The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-25
Young People Celebrate With
Fireworks and Popcrack5rs.
SERVICES in The CHURCHES
Many Families, Divided for Months.
Will Ga,h.r Around The Christmas
Dinner TaDIe and the H.me
F.resrde-Ih- Boys and the
Gri, H4vo r. Ii -neu frona
5Cnooi - GOSSIP.

With dawn today came into loeing
ppon u SLOW covered eaTln on the
Gle hand by The loud explosion OF
pals of cnl.nes IN the Church OF Cnrist.
1itEer expression represented a side of
ils great least to winch al CnristendolG
owns s-les -a4Ice--ihe one Laat IN wElch
th5 secular sp-rit ot ccIeDIaLon ana eI4-
j.! uent preuolnlnates; the other that
less appuIeAi- but no lass real. SIDE
when .a4ls icrtL from ail men tAous"ls
~A.cu ascend 10 l1Im TO whose nonor and
Eluly the least was instituted.
J1Iuhe other fes tipal occasions. Christ
ma, u,-auy preaas GuIetly and peace
1uIy, more .qu.e.Iy ana i,eaceluliy III Let
tran 90 tAe Gays Immediately preceding
IL Sucn was the case t.is time Ine eX-
tef save preiIarauun ma de Tor the coming
o. thls napfy ana joyous tine alwasS
recess taieS an amount OF buSLe ana con-
fusluu- walcn srows as the hours pass
lsTfL45 II becomes q Terltaple fury on tiie
eve OF CG.lSt.Ilas. Thousands upon lilou-
- Ids OF presents have 10 be paGSnt,
tl:ousands upon thousands OF EouSeS
hive to be prepared tor the coming OF
Fltousanus upon tEousandS OF peopis nave
/ tGrn out to see what is gong o. but
jl is all over before the midnight has pro
..s.gIl. j TIE ..Ils 2l OF tle .g4-e a.'a-.el
OCCASION; ihe storm in this case comes ps-
.g1,a the laL: the iul follows. When
Christmas passes in and takes possession
o. the land. the hurry ana other husti@.
sle over. Stores are closed; streets are
quiet; Santa claus is here: presents nave
,nIy to be distributed Business takes
buck seat; pleasure follows: through /;
ali running the religious strain, which is
san there. though possibly not SO
strongly emphasized as it could ana
sshoLlG Dc emphasized.
Almost with the break of day, az sizes.
yo!ts and conditions of man are up and
away. for the nonce free from Work ald
care, intent only upon celebrating the
feast as. according TO his lights. 1t should
he celebrated Little children and big
spend the daN variously. visiting, exchang-
arg gifts, hiring pop crackers, eating
Christmas dinner, going to church. Ihc
letter function does nor necessarily pre-
Val; among AL. Religious services arc
held on Christmas Day In bat two or
tl.ree denominations. but somehow nearly
everybody seems to set around TO some
ONE OF them. 1t is an undeniablc fact
tia. the fine music over which CboirS have
tciied and shrugged for weeks Is a main
atfact!on for many, but viewed in the
proper light there is nothing IN this TO
condemn. I he man that has music in his
breast, that Will spend an hour or TWO
ir the enjoyment of the glorious concord
OF sweet sound. is q man nearer God and
nearer heaven than is he who perfume
torily sits in the church pew. repeats the
g,lvice in a loud voice and otherwise dis
Jlavs himself for the ediftcaton OF his
Gclghbors.
FINALLY. it may be said that every in
"a. l., ti,a tt.F Int m
this celebration OF Christmas as one i'll
which all viii have some share. Follow
ing in the wake of the coal famine has
come q time OF stringent conciuons. when
discomfort and even suffering are the
1i;ic. and not the exception. But proVl-
dental weather has offset the effects OF
This condition. and this year there is
probably less suffering at Christmas than
ever. Not so iowly household exists
but VIII have some means of enjoying
N1e happy Yuletidc. Not all will be iaV-
ishly served by Kris krinsle: not al viii
be enabled 10 make for the beneht OF
himself or others those simple purchases
Which mean SO much. but unto all men
VIII be given the privilege OF enjoyment
and pleasure. which needs no accompani-
E1ent of material things.
{ d f Sr >ad-> rect Crush.
Last night Broad Street presented
eoene which battles adeQua e description.
II was simply Christmas Eve on Broad
Street, and that's all about it. What
that means everybody who has been
there before knows fun well.
II was not long after nghtfall when
the crowds began 20 thicken and the
street began Ia show signs OF conges-
ton. Whether they wanted TO buy any
thing or not. everybody was there; and
q whooptng. howiing, jolly, good-natured
everybody. II vas without doubt Horns
screeched, and pop-Crackers exploded:
people yelled and pushed; he carnival
s,lrit Was distinctly abroad In the land.
Stores grcSned with the burden they
bore. From door To door, from, to back
they were TANNED with people on, for
the final purchases Some places had TO
lock doors 10 keep all the people on the
outside from trying 10 get Inside all at
once Everything was IN q dead rush
and scramble.
Along towards .n'dnivht things began
20 ou'et down and finally stores closed
and the street grew deserted and dark.
overworked shop girls went home 10 get
a little rest before they Wen, out again
carly this morning to celebrate. wo nout
shoppers d!d the same. and the business
end OF Christmas was dore.
Tho storos open no more until Christ
n,as is over and gone Not an >establ'sh-
ynent so FAR as known has had the heart
80 force its cmp'ores to work
to-day All are closed. some oc
them FOR several days or a week. Many
have pr sented thar employees with gifts
o. money. Or candy. or turkey. or the
Ike The one one gift Of holiday IS tho.
one ali give. and the one most apprecia-
~. kcouttnued on Ninth Page.l