Christmas day or not, both
Hamilton daily newspapers were published.
Some of the items had been
prepared beforehand, other items had been prepared by the reporters having to
work Christmas eve and preparing their articles for publication on Christmas
day.
One item prepared in advance
was the following poem :
When
the sexton came to the tower stair,
Where the coil of bell rope lay,
He
cheerily called, ‘Old bell, up there,
Ring out! is Christmas Day !’
He
seized the rope in each wrinkled hand,
He pulled with a youthful might!
Till
the glad sound pealed o’er the sleeping land,
And soared to the stairs so bright.
‘Ho,
ho!’ laughed the star o’er earth and main,
‘What know you of Christmastide?’
We
shone on that far-off eastern plain
Where a star was the Wise Men’s guide.
‘We
saw the Child in his manger bed,
And the gifts the magi gave,
And
we shall shine when your voice is fled –
We shall shine on the sexton’s grave.’
Said
the sexton : ‘Stars! to you ‘twas given
To herald the Christmas birth;
Though
the praise and the glory belong to heaven,
‘Tis the joy belongs to earth.’1
1 Hamilton
Times December 25, 1883.
Examples of news item which
was put together late on Christmas eve follow :
“Christmas day was danced in by a good many Hamiltonians
last night. Several assemblies were held, and were well-attended.
“The first assembly of the
Comus Pleasure Club was held in the Pythian Armory, and was well-attended by
sixty couples. This club has just been organized. Its object is social amusement,
and there can be no doubt that that end was attained at the first ball given by
the club. The music was furnished by the 13th quintette orchestra,
and a fine supper was served at the Temperance Dining Rooms across the street.
The affair was in every way a gratifying success.
“The Amalgamated Association
of Iron and Steel Workers’ ball was held last evening in the Encampment Hall.
The attendance was very large – too great, indeed, for the comfort of the
dancers. Vint’s string band was responsible for the music.
“The Maple Leaf Social Club
gave one of their popular assemblies in Larkin Hall. In honor of the Christmas
season, the ball room was gayly and tastefully decorated with flags, evergreens
and mottoes. Over a hundred couples were present, and it is safe to say that
not one of these failed to have a good time. The members of this organization
know how to get up and carry through a good assembly.
“Young Canadian True Blue
Lodge, No. 2, held a dance in the Germania Hall, which the members of the lodge
attended in regalia. Between thirty and forty couples were present. Holmes’
string band furnished the music. The assembly did not break up until the world
was well into Christmas.”2
2“Holiday
Assemblies : How Hamiltonians Danced Their Christmas In”
Hamilton Times. December 25, 1883.
“The amusement hall in the Asylum for the
Insane, in this city, was packed last night with patients, attendants, officers
and visitors. The sumptuous dinner had placed everybody in good spirits, and
the entertainment was enjoyed with unfeigned delight.
“The programme was received
with unlimited applause, the farce bringing down the house time and again.
“The seats were planted more
closely, and a large space left in the center of the hall into the middle of
which an immense Christmas tree was moved. The branches were heavily laden with
cornucopias filled with sweets, ties, lace collars, fleecy neckwear, etc., and
each patient was presented with a gift. Old and young munched candy with a
relish, and displayed with pride the presents given to them.
“The evening closed with a
dance, and merrily the assembly kept time to the music. At 10:30, the patients
were marched to their rooms, and Christmas day ended at the asylum with the
fullest degree of pleasure anticipated.”3
3 “Christmas
Evening : With the Patients in the Asylum for the Insane.”
Hamilton Spectator. December 26, 1883.
Patients in the City
Hospital were not forgotten on Christmas day. The young man with the Spectator
headed down Barton street to witness and report on what was being done for
those who were too ill to spend Christmas at home:
“The interior of the city hospital has been
made beautiful with decorations in evergreens, flowers, boxwood boughs, tissue
paper, cards and pictures. The afflicted inmates forget their ills as they turn
in their beds and gaze upon the odorous cedar boughs twined around the pillars and hanging from the
ceiling, and mutter a prayer of gratitude to those who, with loving hands, have
striven to make today a truly festive occasion.
“The entrance hall has extra
attractions in a motto, ‘Merry Xmas,’ made from boxwood boughs, frosted with
glass and decked with flowers; the chandelier covered with tissue paper in
fancy work; and green boughs adorn the door frames and ceilings. This style of
decoration extends to the halls, leading on either side to the wings. Upstairs,
the large room is beautifully decorated.
“The male ward has a
profusion of green boughs tastefully arranged, and interspersed with artificial
flowers. The mantelpieces are covered with natural flowers in vases, above
which are displayed neat designs in mottoes, crosses, cards, flags and greens.
“The female ward is also
worthy of praise, and the lady attendants have worked with a hardiness that
brought success. Two large mottoes are prominent : ‘Peace on Earth, Good Will
Towards Men,’ and ‘Glory to God in the Highest.’ One of the patients, Mrs.
