The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-29
HAPPY ORPHANS.
Their Christmas Festival at the Con-
gregationaI Church.
A Joyous Time for the Little Ones
Gifts for All of Them-Needs of
the Asylum Explained.

the Asylum Explained.
lie Sage declared that charity draws
down blessing on the charitable That
icing so, then hundred and fifty bless
ings hundred and fifty times multiplied
were poured last night upon the good
people who loaded the Christmas trees
for the hundred and fifty wards of the
Protestant Orphan Asylum, who gath
cred last evening in the lecture room Of
the Congregational Church full of eager
expectation concerning the gifts Santa
Claus would bring to them.
The band of devoted women who HOY
cred about these hundred and fifty or
phans and dispensed the gifts that uni
versal duty" prompts, must have felt
that for all their painstaking, self-sacri-
fee and labor in behalf of these little
ones, they were repaid over and over
again by the JOY that illumined the coun-
tenances of the fatherless and motherless
ones. They must have felt with Paley,
that one ''can see the benevolence of the
Deity more clearly in the pleasures OF
young children, than in anything in the
world" and infinitely keener must be
that realization when such children are
homeless and know not the nightly word
of loving parents and the tender embrace
and gentle ministrations OF mothers.
There was present at the festival
simple, plain and homely as it was, but
full of warmth and the sunshine of loving
pity-all that the hall could comfortably
accommodate. In front sat the orphans,
beginning with the wee tots in abbre-
waited chairs, the next larger behind
nd off in irrrnnciY,cr ciy h.
larger boys and girls in rows sweeping
in semi-circles before the stage.
On either side of the platform were the
Christmas trees, two graceful pines
loaded with expectation realized, glitter
ing with conventional Christmas orna-
nents, bearing the traditional twink
ling tapers, and over all the unmeltino
excuse for snowy wreaths in graceful
fcstoons of popcorn that patient fingers
had threaded.
At SIS o'clock Master Sheldon Baldwin
took his place at the piano as the accom-
PIANIST of the evening; the countenances
ofG. d. Irvine and George Shoemaker,
the masters of ceremony and general
managers of the big-hearted affair, took
on a grayer look of concern as MIR. Shoe
maker gave the signal and the curtain
went up GA the first scene of charming
Christmas cantata-no matter about the
title, 1t was the subject and the treatment
OF the theme in which interest dwelt. II
told in song and recitation and dialogue
OF the hopes of a band of children who
were praying from the bottom of theil
anxious, hopeful hearts that Santa Claus
would not forget them in the year of
grace 1891.
First came two herald angels IN white
robes and snowy wings and golden
crowns, who sang ofthe glad tidings ofthe
day OF peace ana wood Will. Then the cur
tain fell to rise again upon an ante-cham
Der of Santa Claus realm. There sat the
Jolly monarch of chiIdren's hearts; OF
one side black-robed Bob Buster, on the
other, Winter in a glistening sheen O.
icy mail; in front Jack Frost, with gar
nents bespangled with the hoary dia-
monds of his kingdom.
There was q bluff in song on the par
Of Buster that was hotly resented by
Santa Claus, but Winter put in her voice
and finally the three fell upon peace and
agreement, and the curtain went down
upon the promise that there should be nc
missing Christmas" for the orphans in
~.
While Santa Claus was. presumably.
rustling about and making ready behind
the scenes for the promised visitation
Miss Edna ticks sang in a strong and
promising voice of much sweetness and
character, 1.-THE Palm Tree"
Then the curtain rose again, and
Nv titby -lOuI DOy anu gins ildICnGu III u
q rhythmic beat of time, bearing each z
stocking, hungry and lank in Ieanness
] Il very prettily delivered songs the chill
dren held counsel as to what they ought
to receive, their duty to those poorer than
themselves, and the helpfulness they
ought to feel and exercise for others. The
whole story cannot be told here. but after
a charmingly unconventional operate
cOlloquy: they disappeared after hanging
their stockings about suppOSitious fire
place. Then in the next scene came Santa
Claus, who proved to have been an caves
dropper, for he knew precisely the desire
each child had expressed, and he pro-
ceeded to crafty it, all the while telling
how much Ii pleased him to do so.
With the return of the children came
the emptying of the stockings but two
who had received nothing, and were too
poor to enjoy the luxury of footwear, anC
one of whom had not the virtue of clean
illness, Were loaded down with gifts tina
the other children poured into their lap!
in illustration of the beauty of generosity
and self-sacrifice. And so the cantat;
ended. 1t was pity that it could no
have been given upon a well-appointeC
stage, with proper exits and entrances
and scenery where the management
might have been less conspicuous. for i
was worth that much dramatic robing
Then came Rev. Mr.. Singleton upon
the scene, and in a brief, direct anc
timely address thanked the people fol
their kindness to these fatherless anl
motherless little ones. He declared his
belief that the most beautiful work o
Christ was His ministry among tht
young. He came not as prince, mighty
and powerful, but as a little child, babe
that he might reach down to and be man
Hest in the lowest form of human nature
or, as someone had well said, get Hi
shoulder beneath the race of men, the bet
ter to bear their burdens. His commant
to his disciple, twice iterated, was, "Fee(
my Sheep; but the third, the last time, i
was "Feed my lambs" Every man, CIV
cry woman, said the speaker, who ha
the care of little children and is helpin.
them on to live good lives; every MAJ
and every woman who in any manner i:
aiding little ones TO arm well for the bat
tie of life, is working in sympathy witt
Christ-is doing Gods work.
Then Mr.. Singleton asked the people t.
give of their means to pay the unpro
Vided expenses Of the festival, for, though
much had been given. there still wa
need. When County Assessor Irwin
took his hat and sailed out at this signal
his eye seemed to size up with practices
keenness the ability of every man ant
woman in the house TO stand good
round, healthy assessment, and eyeryon
seemed to understand him precisely, s