Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-27
THOUSAND TOTS MADE CLAD
Santa Claus Visits City Mission Chill
dren at Auditorium.
ASSEMBLY COSMOPOLITAN AFFAIR
M Races OF Europe Represented I'm
treat swarm of Eager children
Made Happy by Toys
and Candy.

Little Sioux and Japanee, DON'T you wish
that youa we're me7" So asked the little
feirl in the verses Of Robert Louis Steven
son. one thousand children felt the same
question in an inarticulate way at the
Auditorium Saturday morning. Santa Claus
i,hbd sarriVedAtwo OF him In fact-and dis
tributed presents TO 1000 proteges OF the
City Mission.
II was "a sight which would have aroused
emotion In the breast Of a cigar store In
dian. Seated in row on row on the great
stage were these hundreds and hundreds OF
children with such eager expectancy writ
large on each childish face that each was
aspicture In him or herself. That many Of
o. them we're poorly dressed, with hair dis
=, lieRcled and In some cases hands and faces
II. none too clean, did not detract from the
!. picturesque aspect OF each mite Of humanity
z nor fron the striking effect Of the en-
. ssmblc.
% They were mostly the children OF foreign
born PARENTS and some of these accom-
,,paBied them. Women with scarlet caps and
y, gorgeous shawls added a, note of vivid color
a. and in the dress Of many OF the children
grthere could be seen the south European
~ love, VI barbaric colors.
o. Many Races Represented.
: IT was a cosmopolitan asssmblaye. Little
- Bohemiahs, wee descendants OF the May
. CARS, minute Polandcrs. slavs, Slovaks and
. Slovenes, high and low Deutsch, young
=" SC ions Of Brian Boru-there was plenty Of
. material for the ethnologist to have worked
. upon.
Z" THE val iety Of the ~assemblage was height
a. ened in the contrast between those benefit
ing by the exercises and their benefactors,
q for the teachers and workers. in the City
= Mission, friends and associates present rep
q - -. -~t,.No wyoaItA IN vnanU
d" cases, but represented the best that is
. Americah-inteliigent, educated effort to-
d ward social service.
y The little boy and girl who attends Sun
day school the week before Christmas for
- the first time was there, 'too-several OF
= him.
rs Harry Mcguire in your class, Mr..
1Cavanne," asked a co-worker.
H Harry, a frowsy, unkempt lad Of. II years,
~ looked anxious.
= HE was there last Sunday, but never be-
e fore,' said the man asked.
q Gloom spread over a juvenile physios-
: nomy, but the map OF woe frightened when
the other teacher answered: II .'
well, we have a lot OF extra presents
o. and Wen see II we can't find something
, for Harry in them even II he does not de-
81, serve it."
49, Prizes for Prize children.
Just why a child Of 8 or 6, hugging a doll
8 as large as herself, should make ordinarily
International observers feel a lump In the
= throat is not easy to explain, but many
experienced the sensation when Emma Le-
~ hotyak came forward and received the coll
r. given her for perfect attendance and con-
~ ddct at the Mission Sunday school the last
y year. "Thank you kindly" said Emma
= when the. doll had been given her, and II
, was evident that someone has instilled
- some knowledge of manners into the mind
Il of q b-year-old girl. Lewis Morocco, who
q is not q Moor, but OF Slciilan extraction,
: won the boys prize for conduct and at
tendance, Two big round glIstening silver
Is dollars which his fingers could hardly cover
all over were his reward for exemplary
q behavior. J.
q 4 Before the distribution OF presents began
: there had. been brief exercises. Carl Will
~ son. presided, Charles Whitney offered a
prayer add Very Rev. George Beecher
> spoke a, few words to the children. The
: children sang several carols and after that
the primary class with faint childish treble
< sang Away in a Manager Instead Of a
Crib or a Bed. the Little Lord Jesus Laid
e Ills Baby Head
Amid Impressive stiffness.
. They finished amid an impressive still
= ness. suddenly n roar OF delight started
u the back Of the stage. II welled up
: into a demonstrating din as the other