The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-23
SANTA CLAUS HERE
INITIAL APPEARANCE A GREAT
~ SUCCESS UNDER AUSPICES OF
sPIRITUAa. ALLIANCE
MADE MANY CHILDREN HAPPY
One Hundred Little ones Enjoy a
Sumptuous Reasast and Are Intro
duced to BountifuI1y Sup
piled Christmas Tree.

Santa Claus made many little faces
bright and H1any-4ittle hearts glad yes
terday afternoon in the Odd Fellows hail,
where the ST. Paul Spiritual alliance gave
ChristmasS dinner to over JUG poor
children, who otherwise might have no
reason to rejoice during the holidays.
Although his visit was Il few days ahead
of the schedule time. the joy that he
brought in his train, vas great, rs was
testified by the speach,ess glee of the
little ones after they lad received suita-
bic presents frcm his hands
The St. Paul 5p'ritIal alliance. III car
rying out its yearly programme of bring
ing happiness into homes where it too
seldom sppears. vas more than SUCCESS
full yesterday afternoon. City Relief
Agent r. M. IIntck'ns. was asked tor
list Of poor families, whose children
would enjoy y good din Ter and some pres
ents.. He sent in a list OF 195 children,
and they were all esent when the
doors of the dining hall We're opened for
them
The tirls and boys .naI up in sepa-
rate ranks, anxiously awaiting the sig
nal from the piano which would bring
them to the tab'A. All races We're rep
RESENTED in the gathering, and Il ;srt at
effort had been made t }, make them r; e.
SelildDtS IOT liz socclSitiils uC1l lIttN-
girls hair was clustered dewn. and a
genera. air of suppressed tidincss pre-
vailed in their ranks Standing i'll line
was trying ordeal for the boys. and
when the doors were opened a stamped
for the tables was barsty prevented.
On the tables was everything that is
dear to the Toang palate. The largest
turkeys that could be obtained stood
forth, study in crisp provinces against
the spotlesslv aleaa tablecloth. On al
sides of the turkeys were huge bowls of
cranberry sauce, together with seene-
ingly inconsurnable amount of potatoes
and gravy. II lie 8list of good things on
the table was aG4ong one, and it was
only after the yeanssters had hcsur to
eat that the magnitude of the -east
dawned upon them.
After few words of blessing had been
spoken the Children were told to lay on
They were carefully served by the women
of the society. who found that they had
a gigantic task in keeping SO many hun
cry little mouths, busy. Soon there was
not a sound TO be heard but the clash
of knives and forks. Conversation on
the part of the guests had ceased, and
the only thing that could be heard was
an excited steYes mi, when. asked if they
cared for any more dressing.
Good Things Vanished.
For over an hour the feast went on,
the turkeys soon became clearly picked
Skeletons the cranberry bowls only show
ed traces Of the spoons, and with the
exception of the salt dishes everything
had a devastated appearance. One by
one each little pair of eyes rolled up
wards in gratified contentment, and each
face took on a completely satisfied look,
49,
to offer. The acquisitions, on the kitchen
for more became less frequent, and
finally the most determined trencherman
cried quits, and the Christmas dinner
was over.
The children were then marshalled into
the lodge room of the hall, while the
+ Christmas tree wSs being prepared. This
looked suspicious and the boys immedi-
ately OWNED that there was more to fol-
low, although in their well fed condition
they were not capable of exerting any
great thought on the subject In the
lodge room they romped and played to
their hearts content. The children Of
the societys lyceum of whom there
were about 100 present, ifraternized on a
basis of thorough equality with the 9TH
ers, and it was a merry crowd in one
room.
Here full rein was given to their
tongues, and the varied EXPLANATIONS
(, of appreciation could be heard all over
the building. For most of them it was
by far the best dinner they-ever had in
their lives, and it opened a new line of
possibilities It had been beyond what
they had ever dreamed of.
Suddenly the piano struck up a spirited
march, and the-l little girls lined up at
the head of the procession. The march
IL
a charge at full speed, for while the
girls in the lead Were perfectly willing to
be decorous, the boys in the rear could
hardly be restrained.
When the doors were opened a magnifi-
cent Christmas tree met their gaze a
shout Of wonder went up from every
throat. The Christmas tree reached the
ceiling, and dts branches appeared to fill
the entire room. From every branch
shone the light of a tiny colored candle,
and ropes of9tinsel We're twined about the
boughs in profusion. Candies, ginger
bread, and a multitude of articles the
names of which are only known to child
hood peeped through g the myriad of
lights, and gave only an idea of confused
splendor. .1n = -sitfs
Santa Claus Arrived.
President Joseph R. Whipple mounted
the platform and informed the guests
of the society that Santa Claus had not
yet arrived. and that in the meantime
there would be an entertainment given
by the children, who were first asked to
sing America" The national anthem
was sung with great force and Vigor
that completely drowned out the accom-
paniment
During the entire programme each pair
of ears was eager to catch the sound
of the sleigh bells that would announces
the coming of Santa Claus, and soon
there was great hubbub outside the
door, and after much shouting of whoa"
Santa Claus dashed into the hall.
After a few brief remarks Santa Claus
got to work distributing the presents
Five, tables Of dolls were shown
There were blonde dolls bru-
nettes, auburn, black-eyed and b1ue-eyed,
in fact every type Of doll known. Then
for the boys there were all manners
and sorts of games, and with each game
went baseball. Down at the foot of
the Christmas tree was candy, popcorn
and fruits done UP in transparent bags.
Next was the distribution of the dolls,
which was no sooner handed to little
miss than she eagerly clasped it to her
breast and named it. There was great
hugging and 5kissing of dolls for few
moments, and then begun comparisons
of the wardrobest of each doll On the
girls side of the, hall nothing but mil
1inery and modes were being discussed
hats had to- be changed and frocks re-
modelled. ~
After the distribution was over, a few
remarks We're made concerning Christ
| mas, and the boys and girls left with
grateful hearts toward the st. Paul Spir-
itual' alliance
Harp Recital.