Evening star., 1931-12-20

geese CnS evening OF December
a. and by midnight of the 25th
the City of Washington, as it was officially
called century ago. wss covered with daz-
zling, glittering eiderdown blanket. white
Christmas" exactly 100 years ago-and wet"
one. Yuletide spent largely inside Of doors
before blazing, cracking leg fires and outside
of steaming toddies day of family dinners
the candle-glistening tables Haunting apple
jowled shoats, roast wild turkey, baked Vir-
ginia ham and blue famed, suffering plum
pudd1ngs; day of good cheer many toasts,
much charity and guiltess of 'gimmies." Twi-
light, or early cand'el git" when old and
young, master and SER ant knelt in family
prayer to give simple, humble thanks for the
birth Of the Thrice Blessed Infant
Seasonal festivities in Washington usually
began with a splendid ball Christmas Eve,
directed by Lewis Carusi at his washington
saloon" which in these days meant salon."
as well. But in 1881 Christmas day came ON
Sunday and the ball occurred Monday night
Whether or not Mr.. Ca1usi had retired or was
dead that year, his name was not mentioned
with regard to the smart affair and one M.
Generes announced a grand ''cotillion party
at Central Masonic Hall. Fol owing the Carusi
CUSTOM he proposed to donate portion of the
proceeds to- charity and confidently trusted
that ladies and gentleman of the City of Wash
ington" would honor him wit! their patronage.
The patrons of this high social event were
Thomas Davidson, A. B. liadsley. w w. Seaton,
Col Ashton, w. A. Walcott, L. M. Carlisle and
r. T. Washington.
There were three daily ana two weekly news
papers published here century back, and all
of them carried ertisonents of the several
entertainments which nC'lt BE- selected by the
public. At the Unitarian Church Mrs. Knights
"Oratorio of Sacred Musi2" would be given for
the benefit of the Washington Relief Society.
A rather bewildering rr-gram was printed in
local advertising columns as follows Mrs
KNIGHT in VP~S We
Limpid!' Mrs. Knight; rectatiye and air, An
gels Ever Bright and Tair.' Mrs. knight"
At the Washington Thcater Mr.. Cline was
taking his farewell benefit" on Monday, De-
cember 26, at which time he presented that
admired melodrama TekeG, and the comic,
tragic burlesque, 'Bomoastes Fllroso.'" The
curtain went up promptly at T. and price of ad-
mission was rs cents.
Duff Green's lively sheet, the United States
Daily Telegraph, carried notice of brand-new
feature at the Museum, Pennsylvania ave-
nue., In the devastating announcement that
''two live Savages have arrived and ere daily on
view" The schooner Antarctic, Capt. Morrell,
engaging in mother f-Cearl trade in the South
Pacific, landed her crew on a certain island.
The natives proved unusually friendly But sud-
denly they turned on the captain and his sailors,
numbering 13 of them. Two Of the savages were
captured, and for the price of 25 cents there
was nothing to prevent the most fastidious
from beholding them" Part of the exhibition
consisted of South Sea Island bows, arrows,
spears, paddles, clothng-if any-and fshlines
made Of bark of trees. The advertisement stated
that their appearance is unlike any other that
ever has been in this country, and both the
savages are strong, muscular and well limbed"
The circus at the Washington Theater was
another point Of interest," and here Mr.. Buckley,
the CLOWN" also was taking his benefit. The
opening number was wonderfully comic
scene of running vaultng by MIR. Cadawallder
on two horses, and in aCdt on Mr. Buckley, to
make the most of his bencft, proposed, while
riding his trick horse, PoEer, to jump through
a burning balloon.
A THOUGH the amusement at the hall at
Sixth street and Pennsylvania avenue, op-
posite Gadsby's Hotel had been running for more
than a year. a special matinee was offered for
the children. Here "the greatest natural living
curiosity exhibited in America" was on
exhibition, and proved to be no more, no less,
than a unicorn or one-horned rhinocerous,' 6
years old, 10 feet tall a pronounced vegetarian
and one which drank half barrel of water
each day" Two other delightful displays
Though unknown to natural history"-were q
pair Of mocos and al incheumon. OF course,
the dear pupil Of today knows that moco is
a member Of the Brazilian rat family and an
incheumon pernickity sort of mongoose living
on Egyptian crocodiles and crock eggs. History
does not denote what the incheumon subssted
while terrorizing the children of Washington
a hundred years ago.
The National Museum and Gallery of Fine
Arts, Thirteenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. (this section being Washington's Rialto in
183D, had been fitted up in rotunda- form and
there the serious minded gentleman and lady
of President Jacksons era might feast eyes on
fossils, reptiles insects and such artificial curl
osities" as stuffed tigers" Arabian camel, a
kangaroo and a Bellerick crane. For those
whose souls craved mu-io there was a fine well
toned 14-stop organ in the lobby. -,
Congress adjourned from Saturday until
Tuesday and on Christmas Monday, 1881, and
successive Mondays at the usual evening hour
the Presidents Mansion was open to-Risitors :