Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-29
AN EAST Side CHRISTMAS
Cripple Charles Christmas
Party and Tree.
CONVICT BILLY IS SANTA CLAUS
Maggie and "Chimmie" Join
in the Merriment.



New York, Dec. GA wear ago to-day
was down where the "other side" lives
and watched through the night with
Chimmie and Maggie beside the death bed
OF poor Katie. To-day-for now it is to-
day. have Just returned from there,
but have been to a party, and as look
ct myself in the glass | see woman in
a pink evening dress with her hair
decidedly musscd. The sad result of Nv
ing round the room with Mis- Connellys
husband in full chase after me to get the
kiss that would be his right if he caught
me. Chimmie saved me, but it was at the
expense Of a ruiiled bang.
How did | happen to go to q party on
the other side? + tell you. In the early
part of the month, Maggie told me that
she and Chimmie and two girls and one If
the girls gentleman friend" and the
little jew boy who was found of him.
were busy making things for Mis- Con-
nelly's Charles Christmas tree. asked
Maggie to invite me to come help. and
then asked her to ask Mis- Connolly to
invite me to the Christmas tree This had
TO be done with great deal of care. Ii
had to be recognized by Mis- Connolly
that would esteem it a favor, and that I
wasn't one of the sort who would come
down and put on airs. There is nothing
the people on the other side dislike 50
much as being patronized, and | don't
blame them for ii.
REMEMBER THE HELPLESS.
Mis- Connely's Charlie is a little cripple.
who, day in and day out, lies on his bed.
and sees nothing in the future except that.
Every child in the neighborhood cares for
MN, and you who know nothing about
the other side would be surprised 10 see
how he is remembered Bad little bows
deliberately steal piece of ice from the
Ice cart, then taunt the iCeman that they
may carry the cool bit up to Charlie, ana
there is never a bunch of flowers in the
nelghoorhood that isn't at least shared
with him. The little Jew boy knows how
to read, and he makes life bright for
Charlie sby reading to him, from books
gotten at the free library, all the stories Of
adventure and romance, tie stories of
great heroes and of dreadful pirates, stories
that make their little bodies feel creepy at
once with fear and delight, Maggie was
experimenting the getting up of the
Christmas tree, Mis- Connolly sent out the
invitations, and Chimmie promulgated
this rule: "Youse can't come cent YOU We
got yer faces and hands washed; If YOU
try to sneak in dirty Mis- Coonely's hus.
band Will thrash you" 1t was limited to
me that it would be considered courteous
on my part if appeared in evening dress
and wore some rings, and, Of course, | did
The. party was to begin promptly at S
o'clock. At $50 started for It, First,
was put in cab then small dog with q
broad pink ribbon, having piece Of
mistletoe fastened in its bow, came; then a
bird cage with canary that would sing;
then great big cake wrapped up in a
white cloth;
THEN A BIG DEMIjoHN,
and then my very best punch bowl. The
driver asked If there was ANYTHING more
and ! said NO" then screamed "Waitn'
and there was brought to me mysterious
In inn hFaWr In.nE 49, -.
people to carry it. After that we started,
When we got down there Chimmie I'M
packed us, and We all, bundles, dog and
me- wentup to Maggie's room to be taken
apart.
Maggie was poem in ribbons blue rib
bons tied her hair; long blue satin ones
streamed from her shoulders, and a blue
ribbon belt was about her waist. 1t made
her old dress look very fine, and she
showed me, with the greatest delight i'm
aginable, gold brooch representing true
lovers knot which was Chimmie's present
to her. II Maggie was a dream, Chinmie
was picture, His hair had been cut at
the BARRIERS, and he was redolent with
some perfume much affected hy the
African gentlemen who barb his hands
were scrubbed until they were n fiery red
his collar was so high it nearly choked
him, his scarf a brilliant blue, was tied
in what ! have since learned is called a
butterfly bow. When / took off my
wraps, Chimmie looked at me then nodded
to Maggie and said Mag, this ull he a
proud night for Mis- Connolly, youse
always knowns just what to du.h Down
we went; for the COnnellys, being wcll-tu
- 80" 49, -. iootis vi wy ileNt moor;
nst,at.J II iT;, Nv Eoui ~ Ms t3hiiSly
i i'!sDttiu' il'9 Ptoiessloi1 IS thaJ OF q long
finely dressed as Chnnlic, hc was quite n,
red from the liberal use Of soap ami water
- Ii ~ h".''io N'V'i MS Sa'a 4Ht nc wa
s laI =" ti'eeL ~ n nc htari me we!
hpa jiNen ~, 10Y MN Sollelhihs abou
~, s'as t' 10. Nv M"S PTpafeH 70 hht
L. - ,i'"1 'i'Nsa"O 'l'' PcdsuFe WoaIu
oe iilut''al'
m FHE LAboEEh MODEST home.
C. nen ! greetea nm connolly. Mis-
SIpii'et1 - h9thiiilS' sue Is hotheFly
- h ~ ~ Wy DUG anu green pnplti
utess tlat 'oIiHuill gave her last year
Mheil Gousiti 81 ms went over TO Ireland
Al Al = sisis? a'l'u cousin bringing u back
n she Melsits Hearly w " would nav
80. "e ~ Not'hel!E haI CHOSEN PIaii
S1iTt' S KY a. sue was Aappy u was a.
iiE's. H.ia =, Si1lttteitE kiSSel me. anu tliel
NJ WIZ ra.,, W nai'le' ~ llllIe chaP hr'
.",, 49, ~ ~ - ""t ~ ti'G Hlid'4e o. IN
loVtii, anu ht WAS Propped UP VI pillow
ia 1'i ~, II Io',l1 ~ tFtIEthlls' MasSs'
i'or ~. 1iiS''.G ". HmE DeFFIes mere am
na.,t ~, IA 3,,., go N" "tt4te slieHu, ana
-, ~ IL ~ ny iuoV " lIle Netl' y
atitoti1, 49,. i,'i'Tii WY ne sou
EE H..!e,lS %, looNtu Hhe the spirit o
~, Stttt9'ln"l, KEY 20 Nun on me ipN
r., - - ~ L''''lN' ''te 'tt'c rev
49,, ~, ti .t, .'oG' alHp'iR tht PhGE an
ta,og ~ " ~ l.t i,E4'lS anu KIN
VIZ uS9t'.it % otIil st!Hp
NV credr Nm Lnsro III 49,, I