The news & observer., 1905-12-28

nODleSt men KNOW your GoNeIHoi
Robert B. Glenn"
As the Governor stepped from his
box the children again greeted him
w tn most intense enthusiasm. He
at once caught the contagion. AS
he spoke to the throng of children of
the poor, he was i'm manner and voice
and earnest gesture speaking to a
crowd of his equals. The words of
fellowship and good cheer came with
an emphasis and sincerity that won
his hearers. When he concluded
there was still more applause such as
children can give, shrill whistles the
humping of many feet, the clapping
of small hands.
The Governor spoke briefly and
jocularly at first promising not long
speech and keeping his promise. The
children were waiting for Santa Claus,
he said, and he would not detain
them. He himself had been boy
and he knew how i was. He re-
membered when he had doubts abou,
Santa Claus, because he thought his
portion or an "ash-pie or something
like that" He hoped all the chill
dren had been good and could prom
Use that Santa Clause would come.
But he wanted to say that perhaps,
"a little dose of hickory cordial or
sassaf fras tea, on some part OF them
sometime" might be thing which
the parents of the best children might
do we'll not to entirely disregard. In
more serious vein the Governor, with
his usual fire of voice and gestur~,
spoke With eloquence of the work or
the sunshine band and of the duty to
follow the blessings of God with deeds
of help to ones fellows. Js1e motto.
he said. was good one. the best IN
the world. There is no one so poor
that there is not some poorer per-
son whom he may help. There is
always the jewel of loving heart,
the priceless gift of kind words!
Tricks. Gifts and Children.
Following the Governor Mr.. A. F.
Bowen gave an exhibition of parlor
magic which held the children SPELL
bound. The little tots looked and
looked. In the development OF the
tricks they became tense with sus-
pense. Many stood in the chairs,
craning eager necks to see. AT the
denoument they applauded vigorously
and with discriminate.
Miss Patsie Smith, yellow butter
fiy with black tresses, danced with
the grace of the finished artist and
then came the scene of the evening,
when the big curtain came up ana,
to a chorus of admiring sound. Santa
Claus appeared in a sleigh from the
upper mysteries of the scenery ana
drew up before the audience ms
sleigh drawn by two dimlnutive
Monies. Santa Claus, who was Mr..
Will Brown, was figure from , tne
books and looked about as much ike
Brown as ST. Nick like the witch OF
the broom-stick. Santa was gotten
I'M regardless to be the real tEng ana
he was. The joy taken in him py
the children was in some particular
instances of an intensity to invite
tear.
Col. Olds then stated something
more of the work of the society citing
requests which had come TO il In the
way of letters to Santa Clause ana
the spirit that animated it's members
of the girl who had brought her Ia
vorite doll as a gift, the boy who mao
contributed the mast priced OF all MS
hooks-for the reason that as tney
were the things they cared for the
most they were the things they had
selected to give.
"One little boy" said the Colonel had
written a letter asking for d Wasol'
big enough to help him to haul Woou
for his mother. Here was the Wdso.i'
The Colonel exhibited it in all lts reu-
ness and glitter of shining spokes cail-
ing on the boy by name to come lot
ward and receive it, For moment
or so there was no answer and tnen
small boy was pushed forward as the
writer of the letter. and the wagon
given to him. while the audlence
sighed deeply at his good fortune
Then il was discovered that the Doy
was the victim of mistaken ldentlh-
cation and. as the wagon had peen
h. Iaod n
hack. The tension on the boy must
have been awful, but at this moment
Colonel Olds announced that If the DIS
appointed youngster would call al tne
Governors office today he would get
the wagon. There was applause OF
genuine sort at this cutting or
tangled knot by the quick generosity
of the Executive.
The Sunshiners having ranged ABOUT
the stage the children marched Dy anu
were presented with gifts with re-
markable rapidity. Each child got
candy. every boy a horn. every girl
doll. There were a variety of other
gifts. which were given to each child
in accordance with sex and size. There
were lacks-in- the-box, cloth horses, tea
sets draws and horses neSted blocks,
rattles. handkerchiefs. mirrors and
TOYS of various description. DesloeS
candies ard oranges and fruits III
abundance. The work of distribution,
under the direction of Colonel Olds ana
Miss Heck, was systematized as fol-
lows: Dolls were distributed by Betsy
Haywood and Louise Baldwin; oranges
by Norma Wynne; candies by Marie
Ferrall and Margie King; gifts for lit
tie girls by Pauline Brown; for large
girls. by Kathleen Bernard; for little
boys, by Will Clements; for large boys
by John Boushall. Geofrey Cheshire
distributed the books for boys and
Herman Briggs handed out the apples
Special and general utility work during
the rush was done by Elizabeth john
son. Fabius Shipp, and George Bag
we'll, who were everywhere and any
where they could put in lick.
The scenes during the distribution
were characteristic and famlilar.
Childhood happy needs to be but sug-
gested and not described. The world
knows it. The gratitude of mothers,
the joy in the happiness of their child
rem is a light that is old as time. The
abandon of childhood and the glow OF
mother love radiated the line of guests
and went out into the streets like
carol of the season. 1t was all good to
Iook on and a stimulating after-taSte