'H .. Pjrftorif who iir no owbkCI
; ; ' ' ' ftl CHRISTMAS DINNER MU5T 5E 5EKVfPj-:' V ' , ' ' -;?:
ChRI!)TMto DIMMER MUST 6E
f 1 M A 1 1 A . like every largo city, miiu
I Lj I talus many people to whom
xjiii idi limn in uiii n ...ii.i. i lit j
PWjl will bao Miimll pint In (ho holl
tiny cheer Tin1 toast tuikoy will
mil ho fur tlit'in, iimny don't Know tho
iniiitiliiK "f Ingle-nook, whlli tlio Htift glow
tif t tut wood lilt) In tlio grate, tliu oo.y
i'liliiiiit' corner anil tlio pli'iiHiirti of enlor
t it I it l it k; tlio guest aro lint llgiufiits, of use
only to make atmosphere for an old Kiik
IIhIi ghost Htory.
Ami those aro not necessarily tlio poor
of tlio t'lty'H population. In those tlayit of
systematic charities there aro ft-w indeed
wIioho ilt'Htltntloti places tlit'in lii'yoiul tho
pali' of Ynlt'tltlo I'lii't-r. It Ih ratliur thoao
wIioho tlntlt'H i'oiiipt'1 tlit'in to work III!.! days
In tlio yt'itr ami for whom Sunday, Christ
iiiiih or tin' lon it li of July lias no sigulll
ennco wlilcli ilni'H not attach to any other
day of tlu' ryclf. Those, who represent fully
oni'-fiiiirlli of tlio t'lty'H working populu
lion, realize fully that ChrlBtimiB, elec
tricity ami steam tlo not mix. Thoy under
stand that tlio tlint'H aro bo Hwlft nowntlnyB
Hint t lit y inquire Biich an ImpotiiB between
HtatloiiH that tlio alrbrnkt'B don't tnku ot
ft't't until tliu holiday Ih lt'tt out of sight
armiiid tlio I'urvt'. Anil then there's noth
ing to stop for.
o Hcxt for (lie 'rraliiiiifii.
So tlio soldiers ami hhIIoth, 111 ilrt'iiry
camps "under nllen skies," nro not tlio
only oiioH t'litltlt'd to a nntUui'B thoughts
at this rhucrful Bt'nson. Thcro aro tho rail
rou'l ami Btrcot railway tralnint'ii, for In
Htauctt, mitl tho hiimlroilB ciuployi'il In round
hoiiBf, Hwltch yard ami car linrn. Thoy
must tin their day's work, liccatisu thcro
Ih iralllc, paasoiiKt'r ami frolKht to ho nt
ti'iiiletl to on Christiana us any otlior tiny.
So thoy work almost within buh-II of tho
Christmas foatit, yet may not pnrtnko of It.
"rnBsonRcr trnlllc usually la not ns lionvy
on Chrlatiuns ns on othor ilaya of tho year,"
Bnltl an old locomotlvo oiiRlncor tho other
day, ns ho oiled up preparatory to tnkltiK
out his train ' Ah a Kt'iieral thliiK pi'oplt-'
don't llko to trawl on Christmas and thoy
Ht'lilom do uiilt'HS It'H In i'iiso of dt'alli or
Hli'kni'HS. Hut this iiilo nppllt'tt moro par
tlrularly to tho throiiKh trains. Tho local
traliiH, thoso that stop at nt'aily all of tho
small stations iiIoiik tho Hut', carry a K"od
many pi'iitons who liavo Kimo to oat ClirlHt
iiiiih dliiiior at the homo of soini' friend or
rt'lntlvit tu a ut'khtiorlUK town. This la
pretty toiiKh on tho I'omluctor ami lirnko
mt'ii, who ha vi' to alt and listen to stories
about fcHtivHIcH that they can't share, hut
lifter a man has lieeu away from homo a few
years, IIvIiik at lioardliiK houses and res
taurants, he don't mind it iniieli. llcsldcs,
those of us that aro married usually llml a
llttlo of the ChrlstmnH left over when wo
not home."
A motorimin. who had stood at tho con
troller of his car throiiKh several holiday
HeasoiiH, was of tho opinion that Christmas
makes llttlo dilTcrcuco In his IiuhIiicsh. "Wo
carry Just about as many people on that day
as any other." said he, "and, except that
tho crowds aro ns a rule better dressed
than on the ordinary week day, you
wouldn't know It was Christmas. Thoy'ru
all koIiik to and from church or to and from
tho homo of sonio friend, whero they have
taken dinner. In tho ovenlnt; tho trnlllc la
Kcnernlly pretty heavy, as It seonis that
nearly every other family In the resldenco
districts Is entertnlnliiK a party of friends."
roller Walk Their IIi-iHn.
It Is probable that those connected In
various ways with transportation facilities
constitute the most numerous class of all
tho Kreat army of worker who nro kept
away from their firesides on Christmas
day. The next In point of numerical
atrciiKth, perhaps, Is made up of police
men, llrcnien and private watchmen. They
know no day mid no nlKht, to sny nnthliiK
of a holiday. An Omaha hluccoat has ob
served In his Ioiib experience that Christ
mas eve mul Christmas night afford favor
able opportunities for burglaries because so
many In the residence tllntricls are away
from home until early In the mornlliK
"During the day, though." he added.
"Christmas is usually as unlet In our line
as tho average Sunday. The 'plain drunk'
la the only kind of a misdemeanor that gives
us much trouble. Hut there nro usually
lots of 'plain drunks. ' The temptation to
stow away Tom and Jerry and hot Scotch
on Christmas Is too strong to bo resisted,
especially by those who nro feeling bluo
because they can't celebrate tho day In n
moro satisfactory manner."
