The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-03
Che Night Of the
Children
By JAMES OPPENHEIM

0y oAfHES VI
Christmas was In the air.. The frosty,
starry night turned golden in the city
avenues Up and down the pavement
the crowds swept. laughing. talking.
5ostling. cheeks ruddy with the wealth
er. eyes sparkling with the lights. As
they moved there unrolled beside them
the endless film Of brilliant shop win
dOws crammed with riches, and
through the swinging doors eddies of
people were sucked In and elected. At
the curb the toy peddlers shouted, the
chestnut stands sent up their smoke.
1t seemed as IL the millions of the
city had poured out 10 mingle in a
street festival Of Joy and brotherhood
People laughed at one another: a wine
or good humor drenched the air 1t
was as Ii on this night hate and strife
and greed had been sloughed of; as Ii
the race said: Come. let US be happy
with one another. We are all here to-
gether. Let Us meet and mingie In
Joy and good will and peace
All For the Children.
1t was the night OF the children. Far
through the sleeping city the million
children We're In their beds. and it was
for them that these people met. Fer.
their children they were sweeping the
shops. that Christmas morning might
dawn with the candles OF the pine and
hanging bulgy stockings and the mys-
FERROUS new toys. And IL was the
thought of the children possibly that
made these men and women so light
footed. so bubblingly joyous, 50 limo
Gently happy 1t made children of
them, and they mingled with each
other like laughing. rollicking boys
and girls.
There was one vast department store,
nearly block square and six stories
high. which sucked in vast masses of
the crowd. Pendent from its ceilings
hung white moons of light, and under
these density of humanity slowly
swirled about the sparkling laden coun-
tiers The air was overwarm with
breathing aud tingled with the excite
ment of shutting shoes. rattle Of pack
ages and a hive hum Of talk and ex-
carnations. The place was electric
OF desires, the impeded hurry. the
drawing near of closing time Ten.
thirty had come and gone and yet the
crowd was unsatished; it hungered
and strained and clamored and strug.
gied to get its FILL
impatient For Snow"
One counter especially was besieged
At this were sold FIVE cent packages
OF SNOW" for Christmas trees. Be
hind this counter stood Mamie Riggs
seventeen years old. thin, emaciated
bioodless. her face pale and drawn and
wrinkled. her eyes bloodshot, her lips
trembling. As she made out checks
and received and made change anG
handled the envelopes her hands Wis
fbly shook. Faces crowded near her
leaned close, arms lifted, fingers jerket
near her eyes.
This snow?'
Yes. maam"
'How muchT'
Five cents"
s&Only one for iveY'
.Only one"
.'How much in packageT
ST don't know, ma'am."
"Don't known"
No Patience For Shopglrl.
AT least FIVE voices interrupted:
''See here. l want half dozen o
these" where's my changer" a.
can't wait all night isn't there an.
one TO wait on me:" Say. I'll speal
to the fioorwalker IL don't get prope
attention.
Mamie answered as best she could.
4.Just a minute. You said five-six
Change hasn't come. I can't help Il
ma'am! Yes, it's five package