New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-26
CHILDREN MADE HAPPY.
EXCELLENT WORK OF THE CHRISTMAS
TREE SOCIETY.

r,,r, co,,,up1A THEATRE CROWDED WITH THE
CHILDREN OF THE PooR-EvERy LITTLE
ONE WAS WELCOME AND ALL
HAD GOOD TIME.
Ifya single one of Brooklyn's poor chiidren
failld Yesterday to have a merry Christmas 4"
was not the fault of the Brooklyn Christmas
Tree Society but the misfortune OF the chr
dren themselves Almost before the su" na'
risen expectant youngsters began 10 asseiio'e
in front of the Columbia Theatre anu u!
o'clock when the doors were opened there were
thousands OF them in a long ine' from '"o "
five abreast. extending far out into the street.
Half a hundred policemen were on mana u
keep them in line and curb the anxiety OF
tho more restless urchins whose ambition was
TO head the column and get into the best seats
When all was ready inside the word was
given. and the procession moved. as slowly at
first as IL the occasion were funeral. ms
was due of course to the watchful care OF the
nol,cemen whose sole effort was then to pre-
vent stampede But when after twenty min
utes the end of the line seemed to be as far OH
nc ever the command was changed to step
,,va,v" The orchestra was soon filed. then the
first gallery, and finally the second gallery was
seats. The order Of the policeman at the gate
20 "sbo,v vour tickets" was obeyed readily by
those who had tickets, but of necessity disre-
oorded ~, those who had none The right of a
s,ngle raCamuffin who presented himself or her.
self was not challenged, and In the motley MOB
could be found children of all races, OF many
ayes most of them scantily clad, and large
proportion giving evidence of little acquaintance
INT
no such distinctions. 1t demands nothing ex-
cent that its beneficiaries shall be deserving OF
the kindness extended to them. and that the
swarm of applicants who presented themselves
at the Columbia were deserving was evident at
first glance
Once inside the theatre the little folks owned
,be house II their applause was not as evenly
and as Justly bestowed es that OF more mature
audience would have been, 1t Xas not because
Of lack of enthusiasm, but because Of immature
Judgment and unfamiliarity with the ways or
the orchestra circle But when they were toid
TO join In on the chorus OF Daisy Beil the
volume of sound that arose was something re-
markable Nor was it always necessary Tor
them to be told when they should join IN the
fun. The astute musician who closed each OF
his selections with lively and spirited ng' was
never allowed to have the floor all TO himself
There were mschef-makers in the crowd put
their mischief was Of harmless nature, anu
such as to add fun to the scene. santa Ciaus
was somewhat Disconnected Wnen ne went ~
the front of the stage to make his speech, ana
began with MY dear children, TO be met WIN
a ''What?" from some obstreperous youngster,
Mayor-elect Wurster and General klng were
heartily received when they took the stage 10
make short addresses but the children diu
not go for speeches. but for the more iVeIy
fun of the presents The young Lynn sisters
with their pretty songs and dances were the
prime favorites of the morning and their sing,
ing Of II Don't Want to Play in Your YARD
was considered exceptionally fine.
A brilliantly illuminated Christmas tree stooc
on the stage, and suggested to the little guests
the good things to be given out in the big room
adjoining the theatre after the stage perform
ance was over A. Z. Oelrichs. as Santa Claus,
kept his audience laughing for few minutes,
and the programme closed with mock drill by
Company 3.
The mornings fun was brought to an end with
the distributing Of presents in the Universal
In the theatres building. There everything was so
carefully arranged and well planned out that the
thousands of little people received their toys
and sweetmeats and were sent on their way re-
joicing without the least semblance or troupe.
1t was long past noon before the last Dag hau
been given out and the weary officers and mem
bers of the society could leave their stands. Inc
complete success of the celebration was due IN
largest measure to the unceaslng efforts OF Mrs.
Laura Sittig the president Of the Christmas
Tree Society, who has worked necessarily Tor
the organization for many months. Associated
with her in the work We're the ioiowlns ohieei9
Vice-presidents, Edwin Knowles Timothy l..
Woodruff Charles E. Marcy. Rafael Navarro;
secretary, Miss Alma Mexican; general manager
and treasurer. George b. Van Nostrand; assist
secretary, Albert A. Day; Executive Committee,
Horatio c. King, chairman; Mayor Schieren'
Leonard Moody Albert A. l., Day the Rev. Dr.
H. NJ Farrar and George w. Blair.
The following named persons were chairmen OF
the various committees: Mrs. Edwin Sayre, Mrs.
Uuyler. Mrs. Charles NJ Whitney, Mrs. Calvin r..
Hull, Mrs. Henry f. SwitZer. Miss Winfred
Steppe, Mrs. f. Washburne, Mrs. G. W. Townly,
Mrs Frank Is Meson Miss Grace Green, A. II.
Johnson. Henry c. Switzer, Mrs Frank Sittig.
Z. Florence Van Nostrand and Miss Theodore
Williams
The trolley lines OF the city aided In the
good work by transporting children free 70 and
| from tue theatre between the hours of 10
and 9. Little pink slips had been provided. and
| they were good for ride over any OF the trolley
| lines and transfers to those cars running near
the place where the presents were to be dis
| trbuted.