Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-26
SANTA At ELKS
BRINGS JOY To
MANY CHILDREN
More Than 10000 AIbu-
querqueans Flock to EIkS'
Christmas Tree; Presents
Given to 1926 Children


Chubby, happy, rolllcking, gen.
erous Kris Kringle has paid his
annual visit and returned to his
home in Toyland. He has gone,
but his memory will live ever so
long-oh, for weeks and weeks
in the minds of the children Of AL
buquerque. And probably the
brightest, and therefore the long
est memory Of tho perennial, kind
old fellow. will be the picture he
made as he offered Christmas JOY
to every child in Albuquerque who
came to visit him at the beautiful
tree which had been erected at the
Elks club.
Good, kindly old Santa, with six
assistants, held forth at the Elks'
Christmas tree from 2 o'clock un-
til 8 yesterday afternoon. He be-
gan at and for a full three hours
he was kept busy as could be,
There were 4.2S5 children who Wis
tied him and he had remembered
all of them. A wonderful men,
ory has old Santa.
Santa Claus had announced the
hour of his arrival and the Elks'
band had decided to meet him. For
it would not be fitting for him to
come into his realm without a fit
ting escort. So the Elks' band left
their building at 1:45 yesterday
afternoon. They marched down
Gold avenue to First street, play
| ing such music as is sweet to the
old King of Toyland. Then they
turned north and marched over to
! the Y. NJ. c. A.. where his REIN
deer had brought him from Toy
| land.
But the journey from Toyland
| had been weary one and the
| reindeer We're not accustomed to
the paving of city streets. So Kris
Kringle loaded his toys into an
other sleigh which has been offer
ed him by good old Tony Ortiz, a
friend of children. Another great
/ lover Of the kiddies, Captain John
! f. Harm, had furnished horses
from his Headquarters troop of the
N. M. national guard, to draw the
old fashioned sleigh,
Up Central avenue went the cav
alcade, with the Elks' band before
and Maurice Klein, Substituting for
| Santa, beaming to right and left
Arrived at Fifth street the sleigh
turned south and drew up before
the throne which had been erected
for Santa Claus.
Santa Claus rules supreme at
this season and all his servants had
worked faithfully to fulfill his
wishes. Colonel George l.. Breeze
\ had furnished the tree, The A
i. & S. +. railroad had brought
it in for him and the Albuquerque
! Gas and Electric company erected
1t in the center of his throne and
strung beautiful colored lights and
other ornaments on it. Others of
his servants, the policemen and
firemen, rendered him valuable
assistance in helping the children
to mount his throne and making
certain that the grown-ups did not
encroach upon their space.
Others also worked we'll to make
the day and the event all that old
Santa wished 1t to be. All in AL
| buquerque aided the Elks who ar
ranged the stage for him. There
were expenses to be met, for al
though old Santa is supreme In all
| Toyland there is material to be
obtained and he prefers TO allow
all the good people of the world to
help him in caring for the children.
These other servants gathered
together some $1,750. Some of II
was furnished through his favorite
sources, the newspapers. which he
puts to work for him. Members of
the Elks gave their offerings dl-
rectly to the Elks.
| With all arranged, Santa Claus
beckoned from his throne and
the children began trooping up
to him. First came the orphans,
l54 of them, accompanied by the
Sisters who care for them. Then
came the children from the Rio
Grande Industrial school. There
were 65 of them. And after
, these came more and still more
children.
|, Some of the children had writ
! ten to old Santa Claus, asking him
to remember them especially. To
these letters he gave individual
attention. Then there were lit
tie, crippled children. For these
The had special gifts.
When he had finished his labors
, for the day, 1896 children had
passed before old Santa's throne
Each had received their pres
ents from, his own hands. Be
sides the special presents there
had been a stocking filled with
candy. nuts and fruit and a pres.
ent for each of the 1885, who
! ranged from babes In arms to boys
and girls of II years.