The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-25

Other holidays are celebrated in Montgomery. but they are celebrated after a fashion. New Year Day IS oD- served by presentations to telegraph boys and news carriers.
 George Washington Birthday Is cel- ehrated by patriotic speeches in some schools. military parade and public speech marks memorial day and 8 dou~ bie-header professional baseball game is the Southern observance of the Fourth of July.
 Union men have a picnic on Labor Day and college boys emit their rah rahs on Thanksgiving, but on Christ mas
 On Christmas, Montgomery lays down everything. Montgomery, all of Mont gOmery. for the day foFgets it's busi- ness, cares. The trade that has been a delight to the heart of the merchant for a week previous Is suspended The churches of all denominations, and the peoLls in general remember with re- verence that they are celebrating the anniversary of the lowly Nazarene.
 The small boy exults in his fre- cracker. The business man rejoices in his turkey, his plum pudding. and his Christmas eggnog. The unfortunate of the city praise the Almighty Bene fac tor for the liberal outpouring of the charitable feeling of their more unfor- tunate fellow Montgomerians.
 Montgomery Is observing Christmas
 Another period of prosperity was re- corded in the chronicles of the city at 12 ocloek last night when merchants engaged in all classes of business paused for a moment and found Christ mas Day upon them Tn every line oi business, unT recedented activity Is re- ported. During the past week, the trade in Montgomery has surpassed all expectations. and yesterday numbers of Montgomery'S retail merchants pro- nounced the rush to be enormous. Last Week q Busy One.
 For the past week, business houses abnormal strain, and the climax was reached yegterday to meet the demands of Christmas shopr CTS, not only of Montgomery, but of thousands who came to the city from surrounding ter ritory to do their Santa Claus pur- chasing. Every clerk and employe in the varied branches of retail lines work ed hard until the last minute before the midnight hour was tolled. Then they breathed a sigh of relief
 The remarkable increase in the vol ume of Montgomery's business is most forcibly illustrated by the unprecedent- ed rush experienced the past seven days at the post offlce and the, express company. Both carriers of public
 
 they had all they could handle. "The Christmas business at the post l office, I should say, has been larger than ever before" said Postmaster | Dimmick early last night. after the closing of all windows "The greatest demand has been in the registry depart bent, where five extra clerks have been employed. constantly hard at work. 10 dispatch the business with the greatest possible speed. Three of these clerks | have been on constantly during the day and two at night. Last year, only one additional clerk was employed, su i it can bo seen how the volume of bus mess has been augmented"
 Make One Delivery. The post office today will make one delivery of mail in the city, and thy regular full delivery on rural routes 1 The general delivery window will bC open from T:30 ocock to 10 o'clock II the morning. The stamp window vii 1 be open from 10 a m. and the regis try window from a m to I2 noon The money order department Wril b' l closed.
 i Postmaster Dimmick promises q! | speedy delivery of mail as will be pos sibIe under the stress of the occasion
 Today, practically all ousIneSs WI be suspended. Those business aous-i | winch do not close throughout the day will abandon business during the after noon. All offices at the court h"use the government building, and the citI ! building will be officially closed, an' the banks of Montgomery will observe Christmas by giving their employees holiday.
 The charitable organizations anC ifraternities will find the.r supreme lpleasure today in endeavoring to maK' the less fortunate of the city happy. Foremost, probably among th' works of charity that will b. per formed today. is that of the k ks. or a large scale, the members Of the loca Hodge of Elks, who haze been assisted in arranging foF the work, Will Sarr! baskets of provisions into the home of hundreds of needy fam lies of Mont gomery. At ' clock th.s morning twenty wagons, secured specially 10 the day, each in c..arge Of two mem bers of the lodge, will deliver tue goo things. Cheer and sunshine will b. lcarried into many an abode, and tn EIks will have accomplished ono O ltheir annual missions. A committee 0 twenty4four Elks. headed by Dr. A. ( IKilpatrick. and an auxiliary com nit Itee, composed of twel'e philant"rop' women, with Mrs. Charles Campbell a | Chairman. devoted thelr tihe eXc.u IsiveIy to arranging these baskets a
 
 Gifts of Charity.
 Those in charEc of the Ne ghborhoot House at West End began .heir uis lpeusation of happiness yesterday aS ternoon. At clock nudIhers O lchildren of this vicinity were guests a Ia Christmas tree at the NoiS SnborhOO House. Santa Claus had pinned Ipresent on the tree for every littI lone.
 At the Neighborhood House Friday a splendid dinner will be given tn tots who attend the Kindergarten.
 The Salvation Army, during Lhrtst mas week. will also come in for II ishare of charity. Under the q re tio of Captain and Mrs. l.. A. OdOm. lChristmas tree will be in sto e for Tn poor of Montgomery. The tree WI be raised on the court house grodnI 1 on Washington Street and the Salra ttion Army extends a cordial invitatIo Ito every one. In this undertaking th larmV Is receiving the act We cO-opOra ltion of the Fraternal Order of Eagle | Prisoners at the county jail and a police headquarters have not been for gotten. As is the usual custom at bot prisons, special menus will be prepare by the cooks and served to the incar cerated.
 Religious services. so far as has bee announced. will be conducted today a the two Episcopal churches. and tn Catholic church.
 Services at Church. At St. Johns Episcopal Church. Re U T @OhhE will conduct aT1 early con