The age-herald., 1901-12-26
BIG HEARTED ELKS MAKE MANY GIFTS TO THE C|Tr'SP POOR A Thousand Dollar Christmas Tree and a Very Bril-
 liant Scene THE AUDITORIUM CROWDED Songs and Dancing by the Children Of Prof. Welsner's Class Delight the Audience-Committee Chslrmen
 and ushers Kept Busy.
THE AUDITORIUM CROWDED

In the presence of fully four thousand persons the Elks of Birmingham played Santa Claus and made thousand or more poor boys. girls. aged women ana decrepit men happy at the Auditorium last night. The occasion was the annual Christmas tree of the order
 The entire seating capacity of the vast Auditorium was taxed to the utmost to accommodate the poor, and the friends or the Elks who attended the exercises. After the first part of the programme fully five hundred baskets of ruits, candy, shoes. caps, hats and other articles of clothing were distributed among the poor. One thousand persons were also presented with 25 cents in money.
 More than 5000 worth of goods were given away by the benevolent, big-heart- ed men. Barrels of apples. barrels of can dy, crates of oranges, bags of nuts, piles of dolls, shoes, caps, hats and other ar ticles were on the enormous stage when Santa Claus made his appearance In the chimney of a cabin amid the footing of horns and the ringing of bells. When goodnight was said to all nearly every thing was removed and each poor person in the house was happier in the posses sion of a basket of goodies and bright, shining quarter. .>
 Opened With Prayer.
 The evening exercises were opened with a prayer from the audience by the Rev. John G. Murray. A programme of songs and dancing was rendered by the pupils of Professor Weisner's dancing school. The little children participating in this were all beautifully gowned and created a furore of applause with each act.
 Little Miss Corinne Summers sang 'Honeysuckle and Bee" Miss Lydia Me Twain sang Rumble Bee." Master Sam Ledbetter, Miss Lydia McIlvain. Miss Ha- gel Reclllng and Master Louis Schillin- ger sang My Honolulu Queen.' The songs were rendered very prettily and effectively and forced encores from the audience.
 Miss Marguerite Bingall, Miss Sadie Blanchard, Miss Fpedal Karples., Miss Marie Mcclure, Miss Gladys Barker. Miss Julia Conney. Miss Hazel Reckling, Miss Cecil McCrossin, Miss Dreta McCrossin, Miss Annie McCrossin, Miss Bessie Mo Crossn, Miss Esther Loveman, Miss Gladys Parker, Miss Gladys Allison. Miss Lutrusa Tynes Master John Harrington and Master Sam Ledbetter also assisted in making the programme one oS the prettiest ever given in the city Each child did exceptionally well and won much applause.
 Santa Claus Enters.
 The entry of Santa Claus was strik ingly effective. The good old man was represented by MT. Tompard, who, amid shouts of children. toots of horns and ringing of sleigh bells, climbed from the top of chimney onto the. roof of a cottage built near the Christmas tree.
 After his arrival the distribution of presents was begun. General Stage Man ager John J. Loughlan had everything arranged in nice shape and each child or aged person apearing on the stage was given an armful of supplies for the season.
 The committee from the lodges having charge of the Christmas tree consisted of: .tz e=.-a
 MT. John W. O'Neill. chairman: MT. Charles S. Simmons, secretary and treas urer; MT. Peter Houppert, MT. Louis Schillinger, MT. J. J. Laughlan. Profes- sor Weisner, Professor Fred l.. Grambs, and Dr. Ed. Drennen. Assisting the committee were on the stage: Hon. Frank O'Brien, Mir. W. c. Fellows. Mayor w. M. Drennen. MT. Richard F. Johnston, MT. Fred Conadi. Mir. John Meyer. MT. E. J. McCrossin, and Mir. George P. Bondurant.
 Ushers and Chairmen.
 Twelve ushers in full dress suits assist ed in taking care of the crowd. They were MT. John Antwine, Mir. A. H. Car Slaughter, pr. Percy Nixon. MT. Lige Loy. MT. Fred Bowron, MT. Fred Leigh. Mir. c. F. Cornelius. Mir. Thomas Shields, MT. c. E. Jackson and MT. " alker Garde- ner.
 The chairmen of the various committees who assisted in making the tree great success were: Baskets, w. c. Fellows: caps and hats. pr. Ed. Drennen shoes. Mir Richard F. Johnston; clothing and dry goods MT. Peter Houppert; dolls Louis Schillinger; toys. A. J. Hall and Treasurer C. F. Simmons, who distributed 1000 quarters.
 The Mercy Home and other charitable organizations were recipients of gifts from the tree.