The San Francisco call., 1899-12-26


In behalf Of myself and the clergy OF this
church / wish you merry Christmas"
The Joy and the thrill and the ecstacy OF
Christmas be with you all.
Although in some institutions through
out the city the inmates through official
neglect were prevented enjoying the holy
day as they had expected, the majority
were full Of praises for the kindness
shown them. AT the City and County
Hospital the unfortunate i'll were royalty
treated. Owing TO the special donation
made by Mrs. Phebe Hearst and the con-
tributions of other charitable people OF
the city nothing was lacking on the
board. The lame, the halt and the blind,
and even those whom fate had laid pros
trate on their beds, enjoyed the Christ
mas meal and were happy at the thought
that they had been remembered on the
birthday of the Son OF God.
Poor, wasted beings at the Almshouse,
men and women awaiting the end that
must come TO all, were not neglected.
They slipped their coffee over the bones
of turkey, and all who wanted 1t slipped
their wine. 1t was merry day among
these old people. and the eyes OF many.
dimmcd with age or disease, moistened
at the thought OF days-of Christmas
that had passed, but they were content
that their lot was not worse.
Christmas came as day Of Joy to the
many sick soldiers at the Presidlo-those
who have fallen for, their, country on the
has stricken them with fever or other
disease. TO some the future seems bright,
10 others the last Christmas on earth has
passed, and they are awaiting the blowing
of taps after they have passed beyond
the valley OF the shadow of death.
Surgeons, hospital corps men and nurses
OF the different wards quarreled good
naturedly with each other in their et-
forts 10 make their special division of the
barracks the most attractive.
Christmas was most noticeable at the
of fare, the immunity from work and
drills for regular and rocky" and the
holiday crowds that strolled up and down
the post roads and fingered until the sun
The troop and battery cooks outdid
themselves and built around the turkey,
all manner of army dishes. There was
plenty TO eat and to spare. and the SOL
diers made good the lack of presents
with the plentiful presence Of what there
was for the Christmas dinner.
In the hospital things were done on
little more elaborate scale than in the
barracks. The corps table had a bill of
fare neatly printed in the hospital print
ing office, and the patients had another
differing slightly from that of the corps
men. The. bill of fare at the corps table
was as follows:
SOUP.
Cream Tomato.
SALAD.
RELIsHEs.
Radishes. Celery. Pickles.
ROAST.
Roast Turkey with Dressing. Cranberry Sauce
VEGETABLES.
Mashed Potatoes String Beans.
Baked Sweet Potatoes. Sweet Peas.
PASTRY.
Plum Pudding.
Minee Pie. Jelly Cake. Cocoanut Cake.
SpIcse Apples. Bread H and Butter coffee fsii''
The patients had the same menu. but
with the addition Of crab and shrimp
salad and plum pudding. One hundred
and forty men Of the hospital sat down
at the table and S75 patients dined in the
wards and patients dining-rooms.
! In the nature of things the majority of
! the older people of the city remained at
home with their youngsters and passed
| Christmas in general merry-making.
Places of entertainment, however, were
open for those who preferred to pass the
day in search of such amusement. In
| consequence large audience assembled
I at the TiVoli 10 enjoy Little Bo-Peep,"
the holiday extravaganza, which was put
on fer the first time Saturday night. IL
was an appreciative audience, too. and
Ferris Hartman, as usual. came in for the
major portion of the applause. which was
! literally distributed throughout the per-
! formance. But, while Ferris was first, the
/ other stars of the cast were by no means
! given the overlook Alfred c. Whelan. as
! Old Mother Hubbard, was a whole show
| in himself and kept everybody in an up
roar while Phil Branson contributed his
| full share TO the entertainment. Miss An
ME LIGHTER as Bo-Peep and Miss Annie
| Meyers as Little Boy Blue were all that
could be desired. The chorus, splendidIy
| costumed and perfectly trained by Miss
! Ida Wyatt. produced a pleasing effect.
| while the special scenery which Is used
in the production added to the magnii-
cence of the spectacle. Altogether. for n
musical farce. Little Bo-Peep." barring
a few scenes where the action drags a
! trifie, is pronounced success.
Such was the way the rich, the poor
| the i'll and the dying passed Christmas
/ day in the city. For the many II was n
! day of pleasure and contention the few
| a day of sorrow, but even unto them
/ there came ray of hope for a better fl-
| ture, and the more fortunate offered their
| lied.
Rev. z. Nelander of the First English
! Lutheran Church preached a beautiful