The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-24
It Will Be as Cheerful as the
Circumstances Permit.
lf.Denial at Home for Those
in the Field.
SENDS CHAMPAGNE
A Bottle for Every Four Sol
diers in Her Army.
Box Of Cigars to Every Belgian
Soldier, by King.

Paris, Dec. 24-Christmas at the
front will be as cheerful as the. love
and self denial of we'll nigh every
family in France can make it. The
spirit of those at home is not to give
presents to one another but to unite
and give all to the son, father or
brother serving with the flag.
Many family in France probably
will dine meagerly tonight and tomor-
row because of the packages OF soft
w. lien things and boxes of delicacies
which have gone to the kinsmen at
the front. Then there are field
glasses, wrist watches, sleeping bags
and an amazing variety of campaign
CO lveniences. The military admins
tration has been most considerate in
providing transport so that all this
month vans loaded with holiday pack
ages were among the long supply
trains back of the army.
Many lone soldier without family
has received various packages OF
things to eat, wear, smoke or drink
from societies and from the govern
ment. The ministry of war among
other things is sending a bottle Of
champagne for ever four soldiers at
the front. All the plum pudding IN
the shops of Paris has been taken by
the French military to send to the
British soldiers. The Belgian refugees,
especially the children. are being SO
Overfed that the committee in charge
of them has postponed, by agreement.
various dinners and entertainments sc
as to extend them over the next ten
days
King Albert of Belgium has sent a
box of Is, cigars to each Belgian sol
der. All the hospitals have arranged
concerts, Rotations and stereopticon
shows for convalescing soldiers.
/ The American ambulance is bright
with holly and mistietoe. Madame Poin-
care, wife of the president of France
has sent 5000 packages of toys. candy
and clothing to 5000 Alsace-I1orrains
children who live in the territory recon.
quered by France.
The French government is delivering
great quantities of packages from
Germany to prisoners of war;. For the
most part they are useful things, like
blankets, underwear and wooden socks
Similar deliveries, 1t is understood
wiR be made by theaGermans auth ori
ties to French prisoners. while tn
men actually in the trenchexswfl1 hav
to maintain the same strained alert
while there doubtless will Be fierc
fighting, at certain points, on tn
front, yet from 1900 to 2,00G yard
back of the infantry firing line ar
| rangements have been made 70
| plenty of ollity, which will include
chicken dinner and champagne t
drink with 1t.
New Years day is greater holida,
in France than is Christmas, and i
the military situation permits. it, Gen
eral Joffre, the French commander il
chief, will give orders that the soldier
| serving in the trenches tomorrow will
not have to be there on the first da
| of the new year.
Where the French and German trenche
| are close together there may be brief un
official truces, by common agreement, TO
short periods of time. These understand
| ings have not been unknown on -othe
days, and they may be more frequent OF
Christmas day. 1t is likely that at MI
! night open air masses will be celebrate
| at many places back of the lines.
In Paris the gay midnight supper part
will not be seen. Instead the people vii
be in church at midnight mass. Never il
the memory Of the city have the churche
been SO full. Nowadays. at every servic
carly or late, the sacred edifices ar
| crowded.