The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-26
OF ST. NICHOLAS NEW AGENT.
1T WAS DONE In THE NAME AND
SENTIMENT OF THE GOLDEN
RULE.
ORPHAN HOMES AND HOSPITALS
Are Visited by knight Errant
With a DrayIoad of Christ
mas Gifts.

| the various ways in which Santa Claus
additionally makes his appearance, but
| he walked in the front door of the
House of the Good Shepherd. And as
his tally-ho, with Seibert's band and a
| lone newspaper man, halted in front of
| that institution, the massive ramparts
| looming up in the December moonlight
| Ike spectral shadow of some myth
| iCal creation, the band struck up a
'Hot Time" while Santa Claus, who
had clambered up the stone steps, was
greeted with a joyous chorus from the
inmates: Here comes Santa Claus,
here he comes. make way for the old
gent" All this demonstration of band,
whiskers, furs and the two cases of
Christmas presents which were carried
in ahead, were the result of the gener-
osity Of L. Elsinger & Co., of the
Golden Rule department store, who not
only provided all the inmates Of that
institution with Christmas present,
but each child in the three orphan asy-
lums in the city was remembered with
an appropriate gift.
AS Santa Claus made his way down
the spacious hall of the institution,
towards the room where the little folks
were assembled, the scene presented
| was certainly an inspiring one. On
either side of his course were sisters,
each alternate one holding a lighted
railroad lantern, which, with the con-
trast in the garb of the Magdalen and
Good Shepherd Sisters and the subdued
colored lights hung. from the ceiling,
and the evidences of Christmas eve on
every hand, with Santa Claus and his
red trimmed jacket in the center,
made the scene a brilliant yet sombre
one. On the right were thirty eight
sisters of the Good Shepherd, attired
in their snow-white gowns, with black
wells, each with a large silver heart
| suspended around her neck; on the left
| the Magdalens, whose attire was
brown, with a black veil and white
hood, there being about forty of these,
while some Of the inmates of the insti-
tuition occupied the background. The
procession was led down the hall to
I the room. where twenty-siX very small
children were assembled, and they had
a hearty greeting for "Old st. Nick, "
who made neat little speech, in which
he said he would come again just one
year from last night, and urged them
all to be good boys and girls.
The distribution of presents followed,
after the party left, but the expressions
of delight on the faces Of the young
sters when Santa made the announce
ment that he he'd presents for all, be-
spoke the cheer which the occasion
brought in to their little lives. One
sweet little baby girl in this depart
ment was peacefully sleeping in her
little cradle when the party arrived,
o. ~ Innlx0d around nd prOUa6
as happily as if she too knew all about
Santa Claus and the happy sentiment
of the Christmas tide. The band play
ed a number of pieces, which was a
rare treat to both sisters and inmates
alike, both of whom were loud in their
expression of gratitude to L. Elsinger
& Co. The party remained in this de-
partment for some little time, old
Santa Claus amusing the children in
his characteristic way, for this Santa
Claus was an adept, amusing both the
sisters and children alike. The process
sion, led by the mother provincial, then
marched down the long hall to the
west wing of the institution, where the
party were reminded of the stern re-
ality of the institution. In a large
room were assembled the inmates of
what is known as the reformatory de-
partment The party filed in and the
band took seats on the platform, while
the sisters of the two orders separated,
each taking one side of the hall, while
the girls and women stood up in orderly
fashion, that is after the excitement
caused by the arrival old Santa Claus
had died down. AS 1.-The jolly old man"
entered the reception he received was
quite too much for him, the girls max
ing all kinds of cracks at his Whls-
kers and general appearance. Look at
he hnar an his cDjn4Rh said
one chunky maiden who came forward
and stroked Santa'S beard softly, and
many other expressions were made by
the girls which quite took away Santa s
DIGNITY. and he really felt embarrassed
at having so many pretty young ladies
quiz him so. Santa however, suffi-
GENTLY recovered himself to explain
that the presents in the boxes were Tor
them, which was received with EXPIRES
sions of delight, for even those. women
as they were who seldom had a SYM
pathetic feeling. were moved, and the
, very connmendable effort of the Golden
Rule to give the frlendless ones Of the
city q merry Christmas was we'll re-
raid. The women Of this department
APPRECIATED their presents quite as
much as the little ones at the orphan
ASYLUM did Santa was allowed to pro-
coed with his speech. He had had lots
of trouble of late, one Of his reindeer
| got stuck in the ice, and he had to
make the trip on a chainlesS safety,
and the sisters would divide the pres
ents after he left. as he was IN
hurry. The band played Happy
| DAYS" and Home Sweet Home, al
| ter which they played Hot Time
again. and Immediately all the women
! in the room were in motion, and for
five minutes they enjoyed themselves
with s'Danse La Fantastic" as they
| bad not since last Christmas and pos
sibIy long before that. The first num-
her was a waltz, and the round of ap-
nlausa which followed induced the band
r. NAV another number, and this time
# was a square dance. A fat little
girl with a shrill voice did the calling,
which was a whole show in itself. The
evercises in this department were soon
over but the band and Santa Claus
will long remain a fertile spot in the
memory of the inmates.
Again the procession of sisters and
| hand moved, this time into one OF the
narlors of the institution, where coffee
vas served by the sisters, after which
| santa and his tally-ho party resumed
Al the Catholic orphan asylum on
Carroll street, Santa Claus made de-
! cided hit. The little folks were watch
ing for him in the parlors when he
| came I'D the walk executing little jig,
and throwing kisses which sent the
| children into ecstacy. About f1fty-three
| bri eht -eyed little folks were given
presents. and sang a parting song for
| Santa Claus.
At the Protestant orphan asylum,
In, h