The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26
BATTLESHIP CREW
HOST. TO CHILDREN
Hundred Needy Youngsters
Have Time Of Their Lives
Aboard the New York.
RIDE IN HUGE OLD COACH

When Chief Bos'n's Mate AIRY Per-
cival OF the superdreadnought New York
slipped his and around is waist line to
the top OF IL pocket and n%onchalantly
withdrew therefrom something which
looked ever 80 much like a regular flask
niled with an amber colored something
mat made the grape Juice In the punch
powl on the reporters table blush q
deeper purple. every ons In the foc'sle
was too busy feeding his or her Christ
mas face to gasp at 'Arry's apparent
audacity. But II wasn't that at all. and
nobody should have essped anyhow II
any one had time to indulge In an OUT
burst.
so Mr.. Percival proceeded to Justify
his lack OF respect for his by %sprinkiing
a great big melon shaped plum pudding
with what is technically known on ship
board as the Illuminating gear. same
being the contents OF the iaskllke affair
from the Chief Bos'nis Mates Up
pocket. Then he touched a liNhtei match
TO the steaming dish and surveyed the
dancing blue flames with evident salts
faction. The next instant Mr.. Percivsl
lifted the huge platter In his arms and
paraded his burden along as happy a
Christmas table as yesterday knew.
Ere you go. children beamed the
liner bo~ " = MAZE. "Shee all ablaze."
.And the "Ahs' and "Ums' which greeted
his announcement simply smothered the
flames as he set the dish before the New
iorlis guests in the centre OF the long
mess table.
Come In ancient Coach.
BY thatDtime. It might he surmlsed even
by any one who did not ha We the pleasure
OF attending, the Christmas party OF the
New fork's crew to 100 OF the needlest
youngsters they could find in the who'll
city had about started. II would take
columns such az only Dickens could write
to tell adequately what that party meant
-gladdening children's hearts which
know only the rough side of life every
day of the year, and the background Of
happy blue clad sailors watching their
guests brighten up in the presence of sur
priSes and delights they never thought
would be theirs even OH Christmas Day.
And Just take IL straight from THE
SrN reporter who saw old Mr.. $. Claus
doesn't use an aeroplane or reindeer
pack any more. AT least he didn't yes
terday. lie used The Pride Of the
Nation" a five team, ten horse stage
coach. the largest in the world. which
was built way back in 1875, when chow
der parties were In vogue and Andy
Schlltz drove the then familiar coach
hlled with sporting men To the races.
Andy held the reins yesterday and
Johnny Ftz-Schlitz 4 Fitx-sat by
the brake rod ready Tor action, with
Mr.. Percival up on the 20 between
them. h%appy'as the proverbial lark.
What a sight that was for a Christ
mas Day Santa Claus Jimmy Luddy
Of the New York; crew sat back on
the stage top like the wheelman on
a fire truck. Sailors hung TO the sides
and dangled on the rear steps. Inside
rather, half out the row OF windows on
both s!des-lo0 children and some
%grownups. their parents. blew on big
blue horns in taliyh no ashton and waved
American fags as the five teams trotted
through Brooklyn streets from Borough
Hall. where the mmitt of the New
York met their guests, right up 20 the