The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-12-27
1900 CHILDREN
GET PRESENTS
Continued from Page one.)

NCOuIluu6u lTOIu EdS6 OuSsy
ter to ten, the first batch passed
through the arched palms. There was
no unseemly haste, and they strolled
up, as though they mad not been
looking forward to this treat for days.
days that to them must nave seem
ed like weeks. The boys from Ka-
School assisted and very
soon the children began to pile up,
for the willing helpers could not hand
out the goods quickly enough, and
halt had to be caued. Slowly but
surely the human stream, defying all
laws of nature, flowed up, and then
curved in a struggling manner, and
found it's way around the overladen
tables, absorbing some presents Ell
route.
The heavens had wept in small in
stallments, but no one took any no
tice of this-it was only a shower,
and anyway it was the Malihini
Christmas Tree celebration, so who
cared. The willing workers worked
harder tina never, many fitted about,
and all sorts of labor saving methods
we're introduced, but still the human
stream flowed on. Photographers
there were aplenty, and if the am
cunt that was expended on snapped
plates and films had been donated to
the committee, it would have con-
siderably increased the amount at it's
disposal. The moving picture man
was there too, but the children did
not strike any posing attitudes; they
had as their goal the tables that
were so inviting, and there was a
determined look about the faces of
all, that nothing snort of terrible
could prevent them from achieving
their end. Even Santa Claus, who
looked so forbidding to many, could
not balk them of their onward
march. Many there were who only
responded to his friendly advances
with yells of terror; but many more
there were who shook hands just as
socially as though he were met with
on the streets any day.
At ten o'clock the rain began stea-
Oily to come down. Undismayed, no
one left. The long line of youngsters
was unbroken. Stoically, they re-
NAMED where they were, while the
helpers worked on through it all.
The rain pelted down harder than
ever, and lot found refuge under
the trees, some sought shelter in
large packing cases, while others
could be seen huddled up under the
tables; but none or the workers left
their posts.
Soon dripping forms replaced the
trim figures, but the work went on
just as expeditiously. The cutters
became choked, and as each child re-
ceived his or her present, it was sent
into the Capitol building out Of the
wet. Long planks were placed over
the floodgutters, and all those chill
dren without shoes walked up the
plank, while those with shoes and
stockings on walked through the wa
ter; at least, that is the way it SEEM
ed to work out; there might have
been a few with shoes on that walk
ed the plank, but there were not ma
ny. The rain still continued, and it
was resolved to conclude the distri-
button in the large hall of the build
ing. Accordingly, the now diminish
ed piles of good things were remov-
ed to a central spot, and the drench-
ed children received their presents
from drenched ladies'. But no one
seemed to care for the wet garments.
They said it was warm, and would
dry soon, so what did it matter, Dis
triet Attorney Breckons was wringing
wet, and looking ruefully at his
walking stick, observed that it al