The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-25
A BARRACKS CHRISTMAS
SALVATION ARMY MAKES CROWD
OF CHILDREN HAPPY.
The Maennerchor SOciety's Festivities
ances for To-day md To-Morrow.


binary. The master of ceremonies was that
great friend of children. the hoary-headed,
gruff-voiced. but kindly-hearted, Santa.
He seemed In right good humor and didn't
at all fret at spending two hours of his
valuable time at the barracks. 1t was 3
o'clock in the afternoon when he arrived
and O'Clock before he flew out the back
way to keep other engagements. During
this time he made the acquaintance of the
very appreciative clientele. over two hun
dred children belonging TO the submerged
tenth were packed together as close as pos
sible, and their hearts were going pity
pat and their eyes bullying out of their
heads as they awaited the advent Of the
old gentleman. Great preparations had
been made for the event. The barracks
had undergone a wonderful transformation
from a room Of bare walls and scant orna-
mentation to beautiful bower of Christ
mas green, Christmas candles and Christ
mas cedar trees. The little tots had mostly
come from bleak and dreary firesides,
where there was either a drunken father or
no work for the head of the family, and
when they entered the room they seemed
to think they had struck a regular Klon-
dixie. Their happiness knew no bounds
This is what Mrs. Adjutant Johnson kept
saying continually. But they wouldn't keep
quiet. They would yell out and cheer and
push and squirm, until the wits of the sol
ders were nearly vanquished. But after q
while some semblance of order was got out
of chaos, and then the adjutant. with IA
beaming face, stood between the two
Christmas trees on the stage and said:
dr,ot1 I will
The song was Welcome, Santa Claus!
A ONE-SENTENCE SONG.
There was only one sentence in it and
the refrain was the same thing over and
over, but it was a great song just the
same. Welcome Santa Claus--Welcome,
Santa Claus''-the chorus swelled into a
joyous Christmas carol that found its way
far down the street and softened the hearts
of the people that heard it, After this
schooling in voice culture Mrs. Johnson
caused all the little heads to how in prayer
and in unison the Lords prayer was deliv-
cred up to the Great Dispenser of all
things 1t is wonderful how they all
seemed to know this prayer by heart-even
those who apparently came from the very
courts of squalor and depravity lisped COR
rectly the words of the worldwide prayer
Soup'-broke the reverent silence of the
prayer. and the exuberance of, joyous
hearts burst forth unrestrainedly again
Then came the song they had learned
welcome, Welcome, Santa Claus and as
they were singing it with all the power of
their little lungs Santa heard and came
bouncing in with a mighty bounce from
somewhere back OF the Christmas trees
Then there was great yelling and cheering,
and a grand rush around dear Santa. The
boys pulled his fur trappings and the girls
graSped his hand. No politician ever re-
ceived such an ovation, and he had to beat
to cover for his breath.
The first things that old Kris brought
down the aisle were bundles wrapped and
marked for certain ones. These bundles
contained clothing, overcoats. shoes and
other needful things to keep the biting frost
away from tender bodies. The army sol
diers had visited many homes during the
week and found where such things were
badly needed. In each case they left behind
card OF admittance to the Christmas DO
ings. and then prepared a special bundle
for the child when it came. In this manner
the, clothing was given out judiciously;
Tickets of admission were also required
from those to whom no clothing was given,
the object being to prevent too many COM
ing and to insure to all of those who did
come ample presents. Those whose circum-
stances were such as to enable them to get
their own presents were in this manner also
excluded. The amount of clothing dis
pensed was quite large, there having been
several big stacks of it. Some of the chill
dren that came had nothing on except an
outer. slip of thin material, and others We're
practically without shoes. Some bundles
were for those who were so poorly CARRIED
that they could not come in the cold, and
they had therefore, to be sent them.
SANTA CALLS FOR CANDY.
After the bundles were all given out San
la called for candy He was remarkably
well supplied, this Santa. He seems to have
had several wagonloads of stuff back of
those Christmas trees. Basket after basket
of candy was brought forth. and the whole
congregation rose en- masse. A hundred
hands shot out toward the bewildered old
man at once. But he was valiant man.
and patiently filled the outstretched paws.
He was a cunning old fellow, too and en-
dowed with wonderful memory, as some of
the boys discovered when they held up their
hands for more. But nobody was left.
Every one received at least one red bag of
nuts and other good things. though some
did have to fight for them, and some were
almost inclined to tears from fear of get
ting none.
Following the rain of candy came the
stripping of the Christmas trees. Such ele
CANT dolls as there were on those trees!
And pussy cats, and horses, and table de-
canters, and houses, and boats. and all kinds
of other things too numerous to mention.
There were over sixty dolls. some Chinese,
some colored. some dough-faced, but others
were pretty lduleS WITH empire ROWnS anu
blonde hair. The distribution of these dolls
was a displomatic undertaking. but old
Santa tried to please the fancy of all. One
little girl. about a foot high. set her eye on
the biggest in the lot, and when one pro-
portionate to her size was handed her she
looked wistful and turned her face DELHI
erately to the wall. This was too much for
Santa, 50 he came back after while and
reconciled her with a bigger one. Many
such incidents occurred, and the children
went away with less feeling of envy and
disappointment than is often the case at
similar doings. What with dolls, picture
books, sleighs and great amount of mis-
cellaneous toys every one OF the two hum
dred children received several presents, and
they wended their way homeward with
their arms and hearts full
AS each one passed out Mrs. Johnson
stood at the door and gave out money. She
had a small basket of 1t. The Quitting
Company donated two hundred nickels for
the purpose. and every child got a nickel
Thus ended one of the most enjoyable
Christmas entertainments given in the city
1T was the first of the kind ever attempted
by the Salvation Army. and it's success has
caused them much felicitation. Mrs john
son is particularly gratified, and extends
her thanks TO all those who have kindly as
sisted with donations.