The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-02
15O CHILDREN FIND
SANTA ON WARSHIP
Crew Of L.. s. s. New York
Give Xmas Party for Little
Ones of Poor.
FOOD, PRESENTS AND JOY
Surfcitcd With Cheer, Wide
Eyed Youngsters See ShOvcls
Used by Kings.

A hundred and fifty children. rocking
OF newness. stiff and starched, stood in
the melancholy drizzle OF noon and
looked enxiously toward the vague. gray
bulk OF the L. S. s. New York. half
hidden in the vapid fog that obscured
the Jersey shore and gloomed the swell
Of the Hudson to sickly green.
Out OF the mist a steam launch giidcd
ghostlike. go silently had 1t come. And
then the huddled little group, marshalled
by salvation Army soldiers, forgot their
fear and misery somewhat-and cheered
timidly.
Out beyond. where sea guils wheeled.
was a belated Christmas. party AMI
presents and dinner waiting for them
And here they were dressed from head
to foot in everything new and clean
and most had undergone the ordeal or
baths and soap welded by kind hearted
but Jealous ladies'. And sailors whom
they had never seen had given them TINS.
Also they felt vaguely that the sailors
were responsible for the baths. too. IheY
didn't resent it for long. however.
1t was hard to understand. why
should they do It?
And why should they
it :" most OF them answered And IN
the same language. 50 do the sailors.
Four times they have given just such u
New Years party to children whose par
ants have not prospered OF late Eacn
sailor aboard the New York had giri
Yesterday. perched cheerily upon his
shoulder. learning the innards or the
ship" The boys were not neglected ny
any means: they. too, saw the englneS'
Ill nit
muskets," flashed signals and became
familiar with everything but the Ad-
miral. He wasn't there. The ship was
theirs. So were the sailors and the
mascots.
Dinner Amayes Guests.
And then dinner was announced. Inc
children wide eyed with amazemeh'
and with appetites whetted keen by the
river air. were marshalled into the din-
ing room OF the gun deck. Such feast'
"Oh. my Gawd," one youngster eX-
pressed his admiration and awe
great long table banked with flowers ana
loaded with turkey, celery and Niands
never seen on land or sea lay before
them. Soon they were propped in
chairs. their little heads hobhing on the
fringe OF the display. Colored caps living
reside each plate were dohned. Stream
ers OF gayly colored ribbons were fes-
TONED above forming an arbor of cosey-
ness And the sailors waited table
Each youngster had an individual ana
willing waiter. anxious 10 please these
aristocrats anxious 10 make this dav
never 10 be forgotten by children and
crew alike aboard the good snip.
They were buried in silence until ma
ture rebelled and silently cried enough.
NTGn "a a
began to flow lazily. anima'iug TO the de-
gree OF returning comfort until ii became
a fine tenor of childish ba0ble. punctured
often BY the deeper laughter of the hosts.
And its trend whipped around in anttci-
patton of presents" Their eagerness
so apparent and now unconditionaliy
voiced. the youngsters were taken TO the
library. where each stood in line and re-
Ceived presents of games. books. toys
innumerable, fruits. candies and a real
silk American flag with gold tipped
statf Extended arms were filled 10
OVERLOOKING and spiilng. But the sailors
took care of this as some Noungster hope
lesslv laden looked about helplessly as
he dropped much OF his JOY giving bur
den and couldn't pick 1t up because he
feared he'd drop the other half In the
attempt
The "gobs they like TO he called
-garnered IN the youngsters and tneir
TOYS and took them out on the deck.
where Investigations followed. Boxes
were opened. fascinating toys played
With TO see how they worked, and the
drawer ones munohed half heartedty
fruits and candies. They played all over
the deck. until finally the sailors made
che gifts into neat bundles with strings
to hold them with.
Kings Coal Shovels Seen.
With a grin as broad as the plan of
salvation husky COB, Chester r. Sem
Ter. who has a little brother in Hagers-
town. Md. came striding along IN
Skibbo hop he had learned in scotland.
The children were delighted and eNpec-