The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-12-31
Christmas in Belfast.
There was the Usual Round of Festivities
and Social Observances. A New Feat
ure was the Dinner to School Children.


We were favored this year by fine weather
and excellent sleighing for some days before
Christmas, thus enabling people to travel COM
fortably and to do their holiday shopping.
Christmas day of-doors was more quiet
than the average Sunday. The places of busi-
ness, banks, public Offices and factories were
closed and very few people were seen on the
street. Indoors, in most households the old
time Christmas festivities were in evidence
Children hung up their stockings and went to
bed the night before anticipating the arrival of
Santa Claus with his reindeer team there were
many Christmas trees bearing the offerings of
relatives and friends, and good cheer abounded
at the Christmas dinner.
A striking feature of the day was the dinner
given to the school children in Odd Fellows
hall under the auspices of the teachers and
the direction of the following committee:
James H. Howes, A. ]. Knowlton Ralph B.
Herrick and Orrin J. Dickey. The dinner was
to be served at noon, but the children began
to arrive at 10 o'clock and were ushered into
the dance hall, to play until the dinner hour.
At 1890 about so sat down to the bountifully
supplied tables The caterers were Berry &
Worthing and B. F. Mosher, who provided the
following excellent menu: Roast chickens,
and cranberry sauce, potatoes and turnip,
bread and butter, milk and mince pie. Mrs.
Melvin C. Murch acted matron and the
walters were the committee before named, as
sisted by NJ C. Murch, B. H. Mosher, Thomas
B. Berry and Chester Worthing. On leaving
the tables each one was given an orange and
bag of candy and tickets to the Elite moving
picture theatre and the Belfast Opera House,
and the majority visited both places during
the afternoon. 1t was merry Christmas in
deed for all the participants.
Mr.. and Mrs. Horace Chenery received their
friends in delightfully."- informal fashion at their
home on Christmas morning from II to II
o'clock. About fifty called, and the occasion
afforded pleasant opportunity for the ex-
change of the seasons greetings The house
was beautifully decorated for the occasion
with Christmas greens, and two large punch
bowls of egg-nogg were presided over by
Misses Katherine C. Quimby and Frances
Howes Misses Florence M. Hill, Elizabeth A.
Quimby and Marian Hazeltine assisted in serv-
ing. 1t was one of the pleasantest events of
the holiday season.
The Christmas festival at Trinity Reformed
church, East Belfast, on Christmas night was
very pleasant affair. The church was pretti-
ly decorated for the occasion by the young
people and the Christmas spirit was every
where ranifest. Two big Christmas trees,
gaily decorated and laden with gifts, were CEN
ters of attraction. The Knox Memorial church
of New York, of which Rev. William Vaughan,
now pastor of Trinity Reformed church, was
formerly pastor, sent presents for every mem
ber of the Sunday school and decorations for
the trees Other individual, gifts from New
York were box of oranges and a beautiful en-
craving of the Madonna for each member of
school There was entertainment by the
Sunday school and general good time The
pastor. Rev William Vaughan, was presented
with handsome Mission desk and chair by
the society," for which he expressed his thanks
in his own happy manner.
Saturday afternoon gala day for the
little girls of the Sewing School, as they then
had their annual Christmas tree. This year it
was in charge of the Guild of the North Con-
gregatonal church. After the work of the af-
ternoon had been completed and twenty eight
pairs of hands, even though some of them
are very tiny, managed to do a good deal, the
L.
aside amid a hush of expectancy. Then the
ladies in charge opened the bags which had ap-
peared some time before and began the dis
tribution of their contents. Into each eager
little pair of hands was put we'll filled candy
bag, an orange, little frosted and decorated
cake, and at least two gifts Some of the pack
ages contained dolls, and happy, indeed, were
their new "iittle mothers" to receive them.
One little girl refused to have hers done up
with the package of things for her to take
home She wanted to carry it inside her coat,
for fear it would ''take cold.' There were
more than enough candy bags and oranges to
go around and the remainer were sent home to
the little brothers who cannot enjoy the prvi-
lege of the school, Eoth children and assist
ants regfeICeQ CHe enforced dDSeHce ol Tile
teacher of the school, Mrs. Freeman r. Cook,
whose severe illness has confined her to the
house for number of weeks, and they hope
soon to welcome her back among them again.
The little girls, whose ages range from SIX to
fourteen, were dismissed about o'clock, and
trooped out of the Memorial building with
shining faces and laden arms. Before their
departure they gave rising vote of thanks to
the Guild and those who were fortunate
enough to be present could not fail to realize
its sincerity.
The Baptist Sunday school had "givine
Christmas" and their observance of the day
was in charge of a committee headed by Mr.
Charles Rhoades. The children furnished q
brief and very enjoyable entertainment before
the heavily laden trees were unloaded, Santa
Claus was present and there were gifts in
plenty and Christmas cheer for everyone.
| The Christmas tree and entertainment In
the Methodist vestry on Christmas evening
was well attended, and greatly enjoyed by the
Sunday school pupils and others present. The
program for the entertainment was finely rem
dered, and included the following: songs by
Ralph Bramhall, George Langill Harry Coombs
Row Macomber Harold Merriam Albert Healey