Sick But Happy

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 235, 23 December 1927, Page 1

Sick But Happy

CHILDREN entertained XMAS IN HOSPITAL /CHRISTMAS, as a celebration, O' has always been, and from its o rigin, should always be, associated with children. It is the one time of the year when children enter with full adult authority into their imperious own. Thoughts of possible “spoiling” are out away, for a few glorious days, and {he merry carnival goes on. Many leave the city, revelling in sunshine on the beaches; others leave the city more for the tranquility of the countryside. But there are others still—the afflicted cihldren in hospital, divorced from home and parents at the one time of the year when families strive mbe united. They miss the pleasurable anticipation of a well-filled stocking__or pillowslip—and they miss too the prodigious, though menacing, luxury of the family Chirstmas dinner which more often than not has to be followed by castor oil or liquorice powder. All this would be sad knowledge if there were no substitute for the delights missed. RESPLENDENT CHRISTMAS TREE

Substitutes there are. and last evening Santa Claus paid his visit to the Princess Mary wards at the Auckland Public Hospital. The children assembled in one ward and at the end of it stood the laden Christmas tree, resplendent with its tinsel, lit by Chinese lanterns and burgeoning with

toys. The convalescent children were seated in the body of the ward, an eagerly expectant band, but the less fortunate were ranged in their beds round the walls. There was joy light on many of the pinched white faces and on all some sign of enthusiasm was manifest. Saddest of all were the little ones in plaster who could not move Yet even they were far from alien to the joy of the evening.

Every child had a coloured paper hat and there was the pleasant incessant murmur of excited talk. Nurses, brighteyed and animated, were just as much in the fun as the children. Then came the splendid moment when Santa Claus himself arrived, and let it be whispered—he was really Mr S. Donaldson, the Mayor of Newmarket The pleasant business of distributing the gifts began, and little faces were suffused with joy when the owners’ names were called. TRYING THEIR TOYS Soon the little ones were busily engaged undoing their parcels. The toys were tried and they all seemed to be up to specification.' Girls were cuddling newly-acquired dolls, boys were winding motors, and the more studious were taking their first glances at the entrancing stories of the “Boys’ Own Annual.” For these, however, there were difficulties. Youthful Ned Kellys were staging romantic holds-up with toy pistols. The spatter of the caps, the monotonic call of trumpets, and the plaintive cries of squeakers all helped to disturb those misguided ones whose taste was toward reading. Dr. C. E- Maguire, hospital superintendent, was the master of ceremonies and he with his nurses banished all professional airs for half an hour. To end the evening with divertissement he drove through the ward in a jigger motor-car which had been presented to' the children by Mrs. Watson, of Sydney.

As the daylight died, the carnival c ?“ e t 0 an end; Santa Claus left the Children drowsy-eyed, and the nurses went away to leave the children to their sleep. Christmas had begun and little ones away from home had tasted the Joy of it.