the little district
school at Cove Neck. oyster Bay. Long Island.
which his children once attended. At the exer-
cises to-day each pupil will receive Christmas
box purchased by Miss Sarah Provost. the
teacher to whom the President sent a generous
check For the last fifteen years President
Roosevelt has substantially remembered the
children of the Cove Neck school. 1t was his
custom to dress as Santa Claus. and preside over
the distribution of gifts. a pleasure which this
year is denied him.
JOHN sTEMME'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
The following Christmas gifts have been made
to the institutions named by John Stemmc.
retired merchant who has before made similar
gifts: The German Hospital and Dispensary,
81 900: Isabella Heimath, $1,000; Wartburg Or
phan and Farm School, Mount Vernon. $1,000;
German Ladies' Society for the Relief OF Needy
Orphans Widows and Sick Persons. $1,000; st.
Franciss Hospital $500; Montefore Home $500;
Fritz Reuter- Altenheim, $500; German Poll
,inik $500 and the German Society, $500
The inmates Of Bellevue Hospital will have
no cause to regret the advent Of Christmas.
Relatives and charitably inclined friends have
sent numerous gifts to them. The Department
of Charities sent boatload of supplies to the
hospital. George Blair, Superintendent of the
Outdoor Poor, will impersonate Santa Claus.
He will carry presents to the childrens ward,
and will for many poor people not imme-
diateiy under his jurisdiction.
at this season" he said yesterday, al think
it is best not TO wait for detailed reports. II
there Is the slightest excuse for charity those
who ask for help tomorrow will surely be as
sisted"
Warden Pickett will give the twenty-six pris-
orers in the Ludlow-st. Jail a substantial feast
The Rev. F. C. H. WendalI will hold services
and distribute presents in the prison. A report
was current that Warden Pickett had received
a Christmas gift in the shape of a reappoint-
ment Office. but the report lacked official
firmation. He has been warden of Ludlow-st
Jail for five years.
SENATOR SULLIVAN'S FEAST.
Senator Timothy D. Sullivan will give his
usual Christmas feast in the Bowery this after
noon. No who calls will be turned away
The dinner will be given at the clubhouse of the
T. D. Sullivan Association at No 207 Rowerv