Article on the Christmas festivities at the Stock Exchange

Article on the festivities at the Stock Exchange on Christmas Eve. “The Wall street [sic] men don’t amuse themselves often, but when they do the playfulness in which they indulge is mirth-moving in the highest degree...

“In the Stock Exchange almost as soon as the call commenced a motion to adjourn was made, which was carried amid a blare of tin trumpets, such as Joshua must have shaken the walls of Jericho with. Fifes, drums and other instruments were brought into requisition, and all sorts of airs were played at one and the same time. The Gold Room people heard of what was going on in the Stock Exchange, and resolved to go several per cent better, which they did. They provided themselves with cheap musical instruments, consisting of tin trumpets, jewsharps, baby drums, &c., and having made a grand march around the fountain, drew up in solid phalanx before the desk of the Vice President of the Board, Mr. Hoyt, to whom it was understood a testimonial of high horticultural value was to be presented… the testimonial in this case was unanimously chosen as a head of cabbage… [describes the funny scene of the “presentation” of the cabbage].

“At the conclusion of the speech another blast of horns and loud hurrahs testified to the gratification of the hearers, after which the Board gave itself up to the unrestricted enjoyment of those little amenities in which they delight, among which may be noticed knocking off hats, each member disporting himself after his own fashion.

“Mr. Arthur played a solo on the drum, which was encored. This was followed by a solo on the gong borrowed at Delmonico’s Hotel. A solo on the fife was followed by ‘the charge of the Macedonian Phalanx’ on 500 tin trumpets. ‘Shoo, Fly,’ was desperately patronized, and the feeling supposed to represent the condition of the vestal star was very generally exhibited.”