Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12

low to the keepers and the fur-clad women
visitors and their escorts stationed outside
in the corridor Gradually, ever grad
ually, the chorus lessened as child after
child dropped off to sleep and the mothers
lay down beside their little ones. Fainter
and fainter 1t grew until the sound of
heavy sleep reached the listeners.
At last only one voice remained singing,
that of girl who had evidently been in
convent school:
I'm obscure nascitur
Illustrator Soils
Stabulo reponitur,
Princeps terrae molis.
GSight in darkness shrouds his birth,
Who the sun gives splendor,
In stable lies on earth
Earth's Prince and Defender)
Not a Trinket.
Even the men in the hall were looking
little thoughtful as the singer ceased.
None of the group spoke for a moment,
then of the keepers broko out: And
there's not a darn Christmas trnket among
en-
That aroused the women visitors to ac-
ton. THE poor little dears," they sobbed.
'Come!'-to their escorts-"we must fix
up the tree" And patting their eyes with
their handkerchiefs, they walked through
long, deserted corridors and down flights
OF echoing stairs to one of the Temporarily
detention pens for the women and children
There they worked till nearly midnight
strewing with all manner of gifts a great
Christmas tree, set up in a corner of the
big room. Last of all. they planted a big
American flag on the very top twig
And now" said the man who had placed
it there, as he stepped off the ladder I'm
Gle Sam will play Santa to the babies OF
the world tomorrow
1t was early Christmas MORNING. ira
d1tional northern Christmas. From the
windows of the immigration station, in the
gray Of the morning, snow could be seen
on the island and the mainland, floating
ice in the bay, and the crisp air found it's
way in at the window crevices.
"A white Christmas" said one of the
guards to his companion. as they stood
looking at the scene. First one we've had
in
Suddenly a shril. small voice broke in
upon their conversation.
Merry Christmas!' 1T shouted in Ger
man. Merry Christmas, Merry Christ
mas"
A Merry Xmas.
Instantly a babel broke loose and the
sound of sleep vanished. Merry Christ
mas cried a woman to the mother lean
ing over the edge of the overhanging bunk.
Merry Christmas shouted back the 9TH
err regardless of the fact that she herself
was Polish and the woman underneath
from Sicily. Merry Christmas rang out
from bunk occupied by a buXom peasant
of Scandinavia, and Merry Christmas"
came the return greeting in voice strong
shouted the children to one another
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!'
arose in half hundred tongues. Merry
Christmas.
1T will be-for sure-an hour later"
said one of the guards.
An hour later the immigrants had been
given breakfast in the long dining room
and were headed for the various detention
rnpmS-the SeDarated from the
men. They marched heavily, as all immi-
grants do, through the corridors, the wo-
| men carrying not only their younger chill
dren, but their bundled possessions as well.
But, although it was Christmas, there
wasn't, to quote the guard of the night be-
fore, "a darn Christmas trinket among
EN-" Every child was empty-handed. I'M
less he was helping his mother with the
family belongings.
Pretty soon the head of the womens col
umn reached the doors of its room for the
day The keeper who was leading swung
aside a wooden bar and. bang. the doors
flew apart and the column started in
A Vision Of Light.
Suddenly the leaders halted and stood
stock stiiI-overcome with amazement In
the far corner of the darkened room stood
great mass of green, glowing with myriads
of small incandescent lights interviewer
with glittering bands Of tinsel holding in
| its center. in plain view, the Image or
little old man with twinkling eyes and
long beard and a fur cap. At it's top waved
| banner of red and white and blue. and
| from every twig that could bear a burden
| hung something to bring joy to every heart.
For an instant the leaders paused: then,
| as the realization burst in upon them that
| the glowing mass before them was Christ
mas tree, Merry Christmas! Merry Christ
mast" they shouted gleefully and rushed
eargerly forward. Merry Christmas
The column was all in in less than
minute Bang! and the doors closed on
| 500 of the biggest-eyed women and children
| that ever lived. And Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas" they kept repeating over
| and over again. as they Toasted their eyes
| on the great tree in the corner.
| Then into their midst there burst a live
| replica of the merry little old gentleman
| beaming on them from the trees center.