Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-12-21
In =
A Scotch City

Glasgow. the commercial metropolis of
Scotland. with its we'll nigh million in
habitants. can be chosen 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 on Argyll street-a
thoroughfare as busy as any in the
land-are gayly and profusely deco
rated with holly and evergreens. Above
nearly every entrance signs of vel
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.
and there is a moving mass of human
ity 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
VII S\SOAo tAC Ivy al 1lul 11lS
lordship 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
stitut1ons 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 o'clock, according to an
nual custom for years past. be pre-
sides at the annual dinner given to
from 5000 to 5000 poor men. women
and children in the city hall, Albion
street. His lordship aud 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 orga MIST
At the close his Ior}ship makes a
speech. which is reported verbatim in
the newspapers 1t is usually mas
terly production.
OutWardty 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 1heatprs in Glasgow Christmas
eve. They are rehearsed for weeks
before. The playwright usually chooses
as his theme fairy tale. Jack the
Giant Killer" ALI Bahia 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 tn.
young folks can recognize the char
acters, but taken altogether the pro
duction becomes really dramatic
burlesque Of local life and character
interesting. entertaining and even ele
| waiting to old and young. Actors an(
| actresses of renown take the leading
| parts, while there are dazzling cos
! tunes, magnificent scenery and a gor
| geous ballet thrown in. No wonder
it is that often until the middle
spring the pantomimes enjoy con
! tinuous run. Latterly they become
in a sense classics. for their librett
| undergo. weekly improvement at tht
suggestion OF local wits noted for tn,
pungency of their sayings and thu
| fund Of dry Scotch humor they pos
sess. 1t is no exaggeration to say tina
these pantOmimes are visited by som,
| persons each night all the season
through and by others fully score O.
| times
! Then there is the usual exodus O.
| 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 il
some cases. There is scarcely fam
lily of note in the Highlands that ha:
not son at the universities of elias
gov or Edinburgh studying for tn
| professions of law. medicine. the pull
| pit, the army or the home or foreign
| civil service: With what hope ant
pride the advent Of the young studen
is looked for at the little railroad sta
ton up in the mountains on Christ
mas eve or morning! If he lives OF
an estate the next day he is given ;
side by his rustic countrymen in thei
annual Christmas day football match
The game is usually stoutly contest
ed one, umpired and refereed by TIL
laird and heads OF the estate. At tn
corner Of the field is placed cask o
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. Aroun(
the ropes are the young women Of TIL
estate looking on with pleasure ant
discussing their choices in the dance
list of the evening.-Brooklyn Eagle.
Santa Claus In tho Zoo.
Said Santa Claus: "'Tis Christmas eve
(The animals looked pleasantly,
And each of you will now receive
His yearly Christmas present.
But I'd be glad if every guest
Would mention what he'd like the best.