The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-31 00:00:00

A 110SPITAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

All through the year the lady nurses at the University
College Hospital who are connected with the religions
'sisterhood of All Saints, Margaret-street, collect and .pur.
chase for a Christmas tree for the patienti. On Wednes,
-day night the tree was exhibited, and the presents
dispensed. It was a busy, striking scene. The nun-like
'robes and spotless white headdresses of the lady-sisters ;
the neat cleanliness and briskly_ cheerful faces of the
young nurses and attendants ; the pleased excitement
of the children ; :the ready sympathy of the
visitors, were all very marked. The room was so
full that it is only after some delay that its distant end
was reached, and that its beds were seen to be occupied:
Fair young girls with a hectic flush, whose hollow cheeks
and bright eyes spoke painfully of the ravages of disease,
held their Christmas gifts on the bed-clothes, and
gave a half-languid but wholly pleased attention
to the sight. Old ,rae.;„And women . renquring
from accidents, and who sat with bandaged arms,
or heads carefully propped by. pillows ; little
children, whose rosy cheeks and bright laughter
suggested anything rather than illness, and who were, in
fact, rapidly recovering from their. attacks ; and women
and men gossiping pleasantly together, were to be seen in
the ward. It was like A large family party, in which
there was no quarreling, and where all ages are repre-
sented. There had been an evident discrimination in the
selection and bestowal of the gifts.. The trees, for there
were really two, were covered with bon-bons, and
bad all the fairy-like profusion and prettiness
which are proper to young firs which have been
consecrated to Christmas. The gaily-coloured crackers of
our evening parties, the small wax candles which give
such delight to the juvenile owners or lessees of dolls'.
homes, the small fancy articles which were more
decorative than useful, all wave from their branches, and
give the proper semi-theatric, semi-bazaar aspect to
the room. But running between the two trees was a
counter laden with More substantial goods. Beside the
veritable baby house lay heaps of warm woollens and
stout garments for under and over wear. Appropriate-
ness seemed to be the first thing thought of in the division
of these and the other articles. A comforting flannel
waistcoat, a warm shawl, a handsome photograph-book, a
box of bon-bons, a handsomely bound volume, a packet of
tobacco, a night gown, a chemise, some stockings,
were fair types of the presents duly labelled with
their owners names, and given out or carried away.
There was a signal absence of formality in the whole of
the proceedings. The visitors of both sexes, and of all
ages—for many children were brought to see the great
Christmas trees—strolled round the room or edged their
way through its crowds, The staters chatted with all
comers like hostcssEa bent on malting the tivettlog go well;
and locomotion was is diflleult as at a fashionably attended
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