New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-26
FABLE PLAY BUDS
ON TREE OF LIGHT
Young and Old Cheered
by Story of Seven Gifts
in Madison Square.
Sailing TIGERS TAIL
ENDS DEADLY COMBAT
International Audience APP
plauds Bold Act Which Wins
Battle for Brave Man.

While Of all the bulbs on the Christ
mas tree in Madison Square last night
only those In the hye-pointed star OF
Bethlehem gave forth damond-points
OF light, two thousand persons watched
the psntomime, fantasy entitled The
Seven Gifts" that neld the little tenn
porary stage almost under the tree.
Few OF the spectators. perhaps, under
stood the fantasy fully, but all were
bound 20 1t by interest in the Christ
mas spirit. And all were united in the
fullest measure when. at the end OF the
performance, The Little Child, who had
shown The Emerald Queen and her
court the most valuable of the seven
gifts, invoked the spirit Of the tree
and again it became alive with spark
ling lights.
The curtain. were drawn on the tiny
stage as the orchestra played Der Tan
nenbaum," an old German fuletide
piece. the music of which is familiar
for its use in Maryland The hush
that fell over the crowd was broken by
childish call of greeting. At the art
less Hello" even the "olicemen
smiled. Grown folk glanced at one an
other. Even the tall. dark, cold office
buildings seemed 20 lean closer TO the
group o. Christmas celeorants IN the
park.
- ANNE
Iowrv) entered in gorgeous green robes
and ascended her throne while attend
ants thronged about her, the children
among the spectators stod tip-toe to
see. Jack the Box Tom Powers
danced before the court. Then came
the seven bearers of the seven gifts.
/ These we're The Lowly Man, The Rich
/ Man. The Naughty Lady, The humble
/ Woman. The Brave Man, The Strolllng
Player and, finally, The Dear Child,
whose gift, symbonzed in the CHRISTMAS
tree blazing with lights, was dearest
} of all. The preceding six were made
happier and wiser BY the example OF
the child, played by Nancy Winston.
Salt Subdues Tiger.
The Dear Girl, who innocently wan
ders into court tightly clutching a
rabbit doll, generously offers 1t TO the
Naughty Lady, whose heart IS trans
formed to tendernoA by the simple al
chemy Of the child. Die Naughty Lady
motions that it be given TO the Emerald
| Queen, who receives il from the un-
abashed little girl as the dearest OF the
seven gifts, while the spirit of giving
is symboliZed in the illumination OF the
tree. while "Adeste Fideles" is played
What impressed most of the specta-
tors, especially the younger ones, for
whom the celebration was held, was
the fight between The Brave Man Nc
1 Kay Norris and the tiger CTow Pow
ers). When the animal seemed VIC
torious The Brave Man dragged him
self across the stage, clutched the
tigers tail, and sprinkled salt upon II
This procedure evidently was under
stood by folk of any nationality.
An interlude, the Moon Lady, per
formed by Elsie Leslie in the title
role. and by James W. Morrison, as
Pierrot. was played before the court
of the Emerald Queen. 1t is reminis
cent Of the performance of Bottom anc
his fellows before the Duke in "A Mid
summer Nights Dream" The Moon
Lady appears first as a bag; Pierro'
is induced against his will to kiss her
and then-while the children gaze IN
wonder-she is transformed into
beautiful princess.
As the four electric bulbs forming
the hour hand in the huge clock on
the Metropolitan Tower pointed to ten
and the eight in the minute hand "a
two, the performers left a larkened
stage and the crowd, after gazing a
moment at the tree Of light, moved
homeward, leaving the tree to blossom
till midnight.