Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-12-21
A CHICAGO LETTER,
From Aunt nee to Her Little
Niece.
Intercepted.en route. for the Benefit Of
The Phoenix Boys and Girls.


Dolls Bazaar ISL 1T seems to be the fad
of the season. in the way of charity enter
tainments here this winter. and the one
held in the Auditorium parlors last week,
to raise funds for the Home for Selt-sup-
porting Women was probably the most in-
teresting and successful of any, past or
future As we entered the grand parlors
there were dolls to the right of us dolls to
the left of u--doll, everywhere-about
thousand of them ! should think. a
thousand dolls ] can imagine how wide
your bonnv blue eyes will open at the very
thought of such a charming sight There
were dolls OF all sizes, from the wee one ID
It's doll mamma arms to those measuring
three feet some OF them represented very
noted personages. as for instance, one
dressed in black velvet and gold lace, with
a cooked nat and a sword by his side who
bore the Label "Christopher Columbus
There was Mrs. Cleveland, in white satin
with a pink velvet train yard long Mary
Queen of Scots, in the tall ruff and snowy
costume of her time; the Empress Jose
phine. in scarlet plush, white satin and
ermine: Elizabeth Fry, the philanthropist,
in dress and bonnet of Quaker drab, with
kerchief sheer and white; Charlotte Cor
day, Rip Van Wrinkle, Pocahontas, and
many others, representing people you have
read about in your story books
Mrs. Potter Palmer, whom you heard so
much about in connection with the Worlds
Fair. sent a large doll, dressed like little
girl of three or four, in a simple white mus
lin gown that was resttul contrast to the
silks and satins the laces and trains of the
others. and made you think of dear little
Polly. the "Old Fashioned Girl There
We're lots of baby dolls, in long white
dresses. and some wore cloaks and the
cutest little bonnets, as if lust starting out
for a ride In one corner half a dozen
doll-people sat around a tiny tea table. set
with toy dishes and lighted by tairy-lamp,
and on a large table near by ten dolls were
represented as dancing around a May-pole
On another table were dolls dressed in the
costumes of all the nations: on still another
We're Mother Goose and her children. Lit
tie 30 Peep with her sunbonne,, Jack and
Jill with their pail. Mary leading her little
lamb, Old King Cole, Little Boy Blue, and
all the rest. Some of the dolls cost over
hundred dollars, it is said; but the ras
dolls tso-calledl were very attractive. ana l
believe were all sold on the hrst afternoon
OF the bazaar, which lasted several days and
was the means OF adding some six thousand
dollars to the funds of the institution il
aid of which it was given.
Another entertainment that you would
have enjoyed-and so would Harry-was
given by the Boys Brigade OF the Chi
cago Avenue church. better known as
Moody" The brigade of 20 boys is
divided into four companies, the commits
stoned officers being selected from teachers
in the Sunday school, while the nOn-com-
missioned officers are boys themselves, and
the list is complete from orderly sergeant
10 corporal. The boys are provided with
nattv uniforms and wooden guns, and
fine appearance they made on this occasion
as they went through the various evolu-
tions with a precision that reflected great
credit upon their instructor. VIM. 3. Hill
ton, al eX-othcer of the English army.
Besides their drills in the best tactics of
West Point. they are taught the art of
representing the broadsword and bayonet
practice respectively: have exercises III sig
mailing with the Geographic code. and also
calisthenic and gymnastic exercises. which
combine the best of the systems used in
the English, German, Swiss. and Ameri-
can armies But what interested me most
of all was the work of the Ambulance
corps, who are taught how to give aid TO
the injured, with a special view to caring
Tor persons hurt in street accidents. The
way those boys hurried a dozen of their
comrades into bandages, and within a few
minutes had them standing in a row
against the wall, one with a broken leg
another with a sprained shoulder. a third
with a severed artery, and so on, was
sight worth seeing-and it was very funny.
too. So skilled have they become in this
work that nearly all of the corps have
passed examinations by city physician.
and are pronounced competent TO care for
the injured.
And now, to close, Just a word about
Christmas. am glad You have not for
gotten that we agreed to give very simple
inexpensive gifts to our dear ones this
year, so as to have a little money where
with TO buy presents for those whom Santa
Claus somehow overlooks; and now you
want to know how TO find these neglected
ones Well, I'll tell you. Think over all
the families you know, and see if there are
not some who have had a particularly hard
time this year what with illness, loss of
work, or some other misfortune then have
mamma, or teacher, or some one else
whose loving tact you can depend upon
devise a way TO bring Christmas Joy into
these homes. And another thing l have
thought of is this Do you remember the
poor house we came across in our drive
over the hills of the old Bay State last
summer, with its old, old man, TWO old
women, the little blind girl and the half
witted boy? Can't you take some simple
gifts TO them-a doll and musc-box for the
little girl, some toys for the boy, some