The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-12-22
Christmas In
A Scotch City

Scotland, with its we'll nigh million in
habitants, can be chUs, 4 as an interest
ing Illustration of the manner in which
one-fourth of the people of the country
spend the holidays. Many days before
the store fronts Oh Argyll street-a
thoroughfare US busy as any in the
land-are gayly and profusely deco
rated with holly and evergreens, Above
nearly every entrance signs of wei
come and the compliments of the sea
son are exhibited In holly leaves. On
Christmas eve the stores keep open
late. Either side of the thoroughfare
Is mass Of blazing, cheerful light,
ana there is moving mass of human
1ty between. But when the stores
close they close until boxing day. All
the working people now get their
Christmas holiday.
On Christmas forenoon the lord pro-
voSt or mayor presides at the annual
meeting and breakfast given by the
directors at the royal infrmary. His
lordsh1p makes a speech, after which
there is distribution of good things
TO all the patients in the large institu-
ton. Then he visits sundry other in
situations for the care of the sick and
poor, where there are Christmas freeing
and feasting. BY the way, Christmas
day Is one Of the lord provost's busiest
days. At 2 O'Clock, according to an
nual custom for years past, he pre-
sides at the annual dinner given to
from 5000 to G.OO0 poor men. women
and children III the city hall, Albion
street. His lOrdship and the city
magistrates occupy the stage and take
dinner with the poor. During the re-
past, which consists of soup, beef, an
entree, plum pudding. tea or coffee and
fruit. stirring Scotch airs are PLAYED
on the big organ by the city organist.
AT the close his lordship makes
speech. which is reported verbatim In
the newspapers. 1t is usually a mas
terly production
Outwardly the aspect of the city
resembles that of Sunday. Neverthe-
less thousands of people are moving
about. The myriad of riveters in the
miles of shipbuilding yards along the
Clyde have come to the city with their
wives and families and are attending
the matinees or evening pantOmime
performances that have already been
running. These pantOmimes are fea-
ture of city life in Scotland during
the winter. Usually three open at
the big theaters in Glasgow Christmas
eve. They are rehearsed for weeks
before. The playwright usually chooses
as his theme a fairy tale. Jack the
Giant Killer" "AIi Baba and the For
ty Thieves" and Aladdin and the
Wonderful Lamp" have been favorite
themes. AS rule. the playwright re-
tains enough of the tale so that the
young folks can recognize the char
acters, but taken altogether the pro-
duction becomes really a dramatic
burlesQue of local life and character.
interesting. entertaining and even ele-
waiting to old and young. Actors and
actresses of renOwn take the leading
parts, while there are dazzling cos
tunes, magnificent scenery and a gor
geous ballet thrown in. No wonder
1t is that often until the middle of
spring the pantOmimes enjoy con-
tinuous run. Latterly they become
in q sense classics, for their libretti
undergo weekly improvement at the
suggestion of local wits noted for the
pungency of their sayings and the
fund of dry Scotch humor they pos
sess. 1t is no eXaggeration to say that
these pantomimes are visited by some
persons each night all the season
through and by others fully a score of
times.
Then there is the usual exodus of
young men to the country at Christ
mastide 1t is a common saying among
Scotchmen that all roads lead to Lon
don. This is changed to Glasgow in
some cases There is scarcely fam
iIy of note in the Highlands that has
not son at the universities OF GlaS-
Cow or Edinburgh studying for the
professions of law. medicine, the pull
Dit, the army or the home or foreign
civil service. With what hope and
pride the advent of the young student
is looked for at the little railroad sta
ton I'D in the mountains on Christ
mas eve or morning! If he lives on
an estate the next day he is given
side by his rustic countrymen in their
annual Christmas day football match.
The game is usually stoutly contest
ed one, umpired and refereed by the
laird and heads of the estate. At the
corner of the field is placed cask Of
good Scotch ale. from which the play
ers regale themselves at half time
Then the game resumes, and the sec
ond half is fast and furious. Around