The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-25
CHRIST MAS
IN WICHITA
Phenomenal Business Done in
All Lines.
MANYPRESENTS BESTOWED
By Sunday Schools and Chair
table ORGANIZATIONS.
MANYPRESENTS BESTOWED

Last night was a gala one in Wichita.
The streets were thronged with happy
Christmas shoppers. The stores remained
open until "a late hour and there VIII be
plenty of business this morning. Never
in the history OF Wichita has there been
Sc much buying of holiday goods and
many storeAeepers remarked yesterday
that while their business was phenomenal
as far as the number OF sales were con-
cerned the people OF Mlch4ta and vicinity
purchased a higher class OF goods than
il former years. Many new noveIues
have been introduced tins season and The
buyers had the money TO spend and pur-
chased them. This season VIII remain
IS a record breaker in Christmas trauing.
Last night several OF the churches held
their annual Christmas festival. There
were snort talks suitable to the season,
songs and Rotations and then the Christ
EISs tree.
At the Masonic Home last night the
family held a real old-fashioned Christ
mas eve party. The lodges over the state
have been very liberal this year in their
donations to the home for the Christmas
Festival. Besides every member o. the
family a number Of friends from the city
were present
In the early part OF the evening the
members of the family gathered around
The big parlors and the following program
was carried out. the Children being under
the instruction Of Mrs. Alice NJ. Roberts.
SOng-By the children.
Christmas Carol-Lillian Nelson
Recitation Cat and the Mouse
Claude Martin
Recitation-.,A Christmas Wish''-Heien
Hart.
Song--Beby Mine"-Earl Pittinger.
Recitation-'The Reason Why''-Mabel
Ezell.
Recitation - Christmas Suggestions -
Ruth Chamberlain
Recitation-"The New Christmas Era
Chas. Friel.
Recitation-"Litu Drops OF Water
Nellie Ezell.
sons-''Way up in the Chimney
Brown.
After a closing chorus by the children
all adjourned 10 the spacious reading
Ioom where tree had been prepared by
Superintendent James Snedden and his
estimable wife Santa Claus made his
debut from out Of the fireplace and there
we're presents for every member cf the
family.
Around and across the room Were rows
of stockings. a pair for each member Of
the family and each stocking had some
candy and nuts in it. On the tree were
toys. dolls and all manner of pretty and
useful articles.
Each OF the women received a new
Dress, each OF the men suit of clothes,
each boy q suit and the little girls re-
ceived dresses and aprons. There was a
box of candy for each one.
--.ter Santa Claus had disposed of the
presents there was big surprise for all.
inis was new magic lantern presented
60 the home and lne balance OF the even
irg was spent looking at the pictures. The
Masonic Home family consists of twenty
Zine children, sixteen men ana six ladies.
The Christmas exercises at the First
NJ. Z. church last night We're excellent.
The churcn was packed with visitors. but
their presence did not affect the little
tots who sang the glad Christmas songs.
People never tire of the cllldrens Christ
mas exercises and those last night were
exceptionally good. The program con-
sisted Of Christmas songs and recitations.
Al the close of the program fourteen
little girls. dressed in white sang song
entitled Watch Cor Santa" Before the
song was finished sleigh bells were heard
in the distance and when il was closed
old Santa appeared upon the scenes-a
real live Santa, with reindeer. sleigh.
gray whiskers and all. He made short
talk TO the children. saying that as he
was becoming very old this would be his
last trip. He then introduced his son.
whom he said was only ia years Old.
and would come with presents next year.
A small house had been erected on the
pulpit and from this Santa and his son
proct eded 90 take unlimited supplies If
candies and nuts. which We're distributed
among the children.
The church was artisticaIly decorated
with evergreen. holly and mistletee. one
commendable feature was that incandes-'
cent lights were used in the decorations
instead OF candles.
At the Associate Charities room in the
were each given "a present from the tree
prepared by the different charitable or
carnations Of the city There were many
Happy faces II. the room. There was
some music and a talk by Rev. Ritchcy
cf 81. Johns Episcopal church. Then the
presents or toys. clothes and candies were
distributed,
At the Cniversallst church last night
the sunday school had short program
AID a Christmas tree. There were songs
and recitatons and a talk by Rev. Cos
SOW and then the presents were distrio-
UteG
No ball given in Wichita this season has
been more OF a success than the Christ
mas bali given in Garfield hall last night
by the Ancient Order of Pyramids From
the tine the orchestra began playing until
after midnight. there was no lack Of
nerrimcnt The floor was always fuIl
Nhe h,r the dance was q two-step. waltz.
or square dance The music played by
Trof Marriger orchestra was spirited
ana that. combined with TIE holiday spirit.
seemed TO make the occasion an enjoyable
one.
over lea tickets were sold ~ fifty cents
ezch. This amount VIII go 20 increase
a sinking fund tht is being formed for the
PURPOSE 0f building an orphans home.
This IS the frs bail TO be given
IN this city Tor that purpose. but the
pyramids expect to make il an annual
affair The success Of the first certainly {