The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-14
HIDDEN SENTIMENT
IN new YORK
A won,an's IdeaIfsm Awakened Dor
rnant Feelings in Gotham--An Out
Door Christmas Tree United
Rich and P0or-ReVitalfZing
Racial Traditions.

tsonya Levien, Peoples Institute, New
York;
Exclusive Service The Survey Press
Bureau.)
How near sentiment stands to So
GEOLOGY was almost excittnEly shown
shown by New York's first civic
sentiment in a few words and the so
GEOLOGY in fewer.
why not have a Christmas tree for
the lonely ones?' This sentimental
thought of an idealist which was car
ried out by a handful of dreamers by
it's message of, music and light. awak-
ened dormant feelings in thousands of
practical New Workers who would
have denied with emphasis the exist
ence of even a moth eaten sentiment
tally.
The plan to have Christmas tree
in a public park for the lonely, rich
and poor. was originated by woman.
The idea was inspired by tale of
personal experience. In reminiscent
conversation she had with a young
man about holidays and loneliness, he
happened to tell her of his first Christ
mas in Germany. He was student
there recently arrived from America.
The holiday season came around and
German windows alight with Christ
conferred happiness. The young man
was very lonely and walked the streets.
He was horribly homesick and worse
still found himself, philosophizing on
the relative cruelty of empty stomachs
and hungry souls and of the two visit
ants he chose the first for the kind
lier. Next year, he said, I shall get
me a Christmas tree and invite all the
lonely folk I know and he did.
He related this incident to the wo-
man to prove the argument that there
comes time in the lives of the hard
est of men when they reckon with
primal feeling and offer no apology
for tears; and the way the New York
people welcomed the message of the
public Christmas tree shows that the
young mans contention was not with
out wisdom.
The woman who heard this young
mans confession thought-Why not a
tree in a public place with
music and light for the lonely ONES
of New York City2 With faith in the
young mans philosophy, she voiced
her thoughts to q few friends and the
response was immediate. 1t was de-
cided to have a tree in the heart of
the city, and Madison Square Park, |
the crossway of thousands of workers
and the outdoor home of the destitute. |
was chosen.
The plan was circulated among a |
few and contributions poured in from
rich and poor for the lonely ones - !
Christmas tree, with earnest requests |
that the names of the donors should |
not be disclosed. The necessary funds |
were raised in forty eight hours but |
donations continued and the few who |
we're in charge of arrangements found |
themselves embarrassed with unsoli |
cited funds; this, although the plan |
vas strictly guarded against all pub
icity and in this the newspapers CO. |
operated SO that the tree would come /
Unexpectedly, in keeping with the my
stery of the season.
An immense tree Sixty-six feet in |
height was brought from the Adiron-
lacks. and the Edison Company was /
asked for an estimate on the electric /
decorations. The estimate was sent,
put with it came a representative and |
asked that the lighting be accepted as
he Company's contribution to the /
program.
he tree was kept afight with thou
lands of varicolored bulbs, thickly
clustered in snowcapped branches and
opped with the brilliant Star of
Bethlehem. Prominent singers ana
;hoirs volunteered to sing carols.
The appreciative crowds the Tree
# Light attracted-there were ten
thousand people gathered around it at
midnight, Christmas Eve-and the
unanimous participation of the audi
.nces in the songs, have given cour-
tge to many shy idealists, and festival |
olans for future holidays are ram pant.
Many are trying to interest Charles B.
slower. park commissioner of New
York city, in a plan to transplant fir
rees in the center of city parks which
n coming years will serve as Christ