Ross, has displayed rare talent in the manufacture of artificial flowers; her
productions number in the hundreds, and can be seen everywhere amid the
decorations.
“Three large cakes were
presented by the matron, Mrs. McMichael, to the male, female and main wards.
Two were the five stories high and the other, three. The decorations were
beautiful.
“Through the kindness of
several of the citizens, a great amount of assistance was given the officers in
preparing the festivities.
“Mrs. James Turner presented
a bag of boxwood boughs and evergreen trees.
“The Women’s Christian
Association sent down five turkeys, six chickens and 72 Christmas cards.
“Miss E. Case donated three
large pictures.
“The Duffield Flower Mission
will present each patient today with a bouquet, an orange and a Christmas card.
The gifts will be distributed by Mrs. Lemon, Mrs. Briggs and Miss E. Case.
“The dinner will be
abundantly supplied with roast fowl and plum pudding. The extras on the supper
table will be cakes, buns and baked apples.
“The hospital will be open
to visitors today, and is well worth of an inspection.”4
4“Christmas
Decorations : And Entertainment for the Patients at the City Hospital.”
Hamilton Spectator. December 25, 1883.
Even the popular daily item,
the Diurnal Epitome appeared in the Christmas day issue of the Spectator:
“Christmas day.
“Same to you and many of
‘em.
“Also a Happy New Year when
it arrives.
“The corporation men are
shoveling the snow from the crossings.
“The employees of the Grand
Trunk railway shops had a holiday yesterday.
“F.W. Fearman’s horse
started to run away yesterday, but the driver was too much for it and it
stopped.
“There was a great rush of
passengers to and from this city on the Grand Trunk and Northern and
Northwestern railways yesterday.
“Jasper Hurrell, a
compositor is in the Times office, slipped and fell Sunday afternoon while
walking on James street, fracturing one of the small bones of the right wrist.
He will be confined to the house for two or three weeks in consequence.”
The newspaper offices were
not the only places open and busy on Christmas, so was the Hamilton Post
Office:
“The patronage extended this season to these
missives of friendship and affection is something astonishing, and the revenue derived therefrom by the post office
department must be very satisfactory to the officials. Since the first of the
current month, a steady flow of this class of correspondence has been daily on
the increase. The rush first set in towards the United Kingdom, gradually
narrowing its borders until centered in this city on Monday when it culminated
in one of the largest deliveries ever known in the history of our post office.
The local springtime of literature peculiar to the season was enhanced by the
arrival on Monday of a British mail fairly laden with some hundreds of pounds
weight of similar missives. The capacity of the staff at the post office was
strained to the utmost, and night and day, work proceeded and continued
incessantly until noon on Christmas day.”5
5“Christmas
Cards.”
Hamilton Times. December 26, 1883.
The editorial writer for the
Hamilton Spectator put together the following piece appropriate for Christmas
1883, or any other year’s Christmas day :
“Down through the ages for near two thousand
years has come the continued observance of a glorious and blessed anniversary.
Wherever Christian men have been, and in whatever circumstances, they have
never forgotten the day, or ceased to observe it as a day for thankfulness,
peace and charity. It is linked with the most wondrous event in history, with
the most sacred associations, with the highest hopes, and with the noblest
teachings. Around its annual keeping have clustered the tenderest memories and
the most joyous festivities. It has become consecrated as a day on which to
forgive where forgiveness is needed, for reconciliation where reconciliation is
wanted, for reunion where reunion is possible, for charity where want holds out
pleading hands or misery drops its tear.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
“May it be merry because of
human suffering made less; because of sorrow alleviated; because of tears wiped
away. May it be merry because large-hearted steps in where misfortune has been;
because the little store is supplemented through the thoughtful benevolence of
the wealthy; because the want and suffering due to improvidence and sin are
turned aside by the strong hand of Christmas goodness.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
“may it be merry because of
severed friendships renewed and divided hearts brought together again by the
loving spirit of Christmas.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
“May it be merry because
of reunions around the family hearth; of
children flocking again to the paternal roof; of brethren closing round the
common table.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
“May it be merry because the
hearts of the little ones are filled with gladness. There is no joy under the
sun to compare with that of making others happy. And a little thing makes a
child’s heart glad. Remember that the little ray of gladsome light let into a
young soul may follow it throughout its earthly pilgrimage and be at once a
pleasant recollection and an influence for good through long succeeding years.
“We may make Christmas
almost as merry as we will. Humble thankfulness, good resolve, thoughtfulness
and that great charity which ‘thinketh other better than itself’ will enable us
to make Christmas better and better, because all the tender associations of
Christmas past rise up to hallow our observance of the day which was hallowed
in its origin, and remains consecrated to all that is best and noblest in our
natures.”6
6“A
Merry Christmas”
Hamilton Spectator. December 25, 1883.
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