Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-12-28
BRATTLEBoRo's CHRISTMAS.
The Occasion Was an Unusually Merry
One Because of General Prosperity.

Christmas day in Brattleboro brought
TO its height n holiday season OF un-
usual prosperity. Not for years has
the Yuletide found this town 30 well
prepared TO enjoy the festival. The
! healthy business conditions that have
existed during the past year manifested
themselves in an unprecedented Christ
mas trade throughout the local stores
and there is hardly merchant on the
street who will not say that his holi-
day business was the largest ever The
American Express company did the
largest business in its history in Brattle-
| boro, conservative estimate placing
the number of packages handled at be-
tween 1000 and 5000. With thought
1 fulness for the comPanys employees
many people followed the advice of the
local papers and shipped their gifts ear
| ~, and ON this account the local force
was able n deliver the bulk of its
consignments before Christmas day.
Holiday traffic through the local post
office was 80 per cent. heavier this year
than last and the business of 1905 was
the heaviest in the history of the office.
The regular force was kept on the jump
and teams were pressed into service
Friday, Saturday and Monday TO as
sist the carriers in delivering their
more burdensome bundles.
Tuesday was quiet day here, the
large majority of people spending the
time in their home circles. Bright and
early in the morning a large sleigh
carrying Santa Claus (impersonated by
K. c. Bacon) and an abundance of gifts
he . hn oh d
rem of the Episcopal parish and made
the youngsters happy. This method of
celebration was adopted by the Episco-
pal church on account of the prevalence
of disease among the parish children. A
chorus of children from the Baptist
Sunday school, under the direction of
L. w. Hawley, brought gladness to the
inmates of the Brattleboro Memorial
hospital, the Home for Aged and Dis
abled and the town farm by entertain
ing them with Christmas carols in the
morning. At noon Beauseant comman-
derry, Knights Templar, convened in the
asylum and eonformed to its time-hon-
ored custom of exchanging toasts with
the Most Eminent grand master.
Throughout the afternoon the streets
bore deserted look, but in the even
ing a good sized crowd gathered TO
see the Christmas basketball game in
Festival hall There were also other
attractions which brought out numer-
GUS pleasure seekers.
The various churches held Christmas
services in accordance with the pro-
grams published last week. The young
people Of the Unitarian church were Civ
en- their Christmas entertainment in
Wells hall last Saturday evening when
tree filled with gifts was despoiled
of its fruit and a supper served. There
was no tree for the children of the
Baptist Sunday school but the junior
and intermediate departments enjoyed
their annual Christmas supper Monday
evening. At that time trees and enter
tainments were furnished for the young
people of the Universalist and Method
list churches. The children of the Con-
gregational church were given their
annual entertainment in the chapel We'd
nesday evening. Rev. E. I. Mathison
gave an illustrated lecture on Pales-
tine and this was followed by tree
on which were remembrances for the
younger children of the Sunday school.