The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-12-23
Christmas In
A Scotch City

Glasgow the commercial metropolis OF
Scotland. with its well nigh million in
habitants. can be chosen AS All interest
ing illustration of the manner in which
onefourth of the people of the country
spend the holidays Many days before
the store fronts on Argyll street-a
ah0roughfare as busy az any IN the
aand-aW 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 q mass Of blazing. cheerful light.
and there is moving mass Of human
aty 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 infirmary. His
sordship makes speech, after which
there Is distribution Of good things
to all the patients in the large institu-
ton. Then he visits sundry other In
sdtutions for the care of the sick and
poor, where there are Christmas freeing
and feasting. By the way.s sChsiatmass
day is one Of the lord provost's busiest
days. At 2 O'Clock. according to an
auai custom for years past. he 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 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 lordshtp makes a
speech. which is reported verbatim in
the newspapers. 1t Is usually mas
Serly 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
cunning. 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" "AH Baba and the For
~ Thieves" and aladdin and the
Wonderful Lamp have been fav0r1te
themes. As rule. the playwright re
eains enough of the tale 90 that tnt
young folks can recognize the char
acters. but taken altogether the pro
duction becomes really q dramatic
burlesque of local life and character
interesting. entertaining and even ele
Vating to old and young. Actors ane
actresses Of renown take the leading
parts. while there are dazzling cos
tunes, magnificent scenery and q gor
geous ballet thrown In. No wonde'
1t is that often until the middle @
spring the pantomimes enjoy con
unuous run. Latterly they oecon'
In sense classics. for their nDreet
undergo weekly improvement ct tn'
suggestion of local wits noted TOR tn
oungency Of their sayings and fn
fund Of dry Scotch humor they pos
sess. 1t is no exaggeration 70 say ina
these pantomimes are visited Oy som
persons each night all the seasol
through and by others fully 2 score g
times.
Then there Is the usual exodus g
young men to the country q Cnrls'
mastide. 1t Is q common saying amon
Scotchmen that all roads lead to -.
don. This IL changed to GLASGOW
some cases There is scarcely Aa1
sly of note In the Highlands that na
not son at the universities Of Gia'
gov or Edinburgh studying for g
Professions of law. medicine fne pu
pit the army or the home q foreak
civil service. with what hope en
pride the advent Of the young sfuoel
Is looked for at the little railroad q
ton up In the mountains on Chris
mas eve or morning! If be lives 9
an estate the next day be y gtyen
side bv ia. rnsfie couufrymen 81 the