New-York tribune., 1906-12-24
SANTA LIN STAGELAND.
VISITS CHILD ACTORS.
aids Mrs. "I'ong' Pastor and 9th
ers at GLadsome FeStiUaL.

Laden down with a varied collection of toys.
some seven hundred or eight hundred children
OF the stage frolioked around the floor Of Tam
many Hall last night A short while before
they had stormed the basement for the dinner,
after giving theatrical performance in Tony
Pastors. at which the police forgot to bar short
skirts. even II it was Sunday night.
The children and their friends filed Tony
Pastors Theatre early in the evening. as they
have for twcnty years, ever since the first
Christmas romp and entertainment of the Stage
Children's Christmas Festival Organization.
This is the favorite charity Of Mrs. Tony Pas
tor. for the needy children get q complete
outfit Of clothing in room off from the main
hall, where no one need know about 1t.
II was also TONY" Pastors twenty-flfth we'd
ding anniversary, so his friends got together
last night, led by ABE Hummel. and made him
make speech while they delivered a score Of
presents to him and his wife,
Mrs. E. L. Fernandez IS president Of the COM
mittee and was aided by Mrs Antonio Pastor,
Miss Billie Norton, Mrs. E. Rosenbaum. Miss
Billie Thorne, Mrs. NJ. Scott Paine. Miss Maude
Knowlton, Mrs. Queenie vassar Cawthone. Miss
Isabel Richards. Mrs. Marguerite st. John. Miss
Gerry Ames, Mrs. Richie Ling. Miss Telma Fair,
Mrs. Gertie Delmore Miss Esther Lyon and Miss
Kenton Bishop.
Only children under fourteen years old can
take part in the festival. and while every girl
who took part was graduated from this GLASS;
some Of them can take part again for ten or
twelve years. The girl to receive her last pres
ent from the festival was Gertrude Williams
who received a small family Bible There has
been only one similar incident before in the his
tory OF the organization. That was when Vir-
ginia Parker who played child with Joseph
Jefferson. asked that her last prize be q Bible
Ona fo bapb baar ~.
OF Mrs. Fernandez. Tony Pastor and Colonel
Sanderson. She IS now the wife of the Rev.
Charles Story. Long Island clergyman.
The smallest boy had the longest name
Stephen Atwen Davis-wh0 came out and
danced like old Pat Rooney. He took the ap,
plause that was his portion with becoming mod
esty and marched stifly Off the stage to get a
book as prize. It was not q large book but he
staggered under its weight. About half an inch
bigger were Robert and Orella Smith Robert.
after singing waiting at the Church." started
to get his prize with his sister. She got a doll
Robert Indignantly srurning ono rendered
to him.
TN man." he declared in most superior
fashion. nor was he content until he went off
with the mans" prize. book Ono of the most
pleasing acts was six children in quaint Dutch
costume from one of the Broadway shows, who
were recalled repeatedly.
The gifts were distributed from three big trees
set on the stage OF Tammany Hall. Impromptu
barricades had been built, but the children took
them by storm. and those who playing
Santa Claus had their hands full. In ten min
utes the trees had been stripped Of the last
string Of popcorn and their last flag. Everybody
got something but repeaters were as numerous
as at a Tammany primary One woman and
her boy, husky yoUngster, went away laden
down She carried three toy wagons, baseball
bat. a hockey stick and two tin horns. The
youth carried two more wagons, a collection of
noise making instruments, and three or four
boxes Of games stuck inside his blouse, and his
pockets were bulglng with miscellaneous loot
1t had been proftall5 night for him.
Another woman had Mysteries because her
Clifford got only a baseball bat a sled and three
games. The mechanical toys were the most
popular. Every child who got one was at once
surrounded by a group of grown ups anxious
to show him how the wheels went round. There
lot Of small wheelbarrows, too, and the
being taken around the hall in them, their elders
fighting for a chance to take part in the romp.
Mrs. Fernandez reported that the expenses Of
the festival and presents were $1,000 and the
collections thus far amounted TO 5000. Other
collections and the fund from the police will
contributors 10 the annual fund Blanche
Bates. ElkS' Lodge No. ]. Richard Mans
field, FRITZ Scheff, Maggie Mitchell, Henry
w. Savage, Frank Bennett. George c. BOldt,
Frank Losee, Elbridge T. Gerry and Julia Mar
lowe. The society was organized in 1887 by
Mrs. Tony Pastor. Mrs Fernandez and Aunt"
Louisa Eldridge.