The Washington herald., 1911-12-24
YULETIDE RUSH
AND BUSTLEPAST
Continued from Page One.

Il
Tonight the children will be put to bed
early-much earlier than usual. And then
Santa Claus will begin his work OF trim
ming the tree and filling the stockings
and placing the presents in order. Some
of the more scrupulous parents who re-
| frain from doing work Of any kind on
the Sabbath erected the Christmas trees
last night after the children were in bed,
and then securely locked the parlor doors
so that no glimpse could be caught Of
Santa's decorations until Christmas morn
ing
Many Washingtonians will partially
celebrate Christmas to-day. Presents
will be distributed and the Yuletide spirit
will be carried from house to house.
If the day is clear and cheerful, the
streets of the residential sections will
be thronged. The business sections will
be deserted. The scenes of activity will
have shifted. During the last week the
Yuletfde spirit has been most dominant
in the stores. This week 1t will pervade
the homes. 1t will merely have grown
in volume and shifted its location.
At the Navy Yard.
Yesterday the Christmas season was
appropriately celebrated at the Washing
ton Navy Yard. Peace and good will
reigned on every side. Deeds of al
trusm were enacted all about. Egotism
entirely disappeared. The self was for
gotten. All interest was centered in
the other self.
At the gate to the navy yard may al
ways tie seen, selling papers in stormy
or sunshiny weather, q little crippled
newsboy. His name is George Hines.
Day after day for more than three years
he has stood at the gate crying out his
papers His form is bent, his face is
pale his arms and legs are lean, and
the reason is that for many years. almost
from his birth. he has been suffering
from tuberculosis of the spine. George
was not forgotten yesterday. The en-
plOyes Of the navy yard remembered how
faithfully he had attended to his humble
business of selling papers for years. Sub
SCriptions were solicited among the en-
plOyes, and when the purse was ready
for presentation to the newsboy 1t was
found that 1926 had been collected.
George was all smiles when the gift was
presented to him. He could not express
his appreciation. For three years the en-
pIoyes have made Georges Christmas
happy by some present. Last year
purse was given to him, and the year
before a rolling chair.
In all of the shops the Christmas spirit
relgned high. Presents were passed
among friends. Holly and other greens
decorated the buildings. In the East Gun
Carriage shop, the faithful time clerk
Was remembered by a gift of s35 Baskets
of provisions were prepared by the EN-
plOyes and later distributed to the poor
of the southeast section. Every one ac-
knowledged the Christmas season to have
been the happiest in the history of the
navy yard. All testified as to the truth
of the Biblical saying, ut is more blessed
to give than to receive.
Make Homes Happy.
More than 700 homes will be made
happy during the Christmas slide as the
result of the charitable activities Of
Almas Temple. of the Mystic Shrine.
Yesterday at the National Rifles Armory
baskets of provisions prepared by MEM
bers of the organization were distributed
to the deserving poor. When the doors
of the armory opened at Z o'clock In
the morning, there was already rather
long line patiently waiting for the prom
ised provisions.
Previously the sIums had been secured
in order to find destitute families. Homes
were investigated. and to each family
which appeared to be deserving of assist
ance a card was given. Yesterday the
cards were brought to the armory, and
in exchange for them baskets We're given
away Each basket contained a large
ham, potatoes, turnips, bread. -four, su-
gar, vegetables a sack of coffee. and
other articles of food. The weight of
each basket was about fourteen pounds.
Col. w. Cliff Long was chairman OF
the committee which had charge of the
distribution. Other members OF the com
mittee were Thomas Walker, Morris H.
Abel. Frank X. Raymond, and John Ell
linger.
The Districts wards are to celebrate
Christmas with appropriate ceremonies in
all of the various institutions. At the Jail
a song service will be held on Christmas
afternoon.
Among the institutions where turkey
dinners will be served are the Temporary
Home for ex-Union Soldiers and Sailors,
the tuberculosis Hospital, the Industrial
Home School for Colored Children, the
Industrial Home School for White Chill
dren, and the Reform School for Girls.
Greetings to Employees.
The District Commissioners yesterday
sent letter Of Christmas greetings to all
employees of the municipal government.
The letter praised the employees for their
efficient services in the past.
Uncle Sam yesterday presented to every
employe under him a Christmas gift in
the form of a half-holiday. Precisely at
noon the wheels of government abruptly
stopped. There were words of Christ
mas greeting passed among fellow-em-
ployes, and then a rush was made for
the doors Out they went-some to their
homes some to join the downtown
throngs. The secretaries of all the de-
partments dismissed their employees at
the stroke of II. The same custom
will be followed next Saturday-the eve
of the New Year.
More than 100 children of the employees
of the Forestry Bureau yesterday had a
Yuletide celebration in the office build
ing. Santa Claus was there, but he was
a surprise to every one. He was the most
diminutive Santa one ever saw He
measured about knee high to a duck-but
to be exact, four feet His identity was
undiscovered by the throng Of children,
but those in charge of the entertainment
whispered to a reporter that 1t was little
Gene Mcpherson, who sells papers at
the entrance to the Atlantic Building
Presents were distributed to all the
youngsters.
The committee in charge of the cele-
bration, which is an annual function, was
composed Of Fred G. Plummer. chair
man; Mrs. Fenton, Miss Seely, Mr.. Kolb,
Mr.. Lee, Mr.. Austin, Mr.. Cooksey, Mrs.
Brenizer, Miss Klmmel, Mrs. Walter, Mr..
Harvey, Mr. Anderson, Mr.. Ellis, Miss
Kellerhouse, and Mr.. Sullivan.
Other Christmas Functions.
At noon the employees of the disburs-
ing sffice of the Department Of Com
merce and Labor gathered about a
gayIy decorated tree and exchanged
presents. Merriment was INDUCED in un-
III late in the afternoon. George Johan-
nes disbursinR clerk, was master OF