New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-12-22

Going home for Christmas was a difficult task
In the early days Of the republic, when home"
was many miles away, and even in the forties
g winter trip was not an unalloyed pleasure
Foot warmers IN the shape Of heated stoves and
warming pans. with fuel supply, had to be
taken, in addition TO the regular supply OF blan-
kets and robes and no outfit was complete with
out hampers and baskets with food TO last dur
ing the trip In the office of one Of the great
-raneportation companies there hangs a picture
which shows the difficulties connected with a
Christmas Journey in the time usually referred
TO as before the war"
The sleigh in which the young couple, with
habv. Christmas boxes and baskets. are making
the trip from town to the old homestead IS
shown almost hopelessly stalled in snowdrift
A glimpse Of rescuers a long distance away IS
the only thing that gives one hope that the
party may possibly reach its destination dhe
incident Of the picture was an extreme case, but
even without 2 snowstor1n. with good going"
there were hardships connected with these pleas
ure trips which the present generation in this
part Of the country knows little about. The
roadside tavern and the hospitable farmhouse
could always he counted upon when the horse
fell lame when the food gave out, or when shell
ter was necessary. but on the long stretches be-
tween these hospitable roofs there was often
much discomfort and it took much time TO
reach the place Of destination.
They were good times and no one ever has
81 much fun nowadays as We had then" said a
venerable champion of the good old days Of long
ago. and going home for Christmas or going
visiting in those days was more fun, no matter
how little comfort had, than you can have
NOW win, ali ,zo,Ir modern arrangements" When
the picture of the showed under family party
was shown to him he said: That's nothing.
the worse Tor IL.
They didn't think the baby would die the next
dsv If il got good and cold. and women didn t
get nervous fits in those days just because they
got stuck in n snowdrift III bet that hlIIe
family party ate more when they reached grand
mas for one meal than their descendants now
eat in three and they enjoyed what they ate
too. and didn't have consult their doctor
don't list every time they took bite
The good old days are always the brightest,
and everybody admired the old man for his en-
thusiassn but the young man of to-day is per
fectlv willing to hear about the slow coaches OF
his grandfather's ;ime: and taking il for granted
that they we're charming means Of conveyance
that an atmosphere of romance surrounded
them. and that the old time journey consumed
less nerve tissue he prefers the methods Of to-
dav and wishes they were even more rapid
Going home for Christmas from New-Nork by
the modern means of travel is a pleasure which
those people enjoy the most who have known
the defects OF early railroad travel The trains
make rapid time, they are deliberately furnished
and equipped. and those people who cannot
reach their destination in time for Christina.
dinner need not be deprived OF that luxury. for
Christmas dinner while one travels at the rats
Of fifty or sixty miles hour is one Of tht
possibilities of the present system OF trans
portatfon The dining car. although it is one Of
the newer features OF the American railway
system. has become an absolute necessity, and
because Of its popularity the various railroad
companies find it necessary TO have al
annex which is conducted like departments OF
q modern hotel. Great quantities of food sup
Plies must be handled and stored; table linen
silver, glass and china ware must be carried IL