The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-25
Riddles Jam B. P. @. E. Building
To See Magical Santa.
Old Man of Chimneys Pulls
Stockings From Flaming Bowl.
STOCKINGS, SWEETS AND CAP
Mfttens Also Handed Out as
Long Line Files Past.
Ice Cream Served to Hundreds
in Big Dining Room.

I
sponded to the spirit of Christmas ex-
tended today by the Topeka Elks at
: their sixth annual Christmas tree at
the club building, Seventh and Jack
son streets. Elks who for years have
witnessed the Christmas gatherings at
| the club unanimously named Christ
mas day. 1919, as the most successful
/ in attendance and entertainment in
! the history of their club.
| By 9 o'clock, children in overalls,
children in old shoes. children in ev-
| cry garb, by the hundreds, were gath
cred in front of the Seventh street
! entrance to the building. A majority
were unaccompanied but in the crowd
mothers with one. two and three in
fants hanging to their hands were to
/ be seen.
! For half an hour boys and girls
with the never to be forgotten smile
of anticipation on their faces filed up
/ the broad stairway of the Elks club,
: keeping step to music by Gordon's
orchestra in the dance hall and lodge
/ room where the entertainment was
staged. In the front row sat thirteen
children from the Topeka Orphans
| home in charge of George Stansfield.
/ All Standing Room Taken.
| Boys and girls jammed two and
three in the seats. and that didn't pro-
i for once in their lives were forced into
the background and in time as the
room filled and when standing room
! became as scarce as hens teeth"
| they were forced into the corridors.
| The room was literally jammed with
Topeka kiddies between and IL
years of age.
| The room filled, Santa Claus. who
4 bore a strong resemblance to DR.. F.
| A. Koester appeared. Rushed as that
les
mas day he spent an hour in filling
the hearts of Topeka children with
glee.
Young throats shouted until hoarse
when the bewhiskered old man of
chimney and stocking fame appeared
on the stage and under the light of an
immense Christmas tree filled with
burning candles Santa Claus demon,
| strated beyond a question of a doubt
to the kiddieS that he was magician
A big brass bowl was held aloft by
him, and then placed on table.
second later flames burst out and when
| they subsided that bowl was filled
! with stockings filled with candy
Needless to say a wild scramble en-
sued.
| Santa a Magician.
| Next Santa Claus held a box aioft
/ and passed a magic wand over it.
The box opened and three pretty.
white pigeons Tapped their wings and
flew. frightened. over the room to
alight finally on braches of the Christ
mas tree as far away from candles as
possible. Again box was held aloft
| and the wand passed over it. This
( time when the box was opened a white
abbit sprang out and scampered
! across the stage.
santa Claus left. Wives and sweet
hearts of E1ks took their place be-
hind a counter in front of the stage.
j Riddles filed past. One lady passed
out a pair of stockings, another
stocking cap, another mittens and
| others oranges and boxes of candies.
| Other Elks put grocery clerks on
! busy day to shame in the rapidity with
which they filled boxes with candy
and kept the ever diminishing candy
box pile high.
/ Downstairs the kiddies were taken
to the dining room where ice cream
and cake were served. There caps
were tried on and even stockings by
some of the enthusiastic kids Caps
that wouldn't fit were traded. 1t
looked like a miniature army after an
! issue of clothing had been passed out
! to the buck privates by a sergeant who
didn't give a whole lot of swear words
whether you got size 8 shoes for II
feet; s. hat for an head and other
+ bad sizes.
Every Present Needed.
/ Clothing and candy were purchased
for /, 500 kids. 1t looked as tho fam
inc. had struck the club rooms when
the kiddies finally filed out between
0 IL and 70 O'Clock.
/ Prior to the arrival of Santa Claus,
I the Elks chorus led by Professor Dean
of Washburn sang Christmas carols.
The kids forced to stand for lack of
chair space were hoisted onto the
broad shoulders of the E1ks from
where they could see the whole show.
/ w. E. Brelsford was in charge of
the committee on arrangements. other
( members of the committee were: A.
I D. Birch. A. r. Springer. w. o. An
I derson. E. C. Arnold, A. NJ. Mills, W.
! r. Falkiner, Frank Burrow. Milton
Tabor, E. C. Wilson. Ben NJ. Payne,
! J. E. Crockett, Floyd Baker.
/ Ladies assisting in distributing
/ clothing and caps were: Mrs. w. o.
! Anderson. Mrs. A. NJ. Mills, Mrs. H. H.
, Hazlett. Mrs. Floyd Baker. Mrs. ".
r. F'alkiner. Mrs. H. L. Peppmeyer,
Mrs. ". f. Brelsford, Miss Mary
Clark. Miss Jessie McCarter, Miss
Faybene Williams, Mrs. Springer. Mrs.
/ Wilson, Mrs. A. o. Wellman. Misses
, Marjorie Anderson, Clara Ekstrom,
Virginia Miller. Betty Frost, Jean
Koontz, Florence Dolan, Lorine
| Smith, Louise Smith. Francis Esterly.
! Murial Catlin, Bernice Hemus, lisa abel
Smith, Marion Reed. Edna Pepp-
meyer, Catharine Cole and Octavia
O'Neil.