Evening journal., 1911-11-29
DAY OF JOY
FOR ORPHANS
St. Peters Little Charges Get
Glimpse Of Christmas Joys
Ahead Of Time
GIFTS FROM FRIENDS
DELIGHT THE CHILDREN

The merriest and hsppiest place in
all the world between and o'clock
yesterday afternoon. was the S. S.
Kresge store at Nos 611-613 Market
street, where Jos. d. Nolan, manager
Of the store, was giving the very love
Iiest kind Of party to the forty lit
tie girls Of st. Peters Female Or
phanage, at Sixth and West streets.
When the children we're first ushered
into the store. and taken around to
see the thousands Of glittering Christ
mas tree ornaments, the heaped-up
counters OF wonderful toys. Of bright
ribbons, OF pretty pictures, of gleam-
ing jewelry and silverware, Of polish
cd china and hardware, of colored tis-
sue paper Of glass globes. of hun
dreds and hundreds of almost every
thing else you could mention under
the name OF dry goods, they we're
speechless with delight and could only
turn great shining eyes. that told how
happy they were, to the Sisters of
Charity attending them, to Mr.. Nolan,
and to the clerks of the store The
clerks had entered into the spirit OF
AtiS QlAdoitll il0of e7RA1AN
were soon smilingly showing the lit-
tie orphans how TO wind UP the toy
frogs and let them run, how to run
the music boxes, and the wonders Of
the roller-coasters.
The crowds Of visitors to the store
during the party We're deeply Impress
cd with the happiness Of the children,
and spoke in the highest praise Of
those who had the beautiful thought
OF giving pleasure to these fatherless
and motherless little ones There were
tears in many eyes as the shoppers
gathered around the little ones, ask
ing who they were, and sometimes
lifting up the tiny ones that they might
see better Many o spectator with
new and sudden realization comment
ed on how much il meant to feed and
clothe and educate these children, be-
reaved of their parents so young.
But seeing the splendid new Christ
nas stock Of the store was just the
beginning Of the party, for Mr.. Nolan
proved a royal entertainer In two
groups the little girls were taken
down TO the clerks room in the base
ment, and shown into the comforta-
BILE, pretty luncheon room of the en-
ployes The girls of the store had
decorated the room most lavishiy and
beautifully. From -garlands OF green
with holly berries, across the top OF
fhe room hung many red Christmas
bells Pictures ornamented the walls.
On the table spread with snowy lin
en-, we're set glass vases with great
roses. In pretty china dishes, big
dish Of ice cream, and lots of cake
awaited each child. The young wo-
men of store had been so interested
in the occasion, that their mothers at
home We're. asked to bake the cakes,
and prize cakes they we're, layer
cakes Of chocolate, cocoanut, vanilla,
light as a feather and with heaps of
frosting And the ice cream was so
delicious that all the children made
way with two big dishfuls apiece as
fast as you could say Jack Robinson.
They kept the smiling clerk volun-
4 teers very busy for awhile.
Dolls as Gifts.
But even this was only half the
party. As each child passed out Of
the room, she was given an American
flag and box that held a pretty cur
iy-haiPed. red-cheeked dollie, with a
dear little pink or blue dress and hat.
The children were so overwhelmed
6 wifAecstacy that they got half way up
the stairs before they realized they
had forgotten 10 say thank you, and
y they ell poured back and gave Mr..
Nolan such a shower of thank yous
that their kind-hearted host got quite
out of breath saying you're welcome.
All during the rarty, the pianist
played such lively, stirring music that
the little feet beat out a rhythmic re-
sponse
Il is hard to tell who was having
the best time; Mr.. Nolan and his as
sistants certainly were enjoying the
children's pleasure, and the crowds of
shoppers were yisibly delighted so
delighted that they followed the chill
drcn all over the store and remained
long while watching them. When
they finally did go out, they told folks
hlthey met on the sidewalk, and they.
II hoo, came i'm to enjoy the children's s
y happiness. It did rain outside. but
;, there was such q sunshiny atmos-
Dhere In the Kresge store. that even
the buest. most tired, most grouchy
person who came in; left the place all
smiles and feeling good-natured to-
ward the whole world One spec
tator, William A. Worthington, sup
erintendent of the Prudential Life
, Insurance Company Of America. who
is a friend OF Mr.. Nolan's, and who
had dropped in to see how the chill
drcn were getting along, was 50
touched by the Joy of tho orphaned
little ones that he told each of them
to pick out anything she liked in the
store. The children began TO feel as
I, II the world was made Of ice cream
i and cake and toys. Soon to the dolls
were added set of gilded dishes, a
dainty little sewing box. a miniature
knife and fork set, as the child
fancied. the littlest baby being rend-
cred eostatic by a silver trumpet The
children had found their tongues by
y this time. and we're showing each
',fber all fhofr. troacnrorq IN wild pN-