People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-12-31
Bountiful Supplies for the City's Poor
Several Family Trees Were Held-How
the Christmas Day Was Spent.

songs, with ITS joys and its pleasant
memories, is past. Another year is
added to the ages since the Star Of
Bethlehem rose. Its p9lnS have been
sung from thousands Of throats.
The epics and eclOgues sung of the
,Ayuletide are most forgotten, but with
u PLEASANT memories of the day lin
2 Hg grateful thought that the
,5.Tts the young were made happy,
and the'homes of the poor frightened
with bOuntiful gifts from the stores
of abundance. The community has
/ done its duty; the day was Gshered in
with sacred reverence, itwas observed
as becoming a churCh-gOing cOmmun-
fly. The bacchanalan reyelerS held
their jambOree, but the representa-
sltige citizens bowed in reverence,
They paid solemn tribute to the holy
holiday by worship, andin recOanting
sacred memories of the past. Wei
aingtOn observed Christmas in a fit
ting manner, as becomes the day.
The churches held exercises Christ
mas eve and distributed provisions
among the poor. The programs con-
tained rare treats in elOcutiOn, choice
renditiOns of vocal and instrumental
fmusic, and yule-stories told in
song The children of the Sun
fday-SChOOls were treated with bushels
0fpTesentS from the Christmas trees.
They made merry and livened the ey-
ening with their laughter. Christmas
eve az the churches was largely child
ren'S evening. 1t was their night for
celebrating, and they celebrated,
ing entertained the town; they re-
gaIed the audiences with juvenile
songSan@ dialogues and proudened the
hearts OF their parents with acting in
cantata. They infused life into the
wgh9le Proceedings, made glad their
ith Christmas gifts and went
Home no glad themselves to sleep.
irhey stood supreme for the evening.
They we're the center of the most in
tereSting part of the exercises, the Civ
ing of presents from the Christmas
trees. The children could hardly wait
for this conclusive number on the
programs. When the time came for
$tlem to receive the presents they
were only beginning to get interested
Ia the exercises. They SQuirmed
around on the seats in Subdued
glee, and when they would receive
their gifts from the church the smiles
otappreciatlOn that OverSpread their
animated faces would give new life to
a fossilized ceDtenarian bachelor.
The exercises were all a social sue
cess. The attendance at the churches
was large, The CongregatiOnalists
held their tree and cantata Christ
mas night. The children taking part
10 1t displayed remarkable histrionic
talents. The music and singing was
par excellence. The crowd iu atten-
dance was thoroughly delighted.
Prlyate Christmas trees were held
Ashthe residences of W.R. Spicknall in
Cue Fifth ward, S. W. Richards in the
Soursh ward, and Will Hart in the
! qd ward, The private trees were
~ in their beauty to anything that
\ reduced at the churches. They
Aprincipally for the children of
1elghbOrhood, loaded with pres
- from their parents and friends.
NJ )Ice musical renditious and recita.
\ ions livened the evening. The pur-
: tPse Of the event was to make merry
lkd delight the children, Everything
that could be done to gladden. their
little souls entered into the programs
Of the evening. They were all grand
successes.
Fully One-half of the city dined with
tas other half Christmas. The acme
OF n, ideality was reached in We'll
lings0n Christmas day. Large gath
efings Of neighbOrhood friends crowd
seo around heavily laden dinner tables
and ate turkey and "stuffin," and
cracked nuts and told stories. 1t can
PEI truthfully said that no family in
9e city Christmas, however poor,
Went without a royal Christmas feast
Yhe donors to the unfortunate were
'unstlHted in their generosity. Moth.
ing was too good for the poor. Heaps
OF floure potatoes, coffee and sugar
were distributed, always with a gen.
erops supply of rare fruits aud delica-
ci the day. The givers have
caaS be thankful, in the knowledge
q I goOq deed done; the needy recip-
,ep's y fhe beautiful gifts are happier
tor .. Tue assistance they received. The
enols clfy Teels better for Christmas
.aFiAg cfme.