Evening journal., 1905-12-20
OLD CHRIS AT
XMAS AFFAIRS
Children Meet the Old GEN
tIeman at Sunday School
Entertainments
HAS TOYS FOR THEM ALL


it is the Christmas entertainment.
II matters little whether the enter
tainment be under the direction Of
the public school teacher or the Sun
day School. for Old Girls, that jolly old
monarch Of the north. makes his ap-
pearance impartially at either gather
ing. He can come only once a year,
and for this reason he has been gifted
with the faculty Of mulu-presence, for
under no other conditions could he
possibly visit all the children who each
Chrstmaslido food his mail with their
invitations. While he often takes it
into his head to appear In the various
toy shops a week or two before MS
scheduled time. &c is only TO Danish
the fears of his tiny friends. who may
possibly be under the impression that
their dear old rosy-cheeked santa
Claus win forget them. His stay IN
the toy stores is only a prelude to ms
appea ance at the Christmas entertain
meni where an the pOmpou5 dignity
which hs assumes in the shops because
of the presence of the grown-ups, is
thrown aside and there the litte ones
MAY meet him on terms Of the greatest
fomIafity
He's a Liberal Guest
Here too he brings the gifts whleh
Their uniting good behaviour uor hs
the vtar has deserved, and the boxes
of s'veetmeats and bundles of toys are
distributed gratuitousy to the thy
mites who had begun TO think that
their good Old Girls never gave any
thing away free. because of the prac-
tee of selling his wares fn the TOY
stofer
often times the dear old gent eman
leaves his reindoers comfortably siao'
led in some out of the way building
dur.ne his visit at the Christmas Fest
y'foe. but this is only for the reason
that thew would become so attach d
to his little clients as TO make it nara
for him TO persuade them TO return TO
tbc.r northern home when his pleasure
giving trip wac over
HIS Christmas tree. howevc-, rs
never wanting, for no matter now
lengthy the journey may be, nor how
tired the old man may feel, he never
forgets to bring the ever present tree
10 ITS entertainments. For how else
could he SO advantageously disp ay his
wonderful exhibition of toys ana can
dies?
His Use Of Evergreens.
on the evergreen branches of the
spruce or cedar. he can arrange tn'
handiworS of his northern solitude IN
such attractive guise that every one of
his children must stop in admiration
before ihis example of his good taste
and inventive genius. His dolls and
soldiers: his wagons and horses; ms
tinv household wares and furnishings
his new shoes and pretty frocks eaeh
one Of the many mement0es OF his Nlsit
never look half so dazzling and beauti-
mi as when seen on the Christmas
tree. Just so with his bags of candy
which he always brings to the sunday
School to reward the boys and girls
who have tried so ha.d to be good ana
attentive to their teachers during the
long Eme that must necessarily elapse
hetween his visits. He understands the
many little sacrifices they make to ar
rive at the school on time. and the
brave fight they wage against the lassi-
tude that would keep them from their
lessons. and as he hands out the pretty
packages which he has prepared for
them. he cannot help but feel proud OF
the little friends who have looked for
ward TO his visit so anXlously.
He is proud of the songs which they
sing in honor OF the happy Joyous,
time that brings him away from the
cold. cherries home where he resides
an the rest of the year, To gladden. the
hea.ts of the youthful darlings who
have come to look upon him with ad-
miration such as they give to no one
else He is delighted with the spirit
of good cheer and good viii which the
children throw around this most glad
some season of all the year, and when
b. sees them gather al the entertain
mont which be has prepared for them
he wonders 70 they are always so good
when he rs away. OF course he has
little b'-d who tells him All that goes
ON I'm the minds of his tiny friends. but
the bird IS so good a friend OF his little
boys and girls. that unless they are
except onally naughty. he never in
forms tis kind old master about their
faults
All the recitations and songs which
the children sing at the concerts. are
o. delightful TO him as they are TO
The children and their teachers. They
bring hack 10 him the time when he
was not so old. and he has pictures of
the many million Of little folks whom
he has seen IN his many years OF wan
dering. and Of the count ess stockings
which be has filled with toys and
sweet-meats. He wonders how many
Of an that number still think OF him
for he knows that many of them have
grown up only to forget him and his
gifts
But he also realizes as he listens Ia
the little hearts pouring out Their song
OF gladners and JOY. that there ar.
none who attend his Christmas enter
fainments who viii ever FORGET the
rosy-cheeked old man. who comes "a
see them once a year. When they eo
home after their visit to Santa Claus
they Will feel that there is always one
friend who will not desert them at th,
glorious Yuletidc.
HOW'S THIS?