The sun., 1897-12-26
The SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
Commemoratjon of the Lords
Natal Day in This City.
CITY HALLS CHRISTMAS TREE.
Two Hundred and Fifty Poor
Children Made Glad by Sunshine
Circle Of Kings Daughters.

1t was n" home, in palace. or in hove
which had no Christmas yesterda,
Palaces had Christmas and novels ha
Christmas, but there were palaces whic
had no Christmas and there were hovel
which had none. Love pigned wher
it had not been crowded out by luxur
or by vice. Where love reigncd ther
was Christmas.
There was Christmas in the Whining
ton Chinamen's home. lie knows no
Christ, joss is his God. There wa
Christmas in the home of the Hebrew
lie knows not Christ. Jehovah is hi
God. There was Christmas in tn,
Agnostic's home. He knows no God.
But in all these places, in highways OF
by-ways, there was love, and whcthe
it was of kindred or of humanity, where
it was there was Christmas.
Wherever it may have been, your God
my God, by whatever name YOU ma,
call Him, looked down in sorrow on
those places where the bonds Of love
had not been clipped of their coupons
happy, romping children. Those col,
pons were everywhere. They made
merry the holiday for all, including
those solitary men and women who had
no such coupons to claim as their own
The child, the type of the happiness o
the day, was everywhere except where
luxury and vice in their supreme selfish.
ness excluded them.
There was enough of them to &C
around, and more to, as the orphan
asylums and other charitable homes
attest, but it was a poor child, poor be.
yond all description, who did not have
something which will keep fresh in its
memory this Christmas Day of 1897.
The streets were the streets of Sunday
in Wilmington. Their work k-a-day pop
ulation were worshipping, some at the
affairs of their churches. and some at the
altars of their firesides. but over all how
cred the spirit Of "Pcace and good will
to men,"
Churches OF every Christian denomina-
ton held services commemorative Of the
natal day of the Saviour of the world.
and the lesson of His life was repeated
in every house and every home provided
for the wcll-being OF the children Of ne
g'ect and poverty. Even the managers
of penal institutions, whose expenditures
are limited hv law have during the "nar.
been able To tlkc a little bit here and Il
little bit there which has been aggrcga-
gated together at this holiday season to
give Il treat to their wards.
a celebration held yesterday morning
at tire City Hall was the development
OF Il kindly spirit which rcrvadcd the
souls of some Of cur city's charitable
people.
In the court room was Il great Christ,
mas tree placed in tie centre of the
room, its towering branches stretching
to the ceiling. 1t had been placed ,hrr"
by the members oi sunshine circle oi
Kings Daughters. whose object in pre-
pairing this Christmas entertainment was
to g'al"n the hearts of our city's poor
children. To show them that the love
Of the Great Master is for the little
ones uf this world, who are not
surrounded with the means whereby
they may he provided with beautiful re.
membranes Of this great day.
At 10 O'Clock, the doors of the court
room were thrown open to Il throng OF
pinchrd and ragged children. Though
they had been inpaticntlv y waiting for
over an hour, they entered the building
with anxious looks on their wan faces.
The sight that met their gaze was Il
one.
On and around the great tree was
total of anc hundred and nine dolls, one
horns and tops, two hundred
or more bags Of candy, over one hundred
bags of pop corn, fnllr bundled and fifty
oranges, barrel Of apples and many
other articles. The two hundred and
fifty youngsters looked with wondcrment
on the scene hcforc them, their eyes
danced with delight and expressions of
joy and happiness spread over the little
faces.
After the throng had viewed the great
Christmas tr>at and had became some
what quiet, Mrs. Thomas Benson led
hem in singing "Amcrica," which was
delivered clearly and swcetlv by the
Young voices. Then Chief Justice
Charles b. Lore made speech to the
happy children in his characteristic
style. He referred to birth of our
Saviour telling how the Lord himself
was once child ON earth, and
how it was His desire that all
he little ones ON the earth should be
happy on Ills birthday. The Chief JUS
ice told the young ones many humorous
stories which tended to cnliven them
md add to their happiness
The gifts were then distributed under
he direction OF the Chief Justice, the
irst given ont being the horns which
went to the boys. The dolls were then
handed around to the girls and the
oranges, candies and apples were given
o all. After all had been provided from
he great quantity of good things
ihicf Justice Lore led the boys IN
irving Il long and loud blast with
he horns. The happy little ones then
made heir way home, with many kindly
thoughts Of the good persons who had
hown them the sunshine of the Lords
ove on Christmas day Of 1897.
J. ". Aydon and Frank W. lIyLnd,
upcrint tended the placing of the tree and
hrs. J. Tallcy Smith, Mrs. A. f. Matlack
nd Mrs. J. c. Langell trimmed it, Those
Who donated money were Chief Justice
ore, Miss May Thompson, Frederic Me-
'al's Sunday school class, Miss Cornclia
Vaplcs, II. Harry Young. George Jan
icr, George A. Elliott, Mrs. John W.
'humm and r. A. Rapp.
Candies were given by f.. II. Brennan
nd Miss Nellie Wogan, dressed forty
oils. Oranges were given by L. NJ.