Telephone girls and telegraph operators
must patiently pursue the routine of their
duties mid Juggle lightning whilu the
church choirs are singing hosanuas. The
big mercantile establlxlimentH which fur
nish moat of tho work for tho telegraph
companies nro ri'Htlug Christmas, so there
Is not the usual rush of business, but tho
wires nre kept busy, nevertheless, Hashing
greetings and congrntulntloiiti for tliu
Christinas wedding is on In n thousand
cities and hamlets throughout tho land.
The same in n measure Is truo of tho tele
phone company.
"It Is tho party line that Is busiest on
Christians dny," snld a telephone girl, "and
It la used mostly by children and young
peoplo engaged In arranging the details for
house-warmings. Tho down town otllces and
stores being closed for the most part we're
not bothered much from that source."
Iliuiury Mum llt I'ftl.
Of all persons who nre In n position to
study human nntiuo on Christum the wait
ers In hotel mid restaurant aro perhaps tho
best situated, though no doubt they llml
such research a poor substitute for the
comfiirts of the family circle. A wnltress
In a downtown restaurant says: "It's
enough to give out) the bluett to neo tho
faces of those wo have to servo on Christ
mas, It Isn't that the dinner Isn't good
enough, because tho restaurants, oven the
cheapest of them, aim to set out something
a llttlo extra on that day Hut tho peoplo
who have to tnku their dlniitis at a public
houso ore nil nbsent-niludeil. You enn
ensily see Hint their thoughlH nre a thou
sand miles away, more or less, probably
with tho company about Hit! table at the
old homestead. As n usual thing they don't
linger long at their meals. They sit down
nt a table by themselves, If possible nnd
generally get as far away from the stieet
na they cnn. Then they mlnee over a few
dlslii'H, stare at the celling, drum on the
cloth and go away."
Nurses in Hit. hospitals and in the ttlck
rooms of private homes have a dreary time
of It on Christmas, as Invalids are disposed
to bo somewhat peevish on that tiny. "We
cnn nlways count on a hard day's work
Christmas," said one of them. "Tho house
Is full of visitors from morning till night.
Some como bringing llowers nnd others
things to eat. The food never falls to be
disastrous to patients on diet, but most of
them plead so hard to bo permitted to eat
It that wo haven't tho heart to refuse."
Oilier HllN) lloilli'N.
Tho smelter employes havo read of New
Kngland'H yule logs, roat,t goose, holly,
plum pudding and mistletoe, but they know
that to let tho flro go out In tho furnace
will bo disastrous, so they keep on shovel
Ing coal and try to forgot that It's Christ
mas. Cigar dealt'tn nnd drug clerks represent
minthcr largo clnss which sit in darkness
on tho occasion of tho Savior's natal day.
Theatrical people try to be a llttlo more
vlvnclous than usual, but tho afternoon
matinee gives llttlo tltno for the digestion
of a dinner.
In addition to these, there- Is the mnn
who operates the steam heating plant
Sntno of tho tenants may think to carry a
plnte of good things Into his dungeon, but
this Is enjoying Christmas under illlllcul
tlw. Then, there nro thoso who work Itt
the operating department of the water
works, the men who toll for the electric
light nnd gas companies, tho phlegmatic
driver of the public conveyance and, dually,
tho preacher. Christmas to hliu means tliu
day when ho is to deliver his carefully pro
pa nil sermons, both morning and evening.
Christmas live
Sir Walter Scott, In "Munition."
nil Christinas Kvo tho bells were rung;
tin Christmas Kvo the ir.uss was sung;
I hat only night, In all the year,
Saw the stoletl pi lest the chalice rear.
1 lie damsel dunned her klrtlo sheon;
I he hall was dressed with holly green;
I'orth to tho wood did merry-men go,
lt gather In the mistletoe,
liien opened wldo tho baron's hall
lo witsal. tenant serf mid nil;
Tow r laid his rod of rule aside.
And Ceremony doffed his pride.
The heir, with roses In his shoes,
liiat night might village partner clioon'.
Hie lord, iinderogutlng, share
The vulgar game of "post and pair."
All hulled, with uncontrolled delight,
And general voice, tho hnppy night,
That to the cottage, as tho crown,
Brought tidings or salvation down!
The lire, with well dried logs supplied,
ent roaring up the chimney wide;
I In huge hall table's oaken face,
Scrubbed till It shone, the day to grace,
Here then unon Its massive board
No mark to part tho sciulre nnd lord,
ilien was brought In the lusty brawn,
Hy old blue-coated serving man;
Then tho grim hour's head frowned on hlgb.
Crested with bays ami rosemary.
Well can tho green-barged ranger tell.
How, when ami where the monster fell;
What dogs beforo his death ho tore,
And nil the halting of tho boar.
The wassail round In good brown bowls,
(inrnlshed with ribbons, blithely trowis.
there tho huge sirloin reeked: hard by
lMum porridge stood, and Chrlstmas-pye; -.
Nor failed old Scotlantl to produce,
At such high-tide, hor savoury guosc.
Then came the merry niasiiuers In,
Ami carols roared with blithesome din;
If unineloilloiis wns the song,
It was a hearty note, ami strong.
ho lists may In their mumming see
Traces of undent mystery;
White skirts supplied tho mnsquerade,
Ami smutted cheeks tho visors mado:
Hut oh! what masquers, richly dlght,
Can boast of bosoms half so light!
Kngland was merry Knglnnd, when
Old Chrlstmns brought his sports ngaln.
'Twas Christmas broached tho mightiest ale;
'Twns Christmas told tho merriest talo;
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man's heart through half the year