Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-12-27
How It Was Observed
in City Of Augusta.
A Holiday Of Happiness Under
Perfect Weather Conditions.
Observance in Churches, by Knights TempIar,
and in Public Institutions.

"GO! rest ye m"rrie gentlemen, let
nothing you dismay"-or words to that
effect, suitably expresses the spirit of
I he glad Yuleride as it prevailed in this
city Monday. ON every side one could
see the pure enjoyment of the holiday
and whether one celebrated it quietly or
otherwise, all enjoyed it equally well.
X was an ideal Christmas day crisp
and clear. While Christmas is essen
TALLY a merry holiday for the children
about the gift-laden tree and 4 day
when the Old folks gather about the in
gle ard when the greatest interest Gen.
tCrS dDOut the home backlog, there
are many in the city who are far from
home, and must needs look to others
for the enjoyment of the day. For such
plenty was offered i'm Augusta Monday.
In three of the churches in the city
Christmas services We're held and be-
side appropriate sermons and scriptual
teachings there were very attractive
musical services. The churches that es-
pecially observed the holiday were St
Marks, St. Mary'S and st. Augustines.
For those whom lighter methods of en-
jOyment appealed We're dances, parties
and the theater. All were we'll patron
lied. The splendid Sleighing wGS i'm
proved by all who owned IL team or
could hire one. Every livery stable did
q big business.
The Sir Knights of Trinity Com
mandery No. I, in common with the
members Of every commandery in the
country, met in their asylum at noon
and held exercises appropriate to
Christmas day which is specially sig
nificant and always observed in Tenn
rlar Masonry. There was a very large
attendance and the exercises were car
ried out by Eminent Commander l.. d.
Merchant, assisted by Rev. c. A. Hay
de': as rreldtc. ToaSts We're responded
to by Sir Knights Frederick w. Plais-
ted. James y. Blanchard, John Clair
Minot and Albert G. Andrews and there
was Il silent toast to the fraterS who
have died within the year. There was
appropriate music and the whole cere-
mony was most impressivcly carried
out.
In the various institutions in the
city the merry cheer of the day was
not lacking. At the State Insane hos
pitai gifts We're exchanged between the
officers, attendants and the inmates and
an especially fine dinner was served as
at Thanksgiving, to all of the 500 peo-
pie who live in the great institution. At
the Chldren'S Home the little tots af-
ter enjoying the Christmas tree which
WAS given Saturday evening, made
E'"irV on Monday and enjoyed the
l""+l!t"' rt their new toys to the linn
Il. "l,E EaI Il fine feast at noon and
lar :ni,I" ii was the first really and
Truly Christmas. That they enjoyed it
may be lima agil:..d.
At the City hospital the nurses and
tie patients enjoyed very pleasant
day and there We're many visitors i'm
the afternoon. Here gifts We're ex-
changed generously and even in this
house where sickness and suffering are
supposed to dwell. there were many
cheerful smiling faces and lightened
hearts.
At the county Jail where there was
confined on Christmas day sc men and
three women, there was little special
observance save that the workshop
was closed and the prisoners We're per-
mitted to pass the day as they desired.
The menu ut dinner time was no more
elaborate than at other times.
The hotels about town observed the
day regally by feasting their guests ana
the piOpretors and clerks made an eff
forts that WAS wholly successful in
making their patrons feel as much at
home as possible.
Put for all these public amusements,
services and observanceS the real en-
joyment of the Christmas was in the
homes of the rich and the poor. Judg
ing from the troups of merry children
that one passed on the streets in the
morning, Santa Claus finds his favor
ties in Augusta and he did not miss 4
single one, let us hope. There We're
Christmas trees eVeryWhere-in tho
churches, in the homes of the rich and
PROSPEROUS and in the modest dwellings
of the poor and unfortunate. Somehow
or other all managed to have a tree
ana the outlines. with its tracings of
tlnsel and wierd-shaped packages,
could be seen through many an uncur-
tanned window and many a drawn
shade.
And because Christmas comes but
once a year everybody smiled more
than usual ana everybody was happier
than usual-cspecially in our own city
and after the excitement and enjoy
mcnt of the busy day it is fair to as
sumo that we all went to bed and said
with Tiny Tim, God bless us every
one