The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-23
Four Hundred Children Were
Made Happy Today.
Angel of the Poor Distributed
Christmas Presents.
CANDYAND TOYS GIVEN
Were Enough For All and Much
Was Left.
Tots Scarcely Able to TOddle
Share With the Rest.

Santa Claus came to Topeka today. He
was q day or two ahead but he was no
less welcome and 400 little children in
whose lives the sunlight has seldom come
were made happy.
This particular Santa Claus wears
dress and answers TO a WOman'S name
but she is Just the bestus Santa Claus
that ever wuz' according to a little tot
that enjoyed her bounty today.
Marion ThoIpe has collected TOYS and
clothes. She was preparing for her an
nual Christmas treat Two large rooms at
the police station were almost filed with
toys, candy and other things Tat delight
the eye of the youth. There were dolls
minus one arm and one eve there were
dolls with silk dresses and a 4utiful au-
burn hair, there were horses without tails
or legs and elephants without trunks and
there We're beautiful shiny toys. Little
girls had given up some of their priced
play things or spent some of their money
which they had boarded for Christmas
to make other little children happy and
If they had known how well they had
succeeded they would feel we'll repaid for
their sacrifices.
Among the contributions was a gigantic
stocking that might have been worn by
the wife Of the giant in the story of Jack
black stocking but was dotted here and
lHeTe WIN gQIu stars ana was uleraIIy
GId1nIneu with an sorts OF nice Things
There was a train of cars in the toe and
a team OF horses on top OF OF the cars and
not a space was lett unified: From the
top peered three Of the prettiest, quaint
all it contained were the gifts of Miss Ly-
dia Wehe's kindergarten
which she dressed with her own hart5s.
Mrs Thorpe received S51 in money from
for candy. The rest viii be put in in the
bank and used only in emergency cases
ents was 8 o'clock and long before that
tim time The children began to swarm into
room and We're placed in charge of Jailer
Hopkins At 9 o'clock the first squad Of
a dozen was allowed to go up stairs and
as each child passed up the door he or
she was handed a sack of candy and nuts
Il Narat1 al
TO express his preference and their de-
sires were gratified so far as possible.
The greatest demand was for dolls and
scarcely a. little girl passed before the
magic door who did not leave with a doll
In one family the children with the ex-
ceptiOn of the youngest. tWO-year-OId
child, went to the police station. The little
one left behind sObbed so bitterly that
some one consented to carry her to the
''Pleath give me a. DOLL said she
chubby arms toward Mrs. Thorpe.
Mrs Thorpe handed the child. not only
toys which her escort carried for her
When she left the police station all trace
Of the tears had disappeared from her big
A colored boy nearly IA years old was
asked what he wanted,
please give. me a DOLL said he and his
A boy three years old evidently. wear
Ing his first pair Of trousers went to the
police station unattended.
I want some Clothes" said the little
fellow without giving any sign that the
shelves piled with toys had any attrac-
ton for him.
He was supplied with a warm suit of
the smallest size on hand and was also
given a sack OF candy and a toy or two
They were the happiest children in To-
peka who swarmed out of the police sta
ton with their arms full of ali sorts of
things that make children happy and they
those left behind how good some one had
been to them. The distribution was com
pleted at II o'clock.
A few older people were remembered.
Mrs. Thorpe had charge Of the distribu-
n dc raar41-z-
mated by the Topeka Water company and
to the. very needy Mrs. Thorpe gave an
order for a sack of flour.
There was an applicant for charity who
went away unrewarded- He is we'll known
in Topeka and has worked mu&h around
the court house The police matrOn was
greatly surprised when he appeared and
asked Tor a dollar When she recovered
from her surprise the request was re-
fused.
Not all the things were given out and
on Monday afternoon the rest of the toys
and the clothing will be distributed.