The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1883-12-21

10 sec that no guest lacks anything
In the antDrOOm, the reception com
uIttee. consisting Of fifteen boys and
fifteen girls, l.nder the direction Of a
gentleman who has consented to take
rhar.c OF the guests, await the arrivals.
Looking down the broad staircase, we
see the lower hall filled with children,
whose eager, UDturned faces are rcWard
enough for all the labor.
soon the Fix hundred lave had hats
and cius AMI ClOAkS safely checked, aud
marshuIcI in thirty lines 0ttwenty, each
lin" headed by one Of the reception
committee. The doors are thrown open,
the band plays Il march, and the long
prorpss;Uu flies im-tWenty girls, then
twenty bows. up end down, in and ont,
tIIrough Me six long aiEies, between the
tables. and twice around the hall before
the last one hu5 entered.
Such a line Of faces. beaming with jOV
or timid with beWiidered awe; rough
hair smooth to-day grimy hands clea l'y
scrubbed; uO harsh words, no j0stiing,
no disorder, as rank after rank enters,
and the quick ewes take in tie beauty Of
the Christmas garlands, the towering
tree, and, best Of ali, the good will and
love railauEg from every face.
Among LIlt pls%GE4lB GCIil III wan q
large doll, handsomely dressed, to which
was pinned this note:
IF there is anv little lame girl at the
festival, this doll is for her"
As the line wound along, a tender
murmur ran through the hall, for there,
leaning on crutches, came a lame girl,
and every boy and girl whispered on the
instant, ''That doll is for her.
Nv, ,lfl,tro, Stnn1 DrnIpnH fItA tohlAc
the leaders taking their places at the
head.
The musicians lay aside their instru-
those ranks of children, as the president
mas greeting Of the Children's Christ
mas Club to its guests.I
After that d clergyman took them
back to that day, eighteen hundred and
eightv.twO years before, when the great
and cruel King HerOd sent out his de-
cree that every child under two years
Old should be put to death, and his exc
cutioners went forth and slaughtered
every one but the little Christ-child was
saved. Saved for what? To live to teach
people that little children are precious Q
tnelr Heavenly Father, and that IN
every little child is something that will
live fOreVer-the price OF which is far
above rubies.
The band then played gayly, and the
guests WOO had waited so patiently and
respectfully we're invited to partakc of
the feast.
Every plate bad been previously filed
with a generous supply Of turkey or
chicken, and every table had III udfail-
ing ource of ham, tongue, pickles, cake
and pie, and for nearly an hour the lit
tie hosts and hOstesses served their
guests before conducting them to the
setCees awaiting them.
You can iigdge best whether th3 a;G
ner was appreciated, by my telling you
Of one little girl who, when asked If she
preferre! chicken or turkey, replied,
II amt never tasted chicken" and of
the boy who put aside. in q little pile
beside his plate, the incest part Of ev-
e%rylhing given him. When asked if she
did not want to eat that, looked up shy
ly, saying, "Please may / carry that
home to mother? She's sick"
While the children are marching
around to their seats, those thirty tables
disappear as if by magic, caught up by
ready hands, leaving the floor clear for
games and amusements.
Where we're the most eager faces
among the members" in the gallery of
the ''guests" about the hall? Which
were the happier?
| think there was no difference, for
when our hearts are fullto the brim with
Joy, they can hold no more, and if
scream and peals of laughter, and quick
clapping of hands, mean ioyousness,
they were both as happy as they could
be.
There was so much to enjoy!
A little girl recited beautifully '"Twas
the night before Christmas" a queer
hobby-horse as large as life curveted
and pranced about the hall, taking fright
at everything, and CONFUSING the house
with laughter as he waltzed in time with
the music, some gentlemen sang funny
songs and told the most amusing stories;
and suddenly who should appear but
Santa Claus himself! He was clothed
all in tur from his head to his feet" and
carried on hi, back q pack containing
six hundred bags OF candy.
AS the sunlight faded, q tiny raw I'd
denly flashed from the highest b inch
of the Christmas tree. and a little voice
cried, "Ob, Bessey, see the start" Then
another and another tw.nkling light
crept out, till the graceful Christmas
tree stood TRANSFORMED, all sgleam with
light.
A pretty device had been to tie among
the branches 'ssun-bows,n rs u wee one
called a prism, and the tiny candies
were reflected in a hundred swaying
| mirrors.
A quiet awe had rested upon the chill
| dren as they watched the stars Green
out; but as o flood of light burst upon
them from the ceiling o grand hurrah
went ur. Then a strain Of music came,
soft at first, but Don swelling into a
| cfGrus
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Where are the presents eli this time?
Safely waiting on long tables behind the
tree, d now each ran OF twenty Ia
led by the hosts, who have go cordially
done their duty through the afternoon
Up the flight st the left of the stage.
goes the long procession, on to the stage