The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-25
HOW CHRIST MAS
WILL BE OBSERVED
At the Hospitals, Institutions !.
Restaurants and
Hotels.

Wt.ic the ordained spirit OF peace anC
good will, at the Christmas season, per-
Vadcs the world and goes into the homes
of rich and poor alike. it spreads as a
God sent seasons greeting. IT is not
stopped at the hospital ooof. but WITHIN
the walls and wards of these homes %
mercy and healing, it IS carried b- gentle
hands, inspired by kindred hearts. to the
sick and unfortunate. and in clean. white
wards, where the afflicted children have
their cats and toys. 1t is I..ade TO marx
day of all the year these .ittle inmates
will never forget.
HOSPITAL CHRISTMAS.
Even in hospital, Christmas is made
a genuine Christmas for the children,
and to them Old Santa Claus cornes down
the chimney, just as he does IN the
pretties nursery on Franklin Street On
tip toe with hush ana whisper, the
nurses who love their little patients, tuck
ed so snugly away in coy cots, creep
through the ward where the little ones
sleep on the night before Christmas, ar
ranging each stocking, until on the foat
OF every bed hangs one well stuffed with
childs delights.
The older inmates of the hospitals are
made to know the season by the reception
of callers which are denied them on other
days, and by the decoration of their
rooms with mistletoe and holly.
NURSES FREEDOM
Only half duty is assigned nurses, and
their time off is spent as they may select
Many of them will be out for the half
day, while others viii remain at the hos
pital entertaining the stream of callers,
who will visit them in their reception
rooms and parlors.
Christmas is donation day at all hos
pitfalls, and many are the interesting pack
ages which accumulate in the halls.
At the Retreat for the Sick the greatest
part of Christmas will be in the children'S
wards, for here are twenty-five little
ones, mostly charity patients, and for
them the DAY will be all that a Christ
mas in a hospital can be made.
At the Virginia Hospital, the Old Do
1ninion, the Sheltering Arms, the Home
for Incurables and the other similar in
stitutions the Gay will be observed with
Christmas spirit Visitors will brighten
the homes of their loved sick. and the
rooms and halls will bear Christmas re-
minders in greens and holly.
At the City Almshouse the inmates Will
be specially provided for by Superintend-
ent Davis.
orphan boys spread that will make
them feel like enjoying their pop-crackers
and their games.
The inmates of the city Jail and the
penitentiary will be Toasted royalty, and
i no work will be done at the latter lnsti-
luton.
The Deep Run Hunt Club has arranged
theSfollowinG programme for the holidays:
The club will meet at the Kennels on
Christmas-Day at 2:30 p M one of the
s,oyotes now at the Kennels will be turn
cd loose and given start. If this chase
IS successful the other coyote will be
used on New-Year's Day; if not, deer
will be procured for the New-Sear s hunt
The club will meet at the Kennels on
New-Ycar's Day at $50 p. NJ
The regular meet Of the club will take
place on Saturday at p. NJ
Some Of the Richmond hotels Will serve
special Christmas dinners for their
guests to-day Among these are
the Lexington and New Ford.s. Both
have prepared their menus with the
greatest care and their dinners will be
served in courses which will embrace all
the delicacies Of the season.
Colonel Murphy will :,:ePare nothing
IN the way of "a special feast, but the
reputation of his splendid table at ordi-
nary times is a sufficient guarantee THAI
his guests will fare WELL
At ST. Claire, the Alhambra and Hotel
Lawrence, special dinners have been ar
ranged for.
Most OIL the DOWNTOWN Gales diiu les
taurants will close at noon, so as to
give Their employees half-holiday. Main
Street is always quiet on t;hristmas-Day
and it will be in keeping with past GUS
tom for many of these places to close.
KirkwGod's downtown restaurant will re-
main closed al. day
The City Hall was a deserted public
place yesterday. Promptly at noon the
elevators stopped, the janitors hung
up their busters, and the offices on the
first floor were closed and all departed,
after wishing each other a Merry Christ
mas. The offices viii remain closed until
Thursday morning at the usual hour.
The clerks offices of the various courts
remained open until the middle Of the at
ternoon. when they, too. were turned over
10 the mice and dust.