New-York tribune., 1910-12-24
JOY FOR CRIPPLED TOTS
Even Morris, Who Thought San

Little Morris Story thought that the bot
tom had dropped out of everything Nor
ris. out OF two hundred little crippled
children at the Hospital for the Ruptured
and Crippled. at Lexington avenue and
42d street, was the only one who didn't get
a Christmas present when Santa Claus
called there at 40 o'clock yesterday
Afternoon. Morris didn't cry The catas-
trophe was too great and fncomprehensiole
for tears He just looked around on the
one hundred and ninety-nine little crippled
ones VINO were beating drums and footing
horns and hugging dolls and listening 20
the ticking Of brand new watches, and
wondered. with a srieved, puzzled look.
how such a merry. noisy world could for
get a poor little boy like him.
But it didn't forget him long. For
white coated interne caught him up. and
dozen voices called why. Norris hasn't
anything and Miss Ella Murdock. the
superintendent of nurses. said, why.
sweetheart. didn't you tell US what you
wanted?''
Morris promptly had his arms filed. and
il his mind were sufficiently formed for
reflection he certainly would have re-
1ected that it was a good thing he hadn't
asked for anything. for he never would
have had the cheek to ask for so much.
Santa Claus didn't exactly come, as the
children fancied he might in the aeroplane
which John Oakley. the hospital cleo
trician. and Alexander Grant have been
working on for the last two weeks. but it
was just the same as if he had for when
the children were assembled in the big
room at :he top of the building there was
the aeroplane, brilliantly lighted. dangling
or invisible wires from the ceiling above
the tree. and when the curtain rose upon
the little stage nearby there was Santa
Claus. A cantata was woven about Santa s
appearance. ana the children were the per-
formers And though some of them had
to be lifted to the stage by careful nurses.
and some came on little humping crutches,
and some curly heads were held up by
metal braces, they didn't dream how
pathetic they were. but sang and acted.
and even danced with the greatest joy
Two performers who brought down the
house were Peter Setback and John Hannf-
gan Dressed most realistically in ragged
overalls, they took the part of homeless
waits. Life has saddled both Peter and
John with sad little limp. but they sang
a duet beginning There's a chance for
you. there's a chance for me- with such
broad and cheerful grins that it was evil
dent they meant it.
DR. Virgil P. Gibney. the surgeon in
chief presided and Oliver H. Bartine. su-
perintendent of the hospital; Miss jeanette
Cha pnan. principal of the hospital school;
Miss Murdock and numbers of nurses
looked after the children captain James
Sherlock. of Hook and Ladder Company ?.
was there TO see that the tree and the
aerop1ane didn't catch fire.
There were really three trees. the big
one in the centre of the room and two
smaller ones on either side of the door,
and all of them were trimmed by Mrs. Ed
ward G. Roach. Packages were heaped
around the big tree. and as soon as the
cantata was finished and Elrnira F Gro
gen, in fluffy pink skirts which almost hid
her crutch, had read an address of thanks
to all who had made the Christmas tree
possible, the nurses fastened 70 put the
packages in the arms that were held out
to them from the little wheeled chairs and
stretchers and rows of low chairs.
The children had been invited to choose
their presents, and for days Mr. Bart1ne
has haunted the shops with lists something
like this: Fourteen drums, two child $
trunks three dolls. one with pink dress,
etc. in his pocket; and every child got
what he or she wanted-even. in the end
small Morris Story