New-York tribune., 1906-12-25
THE CRIPPLES TREE.
Hospital Children Made Happy By
Generous Christmas Gifts.

Srr a srcrp OF children 20 entertain an audi
rnn4 with fairly long programme OF songs
sod recftaz1ons. while all the time beautiful
Christmas tree stands before their eyes, with its
wrapped I'D presents waiting 10 be given them
sast must be q trial OF patience for the most
xuh1uissfve little ones. Yet that was what sew
.suzl hundred small boys and girls did yesterday
,ss ths hospital OF the New York Society
su4 The Relief Of the RuDtured and Grip
xled et Lexington avenue and 42d street.
and some OF the children lay fat on little
-TRgons others sat IN wheeled chairs. stil others
tsaned On cTutches. and had 10 be helped 70 the
platform ana down again by the doctors and
uurssS. Perhaps their irnpanenoe was eased by
ths fAca that they knew pretty well what Santa
Caaus vTss going 90 give them; for at this hos
s6tz1 the children are asked before Christmas
CONES what they would most like and as far
possfbls what they desire IS bought for them.
The entertainment was held in a wide hall at
me TOP OF the building. IN the centre. IN front
Of the stagA the Christmas tree lowered 20 the
csnfng On one side sat the girls, the Other
tSde the boys. and among them they represented
many kinds OF rupture and bone trouble A
kfnfy haired Negro tot Of four who had been
operated on for knock knees" lay stretched
out under q gay blanket. Next her sat tiny
Swede white as milk with her head supported
By an iron brace. Not one Of them knew how
pathetic they were. They were too busy ex-
changing whispered condolences about the pres
ents they expected.
I'm going 10 get dolly" the small Swede
Uniformed visitor
-And have you made up your mind what you'll
na1ne herr"
She had. melissa Angelina" she said
promptly.
The programme began with q Prayer Of
Alteration" sung by all the children. Then
Tony Belmont recited a Greeting" Tony can
not walk very well-yet; he is going 10 walk
web some time, the doctors say-but his voice
was clear ana resonant. After he had finished
little laIne Carrie Reiger was lifted TO the
platform, and repeated poem called Under
Santa Claus Helpers" was quite a conpli-
GATED piece of marching and rec!ting. done by a
number of BOYS and girls. Little Miss Wicker.
q beautiful little Southern girl. sang a "SIumber
Song holding a big doll in her arms But
what brought down the house was the Good
NIght DIlIl. IN which eight tots trotted on the
and hugging TEDDY bears and dolls
Then came the Ereat event, the distribution Of
E1e presents Nurses, inJeraes. maids, even en-
GuHestic members of the audience "got busy"
and the packages piled high under the tree rap
toly found their way into the small arms held
out 10 receive them. Charles Smith aged
Seven" was fairly hidden from sight as he Law
On his cart by 4 huge drum and two Y1vstsri ore
packages one little girl had asked for suit
oase-ailu 8't one as large as herself, and was
proudly carrying # around hobbling on her littIa
cTutches. Most of the boys had asked for foot
nalls OF baseballs, or some such thing which
was not SO ll-advised as ii may seem: for rnanv
ot these children can play games. and almost
en- II ts said are improving, and are expected to
Improve much more with the treatment they
ere receiving.
1he children were not 10 unwrap their pres
snts on they were taken to their wards but
many We're the holes p0ked IN the paper covers
by curious little fingers, ana the buzz Of excite
rnent grew louder. broken now and then nv "a
disappointed "Oh-ht" when the elect~ic ugbr-
went out suddenly for a minute
Inen the excitement began 10 tell On them
and they grew impatient TO be taken TO ther
wards. one small boy expressed the general
feeling as he peered out from behind an enor-
chair " ~
i want % open my bundle" he sobbed. land
! w-Tvant TO 90 TO bed!"
Miss Chapman. who is at the head Of the
echool which IS maintained for the children 81
1he Hospital for the Relief Of the R,lptures and
Crippled, had charge OF the entertainment mr.
Virgil p Gibney. the surgeon-in- chief, presided
enc 81 me end made few remarks, Specially
thannng the audience for having come "o1
Christmas Iove. when IL is so hard generaIIS
20 get audiencsT-and tharllina- 4t5a 5o1o,ss'
OF gifts for their generositv