Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-01-01
CHRISTMAS 1917
A Day without Cloud, But Cold and
Snappy Weather.

Christmas, 1917, found Wausau
about as full of the Yuletide spirit
as ever before. There were homes
saddened by the absence of sons who
were away to the war, but at. the
last moment many soldiers came for
the day which added greatly to the
/ pleasures in many homes. The day
was clear and cold, which made it
especially idealistic.
The many church activities on
1 Christmas eve, filled the places of
! worship with merry crowds to listen
to the programs carried out by the
children of the Sunday schools.
Here and there in every gathering
were young men in kahki uniforms,
slending a military air which has not
been known in this country for at
least half century.
| There were, as usual, many family
reunions, which were attended by rel
atives from near and far. There was
a lack of the jingling sleigh bells, in
fact, not "jingle" was heard through
out the day, instead there was the
chug of the automobile. 1t was not
what might be termed a white
Christmas" in the true sense of the
word. While there was a light COW
ering of snow on the ground there
was not. enough to hardly run a hand
sled-no sleighing whatever. To have
a real Christmas one must have
sleighing and the merry sleigh bells.
There was rushing to and fro
| from one home to another and from
one part of the city to the other, by
the young and old, and Merry Christ
mas" was heard on every hand. The
Christmas spirit was abroad and there
was sincerity i'll every greeting.
At one time there lived in the val
ley by centenarian who answered to
the name of Indian Pete. 1t was Gus
tomary for him, when he came from
his wigwam in the forest at meeting
a friend, whether it was winter, fall,
or autumn, to greet him with merry
Christmas-10 cents" in this way he
secured enough to lay in supplies for
'rainy day" The white race has
been educated differently; there is
good cheer in this exchange of greet
ings, and which spreads the Yuletide
spirit. To the old Indian was brought
substantial comfort in and out of sea-
son.
A Christmas ceremony which is an
annual occurrence with the knights
Templar all over the world, was OBJ
served by the Sir Knights of St. Omer
Commandery to the number of forty
in the temple in the forenoon. At the
stroke of II o'clock, they drank a
toast to Most Eminent Sir Lee S.
Smith, Grand Master of the Grand
Encampment, Knights Templar, of the
United States. At the same moment
throughout the world, toasts were
drank to those holding similar offices
of honor, and was participated in by
upwards of a quarter of a million
of Sir Knights. Responses were made
to toasts by E. B. Thayer, D. c. Ever
est C. B. Bird, F. P. Stone and pray
er, "Sir Knights at Home and Abroad"
by Rev. c. f. Hinton. A donation of
$4,000 was made to charitable institu-
tions. The ceremonies were presided
over by F. w. Burt, Eminent Com
mander of st. Omer.
There were especially tempting
menus served at the Wausau club and
the various hotels in the city, so that
strangers within our midst were cared
for, as well as many who preferred
to go to those places, rather than sit
down at home, where there were va
cant seats.
The various county and city insti-
tutions served mid day dinner which
| filled the hearts of the participants
with good cheer, and the Yuletide
Ispirit. The Federated Charities had
arranged sumptuously for the poor
and there was not =. family in WausaU
that was not cared for on this day.
Deliveries of mail were made in
the city and country and the win
dows at the post Office kept open un-
til noon so that gifts and letters would
reach their destination. Business
however, was generally put aside and
the day given over to pleasures in
the home circle.
| A beautiful sight, and which was an
inspiration to all who passed, was
the Elks' Community Christmas tree,
standing on the Elks' grounds at the
corner of Fifth and Scott streets. 1t
was a beautiful symetrical tree, stand
ing about twenty-five feet high, dec
Grated with tinsel, ropes of white and
red and lighted with many red, white
and blue electric bulbs, and tipped
with a large white light. This tree
was lighted with appropriate cere-
monies on the Sunday evening before
christmas and throughout every night
since it has been lighted and attract
ed our people from all over the city.
The B. P. o. Elks is to be congratu-
lated on its most beautiful community
tree.
ANNUAL AGENTS CONVENTION
The Annual Agents convention of
the Wisconsin National Life Insur-