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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1914)
LOADING THE CHRISTMAS SHIP. How the Ship Jason, the Modern Santa Claus, Is Being Loaded, and Some of the Things It Will Carry. To those who contributed to the Christmas ship the following account of how the cargo will be handled may be of interest: Heavy freight trains are rumbling eastward and northward towards New York, receiving stations in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Memphis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Seattle and every other big city in the United States are busy getting shipments ready for more trains, and all eyes are turning toward the place where the Christmas ship is about to load. The Christmas ship It is the modern and up-to-date Santa Claus, soon to boast a pack filled with good things destined for the innocent suf ferers in the great European war— the children who have been orphaned by it, who have been robbed of all hopes for Christmas joys. Newspa pers, railroads, express companies and big industries have co-operated with the great American people whose ears are ever ready to hear the cry of those in trouble. The Christmas ship—the big ship Jason, Capt. Henry Thornton Mer- wether, loaned by the United States navy for the purpose—is to sail No vember 10. That is why freight trains are hurrying New Yorkward; why childish thoughts are turned in its direction. There Santa’s pack is be ing gathered—there in the great Bush Terminal the gifts of Paul and Jules and Marie for Ivan and for Gretchen are being gathered and assorted. Within a few days the Jason will he moved alongside and the work of storing them away for the trip across the ocean begun. Task of Gathering. It was this job of gathering the gifts of all America together that gave the projectors of the great charity the most concern. It was easy to call for gifts, easy, too, to get them started East, once the railroads had volun teered to do their share and transport the goods free, but where would they he assorted and arranged for loading on the Jason? Where could a large central depot where a warship might moor be found without paying an ex orbitant price? Miss Mabel Boardman, the head of the Red Cross in America, in her Washington office, had an inspiration. Quickly she called New York on the telephone and got Irving T. Bush, head of the Bush Terminal Company, on the wire. She explained what she wanted, Mr. Bush got her point of view as quickly, and the result was that a warehouse, pier and all the great facilities of the Bush Terminal, free of charge, were offered for the Christmas ship. Now there are moun tains of packages in the two big ware rooms Mr. Bush has offered and every day the available space in those great rooms grows smaller. Picture to yourself two great sun bathed rooms in a gray-white building of concrete and steel. Between white columns rise the Red Cross supplies and Christmas gifts. Some of the Gifts. A great deal of love and not a little Iieartache has gone into the making of these packages. Very often there is a message on the wrapper. Edna May Hertleb of Shelbyville, Iowa, wrote this on her package: ‘ For a liitle German girl in Sax- ony.” There is no clue as to what Edna May is sending to that little Saxon girl, and strictly speaking, it is none of our business. Scores and scores of the packages specify on the outside that the gifts within are to a Belgian boy or girl. The plight of the kingdom that served as a threshold for the most “efficient” of wars has seemingly touched the greatest number of hearts in this country. Another gift bears this childish scrawl: “To a Belgian boy and girl who have lost their papa.” Another, “A train of cars and mittens for a nice Belgian boy from a German boy, six years old.” Some of the gifts have been inade quately secured in flimsy paper boxes and the contents are beginning to leak out. You see a doll whose face has sur vived the tender batterings of an in fant-mother. This doll has no bisque richness of complexion; its eyelashes are not thickset and curly, and if it ever gets to Russia it will surely need something less airy than its scant white wrapper. It is a doll that looks straight ahead, will always look straight ahead; a doll that cost ten cents, and without the slightest pre tensions and social standing in the world. Yet, it made glad the heart of the little maid in South Dakota who owned it, and will stir mother pride within its future owner, wheth er she be of France, England or Ger many. When Sergeants O’Brien and O’Reil ly, who are arranging the gifts in piles, working under the direction of Major F. H. Lawton of the quarter master’s department, United States army — when these two big-hearted sergeants pick up a box that rattles they know they are handling build ing blocks, or a train of cars, a set of dishes or, mayhap, a miniature kitchen range. Often the paper cov ering only partly hides the plump out lines of a Teddy bear; the guady head of a jumping jack sometimes pro trudes, and lumpy tops stick out like sore thumbs. Now and then a parcel shows all the earmarks of being sent straight from a department store. The lucky child who opens this package won’t shout with any greater delight than the one who receives the dented, banged-up offering of poorer folks. Thus far, and fortunately so, the gifts are largely of a substantial sort, and these include outfits from things for a new-born infant to full winter kits for boys and girls in their teens. Some of the donors set forth their list of gifts in typewriteen sheets pasted on the packages. Claire Meyer of Belmont, Iowa, wrote simply, “A pair of kid’s mittens,” which is suc cinct enough to be satisfactory. Sewing circles, suffrage leagues, anti-suffrage societies, Dorcas socie ties, Y. W. C. A.’s, girls’ clubs, an as sociation of Mormon wives in Salt Lake City, Boy Scouts, Girl Pioneers and business houses are sending chil dren’s clothing, underwear and shoes hy the dozen lots. THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO. Interesting Bits of History Taken From Battalion File for 1909-10. A. & M. defeats ’Varsity in Houston for first time in seven years; score 23 to 0. “Doggie” Ward, “Choc” Kelly and Hamilton are the stars in the game. . Cheeringi s deaening. Corps, five hundred strong, invades Bryan. Swasticas give their initial dance at the Shirley. No store can offer you more for your money than we can. This is a pretty big statement—yet a true state ment, nevertheless. Every garment sponsored by the House of Kuppenheimer and Society Brand is backed by our personal guar antee of 100 per cent service and sat isfaction, or your money back. $15.00 to $30.00 Brandon & Lawrence THE DIXIE Special programs are arranged for every Saturday of each week. This Saturday at the DIXIE, Wally Van in a comedy scream “Thanks for the Lobster.” Beautiful Bessie Eyton in a two-Reel Feature. With a Broadway attraction at the QUEEN. HANDSOME FRANK BUSHMAN AND BEAUTIFUL BEVERLY BAYNE IN "AMBUSHED” Grand Three Reel Essanay. Admiss'on 10c. COMING “THE VENDETTA” FIVE REELS CAMPUS GROCERY Fresh line of Staple and Fancy Groceries. See us before purchasing your Athletic Underwear, Stationery, Toilet Ar ticles, Arrow Shirts and Collars. W. C. BOYETT J. M. CALDWELL THE JEWELER Of Bryan, Texas, will appreciate the patronage of all cadets and Col lege people. Guaranteed satisfaction to all. His stock is composed of the highest class of merchandise. His watch and jewelry repair ing is of the highest standard; his optical department is the best. Make this store headquarters when in Bryan. $ $! o $ Z> O ® o o $$ $ o # o $ <x O O $ THE CITY TAILOR SHOP BRYAN, TEXAS Cadet Uniforms and Citizen Suits made by me. Cleaning, Pressing and Alterations a specialty. It will pay you to see me before purchasing. FRANK ZUBIK, Proprietor. Next Door to the Telephone Office