The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-12-27
Everybody Wants to Help In
Making the Christmas Tree An
Annual Event In Pensacola
Merchants, Business Men
And Citizens Generally
Express Qualification to
Miss Ella Ward, the St.
Nicholas Girl, for the Sue
cess OF the Undertaking

The big Christmas tree for the chill
dren is a thing of the past, but the
Christmas blossoms can never fade,
and the fruits that were hung on the
branches will bring forth other fruit,
that will be sweet and fragrant
through many years to come.
The children were not the only ones
who enjoyed Christmas day. The
grown people enjoyed it. too. They
enjoyed the happiness OF the children,
thought that it was through them
that this happiness, had come to the
children.
The St Nicholas Girl has brought
happiness into many little lives, and
through her efforts she has so aroused
the interest of the men and women of
Pensacola in her work, that next year
the Christmas tree will be not only a
bigger tree. but broader in its work of
love and the spirit OF goodwill for
which 1t stands.
When Miss Ella Ward, as The Jour
naPs St. Nicholas Girl began her work
for the children of Pensacola. the re-
sponse was ready and generous. But.
at the end of her six weeks work,
she finds the ready spirit of generosity
intensified, and the interest so great
that next year there viii he no neces-
sity for any solicitation for the Doll
and Toy fund.
Everybody loves children. Every
body wants to see them happy. And
It is natural to open the heart and the
purse strings at Christfnastlme. Most
of the contributions to the st. Nicholas
Girl Doll and Toy fund were volun-
tary. For it was especially impressed
upon everyone that they were asked
10 contribute for love Of the children,
and no other donations were wanted.
How 113Ecfx ever ssb 5tly wanted @ help
has been demonstrated, and when the
St. Nicholas Girl went about yester-
day, settling up her accounts with the
merchants, there was nothing but
goodwill and offers of help. from every
side. Everybody wants to help next
year. Everybody thought it was a good
thing and a beautiful thing. and. many
merchants and others have expressed
the wish to contribute largely to the
cause next year.
After settling all bills there viii re-
main in the St Nicholas Girl fund at
the American National Bank about
fifty dollars in cash. which will be
used to alleviate suffering among the
poor. several very needy cases having
been reported by Mr.. II. Pauisen, pro-
baton officer, and others.
Miss Ella Ward, daughter of MT.
and Mrs. John G. Ward who has given
her time and attention to this WORK
for the past six weeks, has earned the
love of every child in Pensacola, and
the gratitude of every man and woman
It is no small thing for onee<young wo-
man to undertake such work as she
undertook for the little children of the
poor at Christina stime-the season
when so many, forgetting the real
spirit Of Christmas, give themselves
to merrymaksng. with no thought of
others. who are less fortunate
That her work was appreciated was
shown in the ready response of the
merchants, and others who contrib
uted. Even at the very last, men who
had been too busy to realize what this
work meant, asked for the privilege of
contributing to the cause, anon these
being Mr.. II. H. Boyer. ten dollars.
Mr.. r. NJ. Cary, two dollars, and a
purse made up by several gentlemen.
whom were Mr.. n. J. LiIlard.
Mr.. NJ. E. Clark, and others whose
names could not be ascertained.
The St. Nicholas Girls Christmas
tree has not ended the work for the
children this winter. The Journal has
other plans which will be announ ced
in a few days, and those who have
little children will be invited to help in
this, too.