New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-23
EVEN THEY ARE HAPPY.
Christmas Brings Joy to the PGLsied
and Crippled.

With twisted bodies and palsied limbs and cr7iu-
big bones the children OF the East Eighty-eighth
s- srho;J Of tbs ChidTen's AID Society assembled
yesterday morning Tor their annual Christmas fes-
ttvaI tall tree adorned with many shining
and gsisteatng things. stood IN one corner. paper
chains and butterflies hung from the ceiling
auttersd under the arches. eno the pathetic
little faces supported II many cases by hideous
steeI harness were smiles OF forgetfulness and
PLEASED anticipation To them. too. q CLEAN Of
Christmas Joy hsd come and they were uncon-
scous FOR the momsnt OF their Affections, Like
children n the happier walks OF life. they sang OF
the angels bending toward the earth TO touch
their harps Of gold" % the Christ child lying n
nanger and OF the message OF peace and good
VII Of which. slssi most Of them have had but
little experience
There we're nearly e hundred OF them suffering
from every conceivable kind OF mental and physi-
O. deficiency. and repulsive n some cases that
Il wss marvel to the visitors how the teachers
could endure constant association with them A
g11 OF ettsea. with E horrible tWitch!uE OF her
rs1sclss. became so excited and consequently so
much worse when her was called from the
tee that 8 teacher had 70 meet her half way as
sic came forward for her present and take her
back 70 her seat a boy OF seventeen received with
delight e ttue horse and carriage that would ordi-
nG-ly BE selected for child OF four and girl OF
nearly the same age was equally pleased with z
doll
Close to the tree in q wheel chair. sat boy
whose sweet and arla5le expression attracted the
attention Of sil The visitors. He had the body and
face OF & child Of ten but the principal. Miss K
Rea stackpole. said thai he WIS twenty-one-
He has tuberculosis OF the bones'' she
pssiled and it Is only since he came 10 q
Few months ago that ne has known what life Is.
Re could not 50 TO school. and could read.
nad ne is Sc sensitive about his condition that II
YES not easy 70 persuade him 70 come here. He
has q very sweet disposition, and now that he has
g EtLs interest in AIe ne as perhaps not so IN
happy sou would think.
"DetorTnry, you see, comes 10 be taken as a
Is
deficient and the patients 90 not suffer from Il,
they would among normal people. The children
cease TO be sensitive about their Affections and
conversation about them IS topic Of general in
terest They enjoy comparing hospital experiences,
and The one who has had the greatest number Of
Besides the toys and dolls distributed from the
tree there warm clothing for the poorer chill
Etals for the girls and boots and shoes for both
For al this the crippes were indebted 20 George
Nichols. and II he had not unoeTlaken 70 pay
Santa Claus they would have had no Christmas
ali for the school has lost the patron who used
supply the Christmas money and meet other
Socletv This affects not only the Christmas fes-
Etv1tes but threatens the efficiency II not the e1-
tstence o. the school for the Chidrens Aid Society
teachers The money for the daily luncheOns served
70 the children for Christmas and for many other
burnt woodwork ironwork and other crafts by
which they earn their living, and some OF
then already earn enough TO help their parents
considerably. The school conducts penny provl-
earned OF otherwise acquired receiving them back
when they have enough TO buy something VOTE 9
while These moneys 70 be paid out to-day, ana
one lttle girl expects 70 buy high ooot Win heE
savings .,,.,-
Among those present at YESTERDAYS festivities 5f
were Charles Loring Brace. secretary OF the Cnil-
dren's Ala Society. and some liJle boys from a
school for poor children in ne bronx ne latIe
then personally.