The sun., 1910-01-02
LITTLE CRfPpLES IN A PLAY
CHRISTMAS SHOW GIVEN WITH
THE AID or CRUTCHES.
Handicapped children I'm the Guisc Of
Flowers Discuss santa CIaus-ActinS
Ilnder Dlnnculties-A kindergarten
Curtain Ralser-The Christmas Tree.


Nom, I can't 70 to the hospital now
not till after the play. Nobody knows
how hard I've worked on that part and
nobody else could get IL now. Nom. l
can't 60 to the hospital now
Il was the sun speaking, not the
glorious dispenser OF heat and light, but
its little human impersonator-a sadly
| crippled lad who was 90 wrapped up in the
impersonation that he refused steadily
to comply with the doctors orders and go
to the hospital for the necessary opera
ton.
~NO'm, I can't go to the hospital now,
he persisted, and so continued to shine
upon his score or so OF little crippled
! fellow players through all the rehcarsals.
! and so he shone in the final, ultimate
| triumph the other afternoon when the
long anticipated presentation took place
and the little pupils OF the Day Home
and School for Crippled Children evolved
into dramatic stars and trod the boards
with all the ease and grace that the &C
oompanying crutches would permit.
The Court of Flowers" the play. was
written for them by one OF their teachers.
Mrs. Valentine. who was also their di-
rector, stage manager. property man.
costumer and all the other aides OF the
producer rolled into one. Veritable
flowers the little performers looked in
their pink tarletans and blue and white
and rose. with plenty of tinsel and silver
stars and other accessories native TO
fowerland. as they waited for the our
tain to go up on the stroke OF 2:3o. The
various flower faces were expectantly
happy and there was a constant hum OF
talk and chatter-human, childish chat
ter, not flower chatter-but there was a
! noticeable lack OF any busting about or
proneness to romping such as is usually
exhibited by children under like condi-
tions.
The crutches told the tale. and one little
actor laughing merrily was taking his
last resting spell before the rising Of the
curtain and was lying fat on his back on
an improvised pallet right in the midst
OF the flower courts greensward. These
children have learned they must conserve
their strength.
At length tho hour and the minute
arrived, crutches were assumed. places
taken and the curtain was lifted 10 expose
them to the view OF the relatives and the
patrons OF the school out in front. A
very pretty flower court it was and very
thoughtfully furnished for little MANNED
| flowers for there were stools and other
resting places unobtrusively tucked away
as though it were fully understood that
It In as hard for crippled flowers 70 endure
long without resting as it Is for crippled
children.
The Queen of All the FIovers had a
beautiful wand which she leaned upon
most OF the time but which she ventured
| to yllse in gesture occasionally. She
cordially crested each OF her loyal sub
| iects by name, although each OF them had
been already recognized by the audience
by virtue Of the color OF the tarletan and
the number and the placing Of the ruifies.
Little Forget-we-not. very, very blue
and very, very fiuiYy, came forward so
gracefully upon her crlItches that IL was
hard to realize that she had never walked
a step until three years ago. Wild Rose.
a flower poem In pink tarletan; Ddndeiion,
whose eyes alone would have betrayed
her identity and who -yas the most sadly
crippled OF them all, having 60 be lifted
up 70 the chair on which she quietly sat-
all these were there and many. many
others Of the flower kingdom.
At length a hustle was heard without
and Il quickly woke the assembled cour-
tiers to song. @Oh, merry, boisterous.
rolling wind. they sang. and thus an
nounced In rolled the merry. boisterous
one, as merry and boisterous as could
be desired for all his crutches. and there
he took his stand In the court. 30 fierceiy
bearded that he would surely have in
spired terror in the stoutest heart had
IL not been for the gentle, childish voice
that issued from out the bearded recesses.
No sooner had the Wind been made
welcome than very different sort Of
visitor arrived. nothing other than a
straying little earth girl whose Italian
dark eyes peep out from under her very
Red Riding Hood bonnet and who was
30 very tired out with her hard journey
that she gladly accepted a seat. Then
came other visitors in quick succession
little philosophers In Indian and cowboy
garb who philosophical on what the
brooks and the stones and the trees have
to teach in the matter OF life and living.
Mother Earth came also and received
a hearty welcome from all these children
who owed to her their being.
After all present had had their say
and some OF the flowers were begin
ming to look tired and as though they
might droop IN a few minutes the Sun.
the very one who refused to cease shining
for an operation, announced that Il was
now time for him to take his departure
and proceeded to do so. followed by the
turning gaze OF little SunfoKeT. But
the court was not left in darkness there
fore.
and the tap OF his crutches had but died
away when those OF the evening goddess
were heard and the Noon issued forth
in all the glory OF a black gown and silver
stars ana CroScontS ana suCn thlng9.
SO the flowers revived and waited the
arrivals. which were now due.
These were OF none other than Santa
Claws himself and Uncle Sam himself. |
They held a spirited up to date debate
over whether or not the Christmas festivi- |
ties should be allowed to be continued. |
Santa Claus lamenting that all the old |
spirit is gone along with the custom OF |
stocking hanging, complaining that there |
is no place any longer to hang stockings /
except on the radiator. Uncle Sam had |
something to say in regard to the scarcity |
of Christmas trees on account OF the whole |
sale destruction OF his forests and !
branched of into a discussion OF the |
automobiles sdestructiveness to the flower |
kingdom Jack In the Pulpit preached |
little sermon. and finally everything ended |
happily with a flower court decree to |
retain Santa Claus and all the old customs |
belonging 70 him.
The Court Of Flowers" which was
presented by Mrs. Valentines pupils, |
the Children who would be in the grades |
could they attend the public schools, |
was proceeded by q curtain raiser acted by |
the little crippled kindergartnsrs who |
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