The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-26
BOUGHT "a wEINACHTs BAUM"
PitifuI story OF ] wo children on Christmas
DaY in New York


New York, Dec. 25.-Down through
Essex street yesterday afternoon sped
a little Jewish boy and his sister, fol-
lowed by reporter. On the children's
faces were expressions suggestive of
emotion of some sort. In their wake
they left people standing with simil-
arly moved countenances. They car
ried a Christmas tree. 1t was a very
small one. about a foot and a half high,
but the effect the puny pine produced
was out Of all proportions to its size.
The climax and explanation came
when the children got to their home,
near RivingtOn street. Their father,
a cap-maker, their mother, sisters,
brothers, cousins, all likewise cap-mak-
ers, rushed forth upon the children and
seized the tree from them. Didn't
they known what it was?" their father
asked in the jargon. They did" a
Neinacht Baum" a Christmas tree
"A bitches Ting" "a German thing)
he called it and after trampingIing up
on ii, he tossed ii in the gutter and sent
the children into the house. AS they
disappeared weeping, he vented the ex-
cess Of his rage in the exclamation
"Cchickse" (Christians) But that
was little too much; the rest Of the
family demonstrated with him for cali
Ing the children that, and he was humb-
led by the rebuke. Yet ii was a ter
rible thing those children meant to do.
They had meant to set the tree I'D in
their room and illuminate it with Han
uka light
They had wandered out Of the ghetto
lnto Avenue A, where the Jahr of Vein
hchts market is. There the reporter.
VINO had gone thither TO see what is TO
be seen. saw man, whether for fun or
FOR charity, give TO the children one Of
the trees their eyes coveted. He had
questioned them and learned that they
knew in general way the uses of the
tree; 1t was to hang presents and Han
uka Lichte on. And the kind heart or
the merry joker was a Jew himself He.
however, is from farther up town in his
family, he said, they have a tree
Christmas makes its way everywhere
Among the people who have had II In
one form in the old country, it has ex-
tended to all the forms known by all
the people round about the settlers.
Where it has not been, II crowds in lit
tie by little till it becomes a part Of the
human life The Jews. even the ortho-
dox when educated or liberal. have adj
opted it. The incident Of the children
OF Essex street merely shows how the
christmas tree makes its way and what
opposition ii Is able to overcome.
But the Weinachts Market was now
In full swing in Avenue A from East
Houston street to the WeiSse Garten.
which latter some people who have seen
II only on the may, call ii Tompkins
square. 1t is German market in the
most German neighbOrhoOd Of New
York. There is a fair just like it at
this moment in every city, town aud viii
lage in Germany, and those abroad are
being visited at this moment by the
Americans abroad. It IS one of the
sights Of German life. The things for
sale are not the attraction to the tour
iSt either here or across the water
They are toys and crockery. cakes |
(honig kuchen. for exsmple) and cards |
and decorations for Christmas trees !
all cheap and short-lived Cthere's a |
stand, for instance, where you nav
have any article for ! cent? II is the |
people, the buyers and sellers. who are |
interesting. and no German city's fair |
can rival this at Avenue 4 for queer |
and foreign sights. Many of the stands |
are managed by Polish Jews from low |
er down on the east side. They sell in 1
mixed jargon, English and German to 4
people who buy in a like confusion Of 1
tongues.
Here is a schane Christmas Baum /
fur dreisZig cents"
With German alone no one could IN /
derstand all Neither would English 1
single do. An Eng,ishman with high /
German only would have to think a /
moment 10 grasp all the details. Yet /
this is simple sample
Crowds throng the sidewalk all day,
and in the evening there is a jam which 1
threatens 10 overturn the stands. There /!
are the rich merchants from First
avenue and Second. and now and then
a hloated butcher from Third avenue.
With them are their proud wives. be-
fore whom the Polish jew peddler bows
ana Scrapes-successfu She buys a
chrome with the frame" for so cents
The women % the vicinity come bare
headed in this weather. or with a shawl
over their heads Children stare and
pick their presents throwing out hints
Il Santa Claus. They come TO see, the |
adults TO see and be seen and 10 ex-
change gossip.
The reporter got from two gossips
this hit Of society news:
''Gooten Tag, Mrs. Schlaumewer."
Tag. Mrs. Scilarfnase"