New-York tribune., 1916-12-26
Happiness Seen in Homes
of Poor and Rich from
Battery to Bronx
CHURCHES HOLD
SPECIAL SPIRIT
Yuletide Idea InvadeS Hos
pitals. Prisons and InSti-
tutiOns for Aged

New York said Merry Christmas
Yesterday and turned with hearty
viii 10 make the words true for all
who could be merry within the c''ys
yates. And because II was 80 viiIco
Christmas was celebrated as % has
seldom bcsn before.
10 may have been tho Police Depart
ments Christmas festivities. reaching
into the home OF every poor child I'D
the city. which brought this about IT
nav have been the Christmas trees IN
the squares: IL may have been the
more everyday fact that times arc
prosperous but whatever the cause
The results could he seen in happiness
from the Battery TO The Bronx in the
homes OF poor and rich alike.
Because Of the bounty Of many who
did their part toward making possible
this widespread Yuletide cheer thou
sands Of children whom Santa Claus
might have passed by fell asleep last
night hugging tightly doll. Jump
ing-iack. a horse or other toy
Spirit Invsdes Hospitals
Christmas invaded the hospitals. the
prisons. homes for the aged and every
charitable institution in the city. l.
was waited in Christmas carols 20 tiny
oars IN chiloren's wards and 10 ears
which first heard those same carols
many years ago.
The morning was ushered in with re-
.icious services in all the churches, be-
ginning with solemn nigh mass in ST.
Patrick's Cathedral at midnight. Car
d.nal Farley was present az the II
o'clock mass.
Bishop Greer preached in the Cathe-
dral Of S. John the Divine. One Of the
most notable services # the eay was
The Feast Of Lights in the Chapel Of
the lntcrcession, Broadway and loo'h
Street. i'm the afternoon.
Mount Morris Park was crowded wltn
10000 persons last night. who watched
the production Of nativity play. given
on an open air stage. bright with the
: eht from a huge Christmas tree. The
rerformance viii be given each night
during the week
Two Thousand at Tree OF Light
More than 1000 braved the cold 10
attend the Tree Of Light celebration in
Madison Square. where a band Of thirty
pieces gave programme OF Christmas
HYMNS. patriotic and operate sciec-
tions. This evening the Community
Chorus will sing in Madison Square
Garden. ana q mixed chorus Of 1000
voices. accompanied by an orchestra o.
ninety pieces. will assemble AT the big
tree in the Square and sing carols.
Only 800 newsboys were at the Brace
Memorial Newsboys' Home for Christ
mas dinner instead Of the usual 900.
While this may be due in part to ma
tional prosperity. Charles Loring Brace
said that az least one hundred had
joined the army or the navy during the
year.
In the thirty-ive years that Christ
mas spreads at the home have cheered
the thoughts Of biue-knuckled little
business men there has not been one
that equalled Yesterdays. There We're
Rhode Island turkey, Virginia ham,
MARYLAND dressing. New Jersey cram
berries. Connecticut celery. New Hamp-
shire and North Carolina potatoes.
Ma sachusetts rolls. New York turnlps.
Georgia cakes and Pennsylvania cheese.
That left mince pie and ice cream for
Carolina and Delaware.
Everybody made the complete trip
iom Rhode Island 20 Delaware with
out stopping 10 inquire why 1t was
South Carolina pie or Delaware cream.
Despite their New England and Neapol-
tan aspect il was appa.ent 10 all that
those dishes had 10 be assigned to those
states or some OF the historic thir-
teen colonies would have been over
looked.
Several thousand children who Wis
ted the Elks Club. lOS West Forty
third Street, yesterday stopped with an
uncon nscious shiver of delight before
huge Christmas tree standing in the
midst Of Il snowstorm. IL looked as II
II might be a movie Of a snow scene
and the operator had halted the film,
for the snow furry had stopped in mid
air. Suspended from the ceiling above
The Illuminated tree were-the men
who put them there had counted them
500 snowilakes.
The New York Association for I'M
proving the Condition Of the Poor pro-
vided $40 destitute families with din
ners. costing $3.50 each, and distrib
uted packages Of toys made in the old
mems toy shoL. conducted by the as
ocia.ion Dinner was served TO the
.mployes Of the TOY shop. who were
taken 70 the performance a. the Hip
podrome.