River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-12-20

| CHRISTMAS. 1867.
C,C.C.
George Washington Jones
You are cordially invited to attend our:
Christmas Festival,
At City Hall, Thursday, Dec. 28th, at:
Up. m. :
!: cHILDBEN's CHRISTMAS CLUB.
| No. 57p.
.'.''''.s
Let US skip the busy days of prepar-
alton, when the secretary of the Chill
dren's Christmas Club recorded twelve
hundred names; when the Park. street
school sent in the names of one hun
dred members who brought to their
teacher books, toys and clothing, TO be
sent to the City Hall; when comfortably
clad children came through the city
bringing in their sleigh5, on their sleds,
In their arms bundles of clothing and
toys, baskets of provisions, books,
sleGs, skates-much that was dear to
them, given in the spirit of true char
| lily.
One child could bring ''only a plate of
| biscuits" another a dozen apples for
the dinner" one had no toys at home,
put brought five-cent piece she had
| treasured Ito buy sometime" for some
| on little felier that hasn't n0thin';" one
| took all her money and brOuaht to
| her Sunday school teacher a painted
candy b!rd-cage, and said, 81 want it to
| 90 on the tree for some child poOrer'n
| me-"
And how were the children invited
| those children who were TO be the guests
! o! the club?
Six hundred invitations were printed.
| An Invitation committee was formed to
| distribute these invitations with the
| greatest care to persons who would he
| responsible for every ticket; that is,
| they gave no invitation to any child
| without knowing the parents or some
| thing of the recipients history, and
| writing the child's name on the front Of
| the card, with the giyer's name on the
back.
For three days before the festival
| these little ''guests" could come 10 the
| clothing room, and from the donations
| made by the members" receive boots,
| shoes, dresses, hoods, trousers and jack
| ets-whatever they needed TO present
a neat and orderly appearance at the
| festival.
Let us look into the city hall at half
| past one, on the afternoon of Holy In
| nocent's day, December 2Sth, the most
| fitting day for this children's feast.
The gallery is reserved for those mem
| bers of the club who have no work to do
| during that afternoon. But besides
these, no other spectators are admitted
to the hall; no grown persons, except
the committees whO are TO assist during
the festival in various ways. The stage
supports lofty tree, decorated that
morning by the members, while, on
tables behind, are heaped presents for
six hundred children. Around the edge
Of the hall, settees have been placed for
the guests, while the entire center is
converted into dancing hall,
Thirty long tables are loaded with all
that makes Christmas dinners the best
in the year. Ten plates are laid at each
side of those tables. 4 lady is standing
at the foot Of every table; a member OF
the club stands at either side as waiter"
to see that no guest lacks anything
In the anteroom, the reception com
nittee, consisting of fifteen boys and
fifteen girls, under the direction OF q
gentleman who has consented to take
charge Of the guests, await the arrivals.
Looking doWa the broad staircase, we
see the lower hall filled with children,
whose eager, upturned faces are reward
enough for all the labor.
Soon the six hundred have had hats
and caps and clOaks safely checked, and
marshaled in thirty lines oftwenty, each
line headed by one of the reception
committee. The doors are thrown open,
the band plays march, and the long
procession files in-twenty girls, then
twenty boys; up and down, iii and out,
through the six long aisles, between the
tables, and twice around the hall before
the last one has entered.
Such a line of faces, beaming with ioy
or timid sWith bewildered awe; rough
hair smooth to-day; grimy hands clearly
scrubbed; no harsh words, no J0stllug,
no disorder, as rank after rank enters,
and the quick eyes take in the beauty O
the Christmas garlands, the towering
tree, and, best of ali, the good viii ana
love ral!iating from every face.
Among the -presents sent in was q
large doll, handsomely dresse to which
was pinned this note:
"Ifthere is any little lame girl at the
festival, this doll is for her.
As the line wound along, q tender
murmur ran through the hail, for there,
leaning on crutehes, came q lame girl,
and every boy aud girl Whispered on the
instant, That doll is for her"
The children stood around the tables,
the leaders taking their places at the
head.
The musicians lay aside their instru
ments, and'a deep quiet rests upon
those ranks of children, as the president
OF the club rises and extends the Christ-
mas greeting of the Children's Christ
mas Club to its guests
After that clergyman took them
back to that day, eighteen hundred and
eighty-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
their Heavenly Father, and that IN
every little child is something that will
live forever-the price os which is far
above rubies.
The band then played gayly, and the
guests WOO had waited 50 patiently and
respectfully were invited to partake of
the feast.
Every plate had been previously filed
with a generous supply of turkey or
chicken, and every table had an uafail-
ing source 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
setrees awaiting them.
You can Judge best whether the din
ner was appreciated, by my telling you
of one little girl who, when asked If she
preferred chicken or turkey, replied.
Il ain { never taSteu CnlcheUj anu Oi
the boy who put aside. in little pile
beside his plate, the incest part of ev-
erything gwen him. When asked if she
did not want to eat that, looked up shy
w, saving, "Please may l carry that
home to mother? She's sick
While the children are marching
around ID their seats, those thirty tables
disappear as if by magic, caught up by
ready hands, leaving the floor clear for
games and amusements.
Where were the most eager faces
| among the members" in the gallery of
the guests about the halR Which
were the happier?
| think there was no difference, for
| when our hearts are full to the brim with
| i.v, they can hold no more, and if
! screams and peals of laughter, and quick
| clapping of hands, mean joyOusness,
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 convulsing the house
| with laughter as he waltzed III 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
| MI in fur from his head to bis feet and
| ~, HI hack a mack containing