Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-30
ONE THOUSAND GUESTS
ENTERTAINMENT FOR CHILDREN
OF LOCAL RAILWAY employees.
President NcDermott Supplies the
Funds and Gen. Harries and As
sistants Do the Rest.

sistants Do the Rest.
A thousand round-eyed. eager American
children, each. in his way. in the throes Of
that acute pleasure which only Christ
mas can. bring to childhood. accepted the
hospitality of President Allan McDermott
of the Washington Railway and Electric
Company last night at Masonic Temple.
They were the babes OF the employees of
the company, sturdy, healthy youngsters
all Of them. They were the children Of
good. substantial citizens Of the country,
who have warm homes and q weIl-hl1ed
pantry. 1t was representative American
childhood in the highest sense of the term
that Mr. McDermott entertained last night.
The children were supreme throughout
the evening. Grown folks were only toll
Grated for what they might do for the lit
tie ones. Nothing was too good for these
grave. dignided guests. who gased long
and hard at everything. from the thou
sand-odd electric bulbs that shone until
hall, to the smallest movement in the
crowd toward the door Of the room where
those mysterious presents were repos-
To the people who volunteered to come
and entertain the little ones during the
earlier part OF the evening the task was
II.
men and women demand the best in every
thing, and they knew what they wanted to
amuse them They gazed in open-mouthed
wonder at the clever tricks Of Prof. LIE
Roy, prestidigitator of more than usual
merit: their laughter was loud and clear
and free when the ancient marionettes held
the stage under direction of Prof. Harvel,
and they watched every move of the edu-
Gated dogs which Mr. Thompson put
through a series Of evoIutions When Miss
Bently sang a few Of those quaint little
melodies of childhood they settled back in
their seats and watched and listened with
rapt attention, but when Santa Claus made
his appearance and sang and danced for
their benefit they howled and laughed and
cried.
Varied Emotions.
Some were eager to get at him, some
were frightened, SOME seemed Indifferent.
but it was a struggle to maintain anything
like the composure they wanted their fell
lows to think they enjoyed. but which they
were far from feeling. The climax came
when Gen. Harries appeared on the stage
with Santa Claus and made a little speech,
in which he told the children how glad he
was to have them there. and how glad any
corporation might be to have the honor to
entertain such an assemblage.
And he told them that Santa Claus had
cCme loaded with good things, something
for every child in the room, from the BABES
in arms to the fourteen-year-old boys. He
asked the parents to retire from the nall
and then told the children to form In line
and march through the ante-room on the
right of the entrance to the hail.
He did not have to give minute directions
Every child knew that room and what was
in 1t, for every child had caught glimpse
of the huge piles of oranges and apples
and the great heaps of boxes, which they
knew from the shape and size were nlied
with candy. And every child had seen other
things in other corners. They had seen
them for only a second, but long enough
Of active minds to ma
what it wants to find in place like that:
1t was time of anxious waiting for the
tots In the front. They were quiet, very
quiet In that paroxysm of pure Joy that
comes but seldom in any life and then
only In childhood and about Christmas
time. 1t is the same feeling that keeps the
boy awake all night Christmas eve ana
holds him, waiting so painfully. until the
supreme moment arrives and he can go IN
and see what he has got" In all the
thousand of children there were only two or
three that 50 far forgot their dignity ana
composure as to cry, and these cries were,
quickly stilled.
Gen Harries and large corps of assist
ants took charge of the cmidreh at lhe
they were returned to their parents at the
other door their arms were loaded.
Santa Claus There.
Santa Claus was on hand to shake each
rot by the hand and say something pleas
ant. and then the children were led out OF
the hall They don't remember that part
of It, In a state of blissful coma they were
dressed In their out-of-door clothes ana
were taken home by their parents where
they continued to dream sweetly OF great
Christmas trees lighted by stars. ana OF q
shining star which STOOD Just ABOVE .ae.i
heads. and which resolved itself into a won
derfui Santa Claus. and a fairy godfather
in an evening suit that had most remark
ahle resemblance to Gen. Harries but VINO
gave them just what they mad wanted loI
months and months, and" But thdt was
all and the dream began all over again:
The entertainment of the children by Gen.
Harries and his corps or assistants was
one of the most successful that mas ever
been given In the District. The parents or
the children were not permitted to enter
the hall until the entertainment COM
menced. The tots themselves were seated,
and completely filled the space. The hall
itself was like fairyland. Over the center
~ the stage an enormous gold star blinked
red blue, yellow and green f1re as an IN
terrupted current Of electricity sent light
into first one and then another series OF
electric bulbs. On each side of the stage
Christmas trees that lowered to the ceiling
were located. covered with a glittering mass
Of tinsel and gold. and sparkling from the
thousand tiny electric lights placed here
and there amid the greenery. At Intervals
along the hall gold stars with incandescent
lights to give them brtlliance hung from
| the walls and festoons of red. green. blue.
purple and white lights seemed to dance
| from the walls and over the heads Of the
children. A dozen or more ushers. with
| neat white badges escorted the children to
| their seats and attended to all their wants.
An orchestra, under the direction Of Prof
Donald Macleod. played all the popular
while a program of real vaudeville acts was
presented.
The Supreme Moment.
LII. n