Year: 1874

Thanksgiving Day was observed yesterday
throughout the city as a holiday. In TACT, the
observance Of the festivity was more general
among all classes than ever before. The public
orices were closed the dread neignborhood OF the
.'oulls'' and ''oearsr was peaceful as May day
morning and all business down town was sus-
pended. Even the shipping In the harbor, with
the wharves and docks shorn of their busy
throngs OF longshoremen and noisy crowds OF
working sailors, and with not creak d a wind.
lass breaking the silence OF South West streets
along their whole length, seemed to wear lazy.
DON'T care holiday look. For wonder the re-
tailers uptown on the avenues had their shutters
mp, and were themselves the greater part OF the
day among the churcn-goers OF those who were
merrymaKing.


'.Old Probn had much TO do in ma ng the day
as ENJOYABLE as 1t was and he had been specially
petitioned beforehand for


RIGHT KIND OF WEATHER


he could not have done better, Tor the weather
that prevailed was truly delightful. There are
people who say THANKSGIVING Day doesn't seem
like Thanksgiving at all when they can't feel the
crisp snow crackle under their feet they go to
church and the music OF the sleigh bells lngling
in their ears, but these over.particuar folk are
mostly all Down Eastersn who "when TO hump
on Thanksgiving Day couldn't avoid having snow
banks IN the streets OF their villages If they
wanJed TO; but it is pretty certain, Judging from
the way everybody in the city appeared to enjoy
himself and herself yesterday, that the clear sky,
the bright sun, the bracing air and the summery
atmosphere in which everything seemed to move
and have its being went to make up the tull
measure OF the desires OF the most exacting fine
weather wishers.


Although by the Wednesday eastward bound
trains fully 5000 persons must nave left the city
80 help


EAT THE FAMILY TURKEY


with the old folk they were not missed IN the
general crowds which after dinner sauntered in
the Parks and on the avenues for all the town
seemed out OF doors, and for every New Englander
who went home there we're ten persons from the
country who to see the sights and enjoy them
selves generally. Indeed, Judging from the number
OF country people dressed in their best who were
met with at every turn in the Central Park with
ample baskets on their arms many OF the
strangers brought their turkey and cranberry
sauce along with tnem probably with the view
OF avoiding the expense OF a city dinner, in order
10 nave all the more small change to spend at the
theatres and shows. All the churches generally,
which were open for service were wen at
tended in the forenoon. There were sermons at
most OF them but, as Tha nksgving sermons are
rather a worn out article, II Is more than likely
that those VINO went to church for forms sake.
as the majority did, and got no sermonztng, were
not very much saddened by the circumstance.


II is almost needless to speak OF


THE FAMILY DINNERS


that followed the church going, Tor every family
that was able 10 have turkey had one with the
usual accompaniments; but where the real enjoy
ment OF the turkey dinners made the most i'm
preston was among the poor in the public
and private institutions, who, but ior the great
charitable hearts who are so numerous In tnis
city would have had no extraordinary Thankgly-
ing dinne- at all. The LITTLE orphans and nalf
orphans, the fallen women WAC have been rescued
from life OF shame and gathered In the reiuges;"
the aged women in the private asyiums, without
kith or kin; the newsboys. the inmates OF the
prisons and hospitals the poor riendiess girls and
bows that are 40 kindly cared Tor al the various
.homes,n the crippled and the manned, old and
young TO many OF wnom existence has been and
IL destined to be, 80 long as II lasts grim, work
ing all were given a chance TO enjoy a good
plentiful dinner. made all the more palatable by
being served out by sweet-taced women whose
main aim in lie seems TO De TO do good to others.
At all the institutions, public as well as private,
during the dinners and the after enioyments,
many OF thpse who had literally contributed to
the purchasing OF the good things to and drink
dropped IN TO see how the good, big and little folk
were getting along, ana certalniy none OF them them
the long tables and heard the cheering voices OF
the little boys and girls VINO never knew what IL
could have gone away without leeng that In
being the cause OF happiness TO others we but in.
crease our own Lenfold.


THE MISCELLANEOUS.


There were, oil course, during the day the usual
parades by target companies and tantastica
bands. The latter are always the Thanksgiving
delight not only Of the street ARABS, but OF the
little ones generally, and whenever the gro-
tesquey- dressed pafaders with painted ana
masked faces, put III an appearance with their
band, consisting OF a squeaklng fife and tin pan
for drum, they were preceded and followed from
block to block by entire brigades OF ragged young
sters, yelling and screaming, while the more for
tunate todders In the grand houses along the
line OF march peered out OF the windows In groups,
with faces ali agiow with excitement. In the
evening the theatres were crowded. The dav,
In point OF fact was everywhere a thorough holi-
day, than which a more enjoyable one has not oc-
Cured In years.