Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-12-24
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS
RAMPANT EVERYWHERE
City viii Generally Observe the
Holiday Tomorrow
MIDDIES START ON LEAVE
OnIy 49 If First Class Qualify for Priv
iEege Of Visiting 0ut Of
Town

No better evidence Of the holiday
rush could be furnished than the con-
ditions existing at the local postoffice.
Oficials at the Office report that
the mails have been unusually heavy
during the last few days, but the
corps of clerk. together with an extra
working force, employed for the
emergency, are handling ell matter
with marked dispatch. Yesterday
alone, there was great mass of in
coming parcels.
On all deliveries, the several car.
riers we're weighted down with pack
ages, and the mass of letters and
cards bearing greetings of the season.
And, besides. seventeen bssketfuls
that is. baskets of the size of clothes
receptacles were distributed by the
extra working force Today the in
coming mail is equally as heavy and
great quantity destined for outside
points, was dispatched.
The Christmas spirit is rampant
everywhere. Business along some
lines is, in measure, tied up today
because of the snowstorm, and the
holiday for many of the working class
of people really began today When
the Federal, State, county and munic-
ipal offices, as we'll as banks and the
majority of the business houses,
close their doors this afternoon or
tonight, they will remain closed until
Thursday morning.
All employees will be given the day
off with the exception of those at
the postoffice. The office, however,
will be closed to the public after 10
o'clock il the morning. There will
be morning delivery of mail, but
otherwise only a skeleton force of
employees will be on duty for the dis
patch of mail matter dropped into
the office or deposited in the mail
boxes about town.
Down at the Naval Academy every
thing will be closed up tight, too.
Ony enough workmen will remain on
duty to keep things running, and they
will be employed in shifts. The hol-
iday for the midshipmen began AT
noon today, when thoss midshipmen
Of the first class who were entitled
to the 4S-hdur furlou gh, with the priv
ilege of visiting relatives or friends
out of the city, started on their leave.
But the number who secured this lib
erty was fewer than had been expect
ed. In fact, only 49 of total of Ia
got it.
Superintendent Gibbons, in the
order granting the liberty, made the
provision that only those first class
men who had not received more than
"a demerits since the beginning of
the academic term in February up to
and including December Is, would get
it. So when the conduct reports were
made out during the last few days, it
developed that only 49 had met the
requirements.
Those Of the seniors who do not
get the out of town liberty will be
allowed the same privileges to visit
in the city, as that granted to the
members of the lower classes. This
liberty began at $3.50 o'clock this
afternoon, following the close of reci-
tation periods, and will extend until
10 o'clock tonight, the hour fixed for
the close of the hop.
There will be no formal Christmas
Eve hop tonight, as has been the
custom Of many years past. For what
reason no one seems to know 1t is
stated that the date was not included
in the middies schedule, and that the
superintendent granted permission
for holding an informal or promenade
concert tonight between the hours of
8 and 10 o'clock.