CHRISTMAS 
IN THE 
Hospital for Sick Children, 
TORONTO. 
A Letter to the Well Children of Canada, who helped 
to make Christmas a happy time for their 
little Sick Friends. 
TORONTO: 
HART & COMPANY, 31 & 33 KING STREET WEST. 
1888. J-iOSPITAb FOR SICK CHI^DRE^. 
TDRDNTI], Xmas, 1887. 
BEAR CHILDREN—“ ’T was the night before Christ- 
mas ”—no ! ’twas the clay before Christmas, and the 
door-bell had gone mad ; usually a well-behaved bell, 
seldom ringing in the morning, while the nurses were busy 
with their little folks, or the maids with their work, but 
this day it considered no one, but kept on ringing hardly 
allowing time for the maid to reach the first room, where 
there was a table, and empty her arms of the parcels handed 
in at the door. 
What made all this commotion 1 It was the loving hearts 
of the well children of our city, and all over the Province, 
sending their gifts to the little sick ones, who are unable to 
go out themselves or even see a toy save that sent into them. 
Gift after gift came pouring in from so many kind hearts 
till our matron’s sitting-room looked like a very disorderly 
toy shop, with a large department devoted to fruit and con- 
fectionery. 4 
It was one woman’s work, and she kept very busy, to open 
the door and take in the parcels, some coming long distances 
by express, that our little folks might have them by Christ- 
mas day. One package came all the way from Bermuda, 
One of our nurses, who was “ off duty ” (invalided), sat at a 
desk and had her hands and head quite occupied making 
entries of all that came, and as far as practical, dropping 
notes of thanks to the kind donors. 
Parents came with little gifts “from home” to be put in 
the stockings ; something for “ under their pillows,” and as 
each requested, so we did, on the foot of each little cot, 
“nurse” tied a borrowed stocking, no child considering its 
own large enough for Santa Claus to fill. The next day, 
Monday, the same lady who for the past few years had 
given the Christmas dinner, sent it as usual, and for sick 
children, it was astonishing what an amount disappeared. 
But the day of all days in the Children’s Hospital is 
“TREE DAY,” 
held this year on Thursday, the 29th. The tree was planted 
in the girls’ ward, first because it was the largest, and second, 
because the boys were in a better state to be moved down 
than the girls to be moved up. While we were decorating 
it the little folks would stretch their necks and exclaim, as 
a doll of larger size than usual or more gorgeously apparelled 
appeared from the huge basket on the floor and try in vain 
to catch a glimpse of the name attached to the slip. We 5 
Lung pretty fairy dolls on the tops and tips of branches, 
oranges prettily decorated with gay ribbons on heavier 
boughs, strapped dollies to the main stem, put marble bags 
and candy boxes in every available spot, nearly overbalanced 
ourselves in trying to tie flags on the top that seemed “so 
near and yet so far,” placed the larger boxes of toys around 
the base of the tree, and finally hung a tin toy horse, or 
elephant, marked for the doctors, and dishes and dolls for 
the ladies of the committee, should any be present. 
At a quarter to three the boys came down, most of them 
being able to walk with the aid of crutches. Their eyes 
grew' very large, as they were allowed to walk round and 
round the tree, but not to touch or look at any of the names 
on the things. 
At three sharp all joined in singing, “ Hark! The Herald 
Angels Sing.” At the last line of the last verse sleigh bells 
were heard in the distance coming nearer and nearer, and as 
the last notes died away (which they did very suddenly), old 
Santa Claus himself came rushing in. He greeted the child- 
ren all round, said he could not go to every house on Christ- 
mas Day, so had to have “Their Tree” on Thursday, 29th, and 
was in a great hurry to get off to other trees for Sunday 
School children, so all must pay attention and answer to 
their names when called. 
Miss Cody, our matron, and the writer began at once to cut 
down and hand to old Santa, who in turn handed to each 6 
child. At first there was a slight fear over them at coming 
so near so revered a personage, and all dressed in fur, but as 
he could call them by name and ask after their various ills 
with a tender sympathy, they soon began to feel more at 
home with the funny old man. 
Round and round he ran, first with dolls for the girls, 
then horses and reins, with bells attached for the boys, then 
candies all round. Next came books and boxes of larger and 
more expensive toys and games. Every child had all he or 
she could manage to hold with the assistance of laps as well 
as both hands. The children enjoyed it exceedingly when 
Santa Claus called out Miss Buchan, the treasurer, and 
gave her a doll about three inches long. Next, Mrs. Donald, 
the secretary, and presented her with a set of tiny dishes ; 
but the fun reached its climax when he took a wooden 
dancing doll from the tree and read oft’ my name. He 
stoutly maintained there was no such name on the Hospital 
books among the patients, that it was a hospital for sick 
children and there could not be a Mrs. in it. I was on the 
top of the ladder at the time and dozens of little fingers were 
pointed at me, crying out: “There she is, Santa Claus! 
there she is ! ” After searching every cot, he found me at 
last and looking me carefully over, told me he thought I was 
well enough to be dismissed, therefore he would not provide 
for me next Christmas. 
After all was over, and Santa Claus had gone away, the girls were told to invite the boys to have tea in their ward. 
Tables were brought in and set for them, and a happier lot 
of children could not be found. 
7 
Can you imagine the scene! All around the room were 
ranged the green cots, each holding a little child, some sit- 
ting up, some too ill for that, even on “Tree Day.” 
In the centre of the room, the tree, robbed of all its glory 
save a few flags at the top, then three tables where the boys 
were seated. Against the wall were stacked, like rifles, a 
group of crutches of various sizes, telling how few of those 
happy fellows could move without their aid. Attention ! 
All eyes closed, all heads bowed that could bow, hands were 
placed together, and boys and girls bound together by the 
sad heritage of suffering, united their voices in the hymn:— 
Be present at our table, Lord ; 
Be here and everywhere adored ; 
These mercies bless, and grant that we 
May feast in Paradise with Thee. 
And then at once began their meal. How we wished that 
you all could have seen them. Some of the smaller boys 
hardly dare trust their treasures out of their own keeping 
even while they ate their meal, but the extra dainties pro- 
vided for so extra an occasion prevailed, and hearty justice 
was done. Once more eyes closed, hands as well as voices 
were uplifted in their song of Thanksgiving,— 
We thank Thee, Lord, for this our food. 8 
The boys remained “ to visit ” a little while, till the dishes 
were cleared away. Then “ Good nights ” were exchanged, 
and they returned to their wards upstairs veiy tired, but 
very, very happy. 
The usual routine of preparing the little folks and their 
sores for the night was attended to, and the day containing 
so much excitement as well as joy for the sick little folks, 
came to an end, and when night nurse came on duty at seven, 
the greater number were fast asleep, each holding one or 
more of the treasures gleaned that day from the tree. 
May the same Saviour who took the little ones in his 
arms, put his hands upon them and blessed them, pour his 
best blessing on every little child who sent one gift, however 
small, to the suffering flock in the Toronto Hospital for Sick 
Children. 
Believe me ever the friend of all children. 
President Hospital for Sick Children. 
L. McMastkr,