The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1904-01-01
AFFAIRS ABOUT TOWN.
WHAT A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

TIE CONGREG ATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL
CHILDREN GATHER IN LARGE MUM
BEERS AND HAVE a GRAND GOOD TIM
AT THEIR CHRISTMAS EVE ENTER
TAINMENT.
1t is question that still remains t.
be decided how much of a storm ant
dark night it would take to completely
block a Sunday school Christmas en-
tertainment; certainly the weather
bureau has not yet been able to manu-
facture such a storm yet. Ii trieC
very hard this year, but it gloriOuSly
failed, so you better take some other
scheme than. the weather, Mr. Prof
The grayheads shook their heads a bout
! five o'clock in the afternoon and began
to ask if the entertainment would be
posi- poned; but they did not know the
''gd' that there was behind it all.
SHORTLY after half past seven when
LIoSes were counted, it was found that
all were on hand from Harry to Maud
and from Maud to Harry.
The church looked just like Christ
mas with wreaths adjoining the fronts
of the gallery and placed in the win
dows and with diminutive evergreen
trees set here and there. A large fire.
place and chimney had been erected
upon the platform; and it looked like a
real fireplace, to be sure. Little stock
ings and big stockings hung from the
mantel-shelf and candles there were
burning. The program opened with
the singing by the congregation of
the good old Christmas hymn, ct came
upon the midnight clear" The pas
tor then invoked Gods blessing upon
the gathering, and Paul Wolcott gave
word of hearty welcome, eve are
the children of the King" was sung
with zest by the school, and A. P.
Smith, the superintendent of the Sun
day school, read the Christmas story
from Luke's Gospel. Arthur W. Rey
nolds was, fortunately for those gath
cred there, home over the holiday, and
so could sing and add a very pleasing
touch to the evenings enjoyment.
His solos, 'The dawn of hope" and
Jean" were rendered in a finished
style. Lily Frank and Eimira Elliot
recited "Stars and Candles" the shin
ing star and the burning candle giving
ineffective touch of life to their piece.
A. P. Smith spoke well of the long SER
vice he had given the school as super
intendent'and of the splendid rec
ord OF the past year, made possible
through the generosity of one of the
church members. Fritz Frank one of
the gospel wagon" boys, well recited
''The frost King" and Miss Zadie
Frear delighted everybody by the
pretty "Rock-a-by Song" She held
her dolly and rocked it gently back
ward and forward to the slow time of
music. This was, perhaps, the gem of
the evening. Mr. Barker then told the
story, "Mr Santa Claus Gliddens," and
the children listened with all their
might. The second carol by the school
was "Glory in the highest" and, like
all the carols in the leaflet "Light of
Prophecy" it was caschy and good.
Little Gordon Gale, sweet boy in
curls, told the audience why he got up
aG three O'Clock on Christmas morn
ing; and all concluded the reason was a
good boys reason. Now came the eli
max and denouement of all the rest.
Everything else led up to this, the
entrance of Mother GOoSe'S children.
They were all there, dressed in cos
tune and looking just as natural as
they were to us big folks when we
we read of them in the days ofolong
ago: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, Old
Mother Hubbard, Tom, the Piper's
Son and Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.
Paul Lake brought in a big pumpki n
and sat down on it in true rustic style.
Nelson NOrtnrop fetched his pail to
show how badly he needed new one.
Miss Muffet was frightened away by
big spider. Joseph Wright held his
horn high in the air as he spoke, and
Maud Elliott as Old Mother Hubbard,
looked very prim and motherly indeed.
Paul Garfield, Lloyd Barker, Wesley
Peck and all the other Gooselets-
disrespect mind you-costumed so
that Solomon in all his glory was not
like one of them arrayed and all in the
full tilt of the Christmas spirit, took
their parts exceedingly well. Mother
Goose took us all back into the sweet
days of childhood and left happy
memory in all our minds of Christmas
eve, 1903. "Blessed Christmas Time
So Fair" was next heartily sung by
the children; and then, Mr. Smith
awarded the prizes for best attendance
through the year, Gustave W. Carl
son had been present 4S Sundays out
of 81 while Horace ~. Smith and Ben
jamin ID. Smith, though nying almost
at the extreme limits of the parish,
had 46 Sundays to their credit. "JOllr-
ncyingS in the land where Jesus lived .
by Rev G.. &. f. Iiallock, ID. d., and
The school Of the woods" with its
companion volume, The little brother
to the bear" by lev William J. Long,
we're the books awarded. "A pretty
little scene, which tttiugly closed the
program, was Miss S. J. Scudder "a
erng Il group OF glad-hearted children
about her before the fireplace and tell
Gordon Gale, tine little fellow witt
the curlS," sat upon Miss Sruddcr'>
lap, and gave pleasing inprumptu
narration to say in the Sunday schou
l.L I : ~ : Al - r I