The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-12-28

Ouuer open oky.
Under the open sky, with Old Sol
vainly endeavoring to get a peep at
the strange spectacle, two thousand
boys and girls of Honolulu paid homage
to the malihini Santa Claus on Christ
mas morning. The nationalities of the
children were many, and only keen
analyst could tabulate them, but in this
motley crowd were bigeyed Hawaii
ans, queued Chinese, kimonoed Japan
csc, olive tinted offspring of sons and
daughters of Sunny Italy, Portugal and
Spain; tow-headed descendants of the
worshipers of Thor and Wooden; black
urchins from the Antilles, and many
brighteyed haoles who were just plain
American boys and girls. 1t was a
conglomerate mixture of the races that
passed in review before Santa Claus
and spectators, numbering. almost AS
many as the little ones who received
gifts.
IL was an army of children which
passed before the beautifully decorated
tree in the grounds of Bishop Park OPP
posite the Young Hotel, and an army
of adults watched the little ones as
they received the presents to which all
Honolulu contributed that the beauti-
full custom, established year ago by
a number of lonesome and wealthy
Americans, who knew of no better way
to spend Christmas than to make poor
children happy, might be perpetuated
and become an annual event. Last
year the presents were given to the
children by the generous-hearted mali
hinis, but this year, save for a few
strangers, the presents were handed to
the army of little ones by kamaainas
The day before Christmas the big
tree arrived and was planted in the
pretty park and decorated with all man.
ner of gaudy-colored trimmings, with
yards and yards of tinsel streaming
from it's branches and the tip sur
mounted by an American flag. Strings
of remnants were festooned about the
wounds, giving very picturesque eff
feet.
Children Came Early.
Saturday morning quartet of big
Hawaiian policemen arrived at the
grounds and stood guard, two by two
at the entrance and exit to the park
for children began arriving early. Eacf
held a white ticket, one of the ffteeI
hundred issued by those in charge Of
the tree celebration. Then came al
energetic corps of kamaainas who
placed tables in front of the tree ant
upon these broad platforms arranged
J dozens and scores of toys, dolls, flags
handkerchiefs, pocket knives and gen
eral joy-bringers. TRUSTEES supplied by
Sheriff Jarrett from the station brought
in boxes of fne-looking oranges ant
buckets of candies. The goods which
had been stored in tho promotion com
mittee rooms were carried across tn,
street, passing under the critical in
sDection of boys and girls armed will
tickets.
Then came autos bringing spectators
until finally Bishop street was line'
with chug wagons. p. w. Rider of tn,
| Kakaako Mission was early on hand I,
be shepherd to his flock of poor chill
dren, of so many nationalities tina
even Mr., Rider has stopped counting
them when he reached twenty.three
Then came children from Palama, an,
Kalihi, Pauoa, Palolo and Manoa val
leys. Every section of the city wa
fully represented Those In charg
looked out over the great assembling
of little ones aud gasped, for the,
wondered whether there would b.
enough toys from Santa Claus chpa
eious shoulder sack. The street con
tinued TO MI up with big and litil
people. Then the windows Of th
Young Hotel became animated will
spectators, aud the parapet OF the roo
garden WAS black with humanity. Tn
park was Invaded by adults who grad
aally extended line until they tlle'
the background hehind tbs tree. III
rail- bordering The park sas crowded
People were everywhere and tho pole
had ~ exercise considerable inRenuii'
90 Keep the efoNd ffom literally p0uI
ing through the entrance,
Plenty " Music,
fhen the llashian hssd cams lel
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ilpE NJ fparp hflasfn no iap par
epfnlBgr bnd dlfrfill opposite lhr rs,
VIII 40 tnppllmiisitf And BE- land
hpYs pigfrnl u Ne b fnlf Hgp lht
~ fisllfliiis could ~ pn
J VALE ~ isaa hsl plalipp ~