The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-20
GOLD WATCH FOR oRAToRY.

Toys ana candy are nowhere IN sucu ue-
mand just now as in the institutions where
children are cared for by charity. Times
are hard and money is scarce, the man
ayers of many OF the orphanages say, but
if their dsinherited little ones only get a
few cheap playthings that rich child
would look at with scOrn. they are none
of them to be forgotten in the joy of Christ
mas-a JOY that was brought on earth by
a little child. humber and poorer than the
Inmates of the orphan aSylums.
"Trifles given to our boys at this season
give them more pleasure than the gratifca-
ton of the most costly whnS does 10 a
millionaire" said the director of one OF
the Institutions. when questioned yester-
day about what they were doing TO Xmas.
Friends are sending US some presents
for them. but we would be glad of more.
for we have scarcely enough to go round"
A lady who looks after The temporal and
spiritual welfare of the children in an
other orphanage excused the zeal with
which she was entering into the prepara-
tons for fes ivity by remarkng, almost
depreciatingly: christmas does nos mean
very much, perhaps, to us grown-up
people, but each time il comes round it
marks an event in a child's history. The
little ones here will probably have HARD
tolsome lives, and l want them to have a
few pleasant spots in their childhood that
they can look back TO. They will never
forget them as long as they live"
The preparations at many of the institu-
ti0ns are being made in the hope that here
are still few more people VINO want to
add 10 the caildren's pleasure at Christ
mas and are keeping back their gifts till
the last moment to add TO the pleasure Of
receiving them. As for the little ones
themselves they are looking forward in
pure unsdulterated joy, without any mis-
givings about where the things are To come
from. Many of them still believe in Santa
Claus as q glorious reality.
The following are the plans for Christ
mas in a few of the leading institutions for
children:
In the Girls Directory the 200 orphans
and half-Orphans are so excited that they
can scarcely sleep. A lady. who prefers
to be known under the mysterious initials
OF "a. B. c." has purchased a $50 gold
watch, 2 $50 gold chain aud a bracelet OF
the same precious metal. These treasures
she has deposited with the sisters and on
Christmas day, in the evening, there will
be an entertainment in the large parlor,
where every girl In the directory will
either sing OF recite. "a. B. c." will then
decree the JeWelry to the child VINO acquits
herself best. At present even the alluring
prospects of the Christmas dinner are
overshadowed by the feverIsh desire 20
learn poem and recite it beautifully.
the sisters do not forget, however. that
when the award is given there Will still be
100 emDty-handed little orphans. They
are trying to provide some consolation
presents, and the older girls who happen
70 be the happy poSsessars OF quarter or
fifty cents are permitted to hold long con-
situations and then go downtown on mys-
terOus errands.
1--WE want TO train them to know the
value OF money!" the sisters say, land for
that reason we let them make their own
little purchases. Some OF the girls can
buy useful present or two for very little.
and others just throw their money away
on charity, but they all learn something by
the experience"
At the Ladies' Protection and Relief So
ciety 218 children, varying in age from
. to Is years, will have almost as good as
two Christmas days. On Saturday, at 2
o'clock. they will have a Christmas tree,
TO which all who like TO look on are in
vited every one, that Is, to whom
whooping-cough has no terrOrs, for
the institution has just got over
an epidemic OF that troublesome disorder.
AT the Christmas tree there will be a band
of music, with dancing and other festiv-
tiles. Christmas day will be celebrated
with icecream, cake and whatever the
children most fancy for their meals that
is not toe indigestible. Cold ham has beer
chosen by common consent as the extra
Wand for breakfast.
Christmas at the Youths Directory is a
season OF reunion Boys who have gradu-
aied from the institution and are ont
earning living inSstores and offices come
'home" 10 eat their Christmas dinner
when they have known DO other home. A
new departure is TO be lnaugurated at the
directory this Christmas. On Christm as
eve the youths who are still inmates of
the Institution are to hang up their stock
ings. The Noel Society gave an enter
tainment in Golden Gate Hall last night
in order TO help Santa Claus out in case he
found ii too great tax 10 fill seyentv-fiyp
gaping stockings in one building. There
is no doubt but that the visitors on Christ
mas day will be fully entertained with the
stories of how the patron saint of Christ
mas came down the chimney.
The Youths Directory is also to have a
Christmas tree. The boys will decorate il
themselves on Christmas eve, and will
despoil it after their turkey dinner on
Christmas day. Dinner will be at / O'Clock
sharp.
There are 200 children in the Protestant
Orphan Asylum, and Christmas is TO be
made just as happy for each of them as il
is possible to make it. To the bab ies of
wears, as well as the BOYS and girls of
IL piOoOhNo Will NO gwen iudl TeaiIE
worth receiving. All the festivities will
take place on Christmas day. At11 O'Clock
the kindergarten children will go through
some pretty exercises. After that. the
tree will be lighted and the presents dis
tributed. The turkey dinner will take
place az O'clock.
The children in the Boys and Girls Aid
Society are not to be allowed to forget
Christmas. though the preparations Tor
their festivities are not vet completed
They VIII probably have tree on Satur-
day.
Another class of children that are being
provided with some of the pleasures of
the season are the little ones who attend
the kiodergartens This afternoon at 3
o'clock the Silver Star Kindergarten
Christmas festival will be held at Golden
Gate Hall, on Suffer street.