Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, December 25, 1910, HOUSEHOLD, Page 3, Image 27
Some Christmas Babies and Men Born on the Great Day yy ., .- . r-..- i t' . '--N -u, $ .4), -J v Al l 1' . ' ; VI'.-' ,'lllr1.r If II - . 1 1 V I I 49 A r -mm 111 I f J I 4 ,1 V I ' 'l' ' A i EKZV EJULTFtt AZIZ 2 I :.y l, v(AfSSf- MbSrv .1 i. i lXlx r 1 ! eft . i . kjAn9?vmk r u ! II 'fe " m I jl X i 1 , i ; -, i ''vy ' " J B f y,, l : f v ; - y- - f N ";'X L-x-V '..rJ V...,. x M jtx ' wzm I iiiQ y s 'z 'J -.X T f' j s f ,;xr body always bti a new baby." la cna ol tba aaga remarks of tb "UtUa motber" character In a popular play. Trua, In deed, bnt the parent! -who can boast having received babies as Christmas presents are very few in number. Aa a matter of fart, of the several thousand babies born la Omaha during the three years preceding 1910 bnt fif teen now living were cohered in under the auspices of Santa Claua. Tet that babies would be most welcome and high?? delightful Christmas presents no caa will deny, wtula the parents of the Omaha Banta Claua boys and girls are all willing to affirm that their babies born on December 25 were the gifts prtred above all thera. In tome countriea the children born on Christmas are credited with bringing their own good luck with them, and to be able to fondle the Christmas baby is considered as a great favor by the aimple folk of the old lands. Already plans for the feasting are In creased, where possible, when the household la blessed with a new arrival on the anniversary of tha birth of the Christ child. Omaha can boast a goodly number of old and j-oucg mho celebrate their birth anniversaries on Christmas day. The oldest Is Rev. Thomas McCague. D. who this year Is celebrating his eighty-fifth birthday. During his long Epan of years, most of which have been spent laboring In the vineyard of the Lord, he has witnessed the most remarkable develop ments, and some of the most wonderful -changes, re corded In the history of the world. Hie work has been done not only In the United States, but also In foreign Unda. First American Missionary in Egypt. When former President Roosevelt was in Omaha which he said was doing a grand work. His astonish ment was almost as great as his delight when Brower McCague was Introduced after the speech making and told the colonel that his father was the missionary who had established that mission almost half a cen tury ago. John L. McCague of this city was born in Egypt while his parents were domiciled in the mys terious land of the Pharaohs. Telephones, electric llghta, airships and a good many other things considered very ordinary conveni ences today were undreamt of when Mr. McCague was a laughing urchin making merry with others about the modest Christmas tree that youngsters could have in Ohio in 1S!5. The first passenger railroad in the United States was not put In operation until three years after Mr. McCague was born. He was 7 years old when the nullification crdlnance was passed in South Carolina and was 10 years old when Morse Invented the tele graph. He was a boy of II when Queen Victoria suc ceeded to the British throne In 1 S3?, yet she reigned record number of year? and baa been long dead. Mr. McCague came to the legal age the year Ellas Howe completed his sewing machine. The Seminole war, the Mexican war, the French revolution, the Crimean war, the Indian mutiny, John Brown's raid, the American civil war, the Franco Prussian war, and of course all the more recent con flicts, have occurred during the lifetime of this preacher cf God's word. He has felt the shock of horror caused by the assassination of three American 'presidents and a dozen European rulera. He has seen tew nations established, several of them republics like his own country. Has Witnessed Wonders. Mr. McCague was a man of over CO when Prof. Bell perfected the telephone, and was 12 mhen the frst telegraphic message was Cashed under the At lantic ocean, and has lived to see the dreams of early discoverers realized by an American planting the Stars and trlps at the North 1'ole. He has the In tently greater satisfaction cf living to witness the conversion of hosts from heathenism to Christianity. The evangeliration f the dark places of the world Las been very measurably foraarded during his life time and in this great movement he bore a pioneer part, most worthily and with a tattering measure of success. John Quiney Adams was president of the United State a hen Mr. McCague as born, and during his lifetime fifteen other presidents have ruled at Wash ington. But twenty-four states composed th Ameri cas union hen he was a baby, and a!n- then taenty two others have been admitted. The Eag his youthful eyes txheld as the symbol cf his coantry's life has been amplified and Jufctified, and the nation's achieve ment and oaer s;ttad through the history cf the earth, vblle he has been pursuing the calm way of Lfe, yet fighting the spiritual battle lustily. And to the enjoyciett of ail these great develop trer.ts aitnt-ssed by Mr. McCague the bailee cf the Um )" succt-eded. Should any c.f them live to his present age it seems assured they, too, will have beheld wonderful things come to pasa. Made Much of Life. Thomas McCague, D. D.. was born In Ripley, O., In 1S25, and was married In July. 1S54. to Henrietta M. Lowes. The same year he went as the first Ameri can missionary to Egypt, his young wife accompanying him. They were sent by the United Presbyterian church and remained seven years In Egypt. Two of their twelve children were born In Egypt. John L. McCague of Omaha and Mrs. Alfred M. Gordon of Bellingham, "Wash. In 18 CI the McCague family cam back to America and settled In Iowa, removing to Nebraska City In 1S66. In July of the following year the missionary was transferred to Omaha by his church board, and he organized the first church of his denomination in this place. Services were held st first In Beals school house, situated at the corner of Fif teenth and Capitol avenue. At the end of the year the church board decided to suspend work In Omaha, but this did not suit the ambitious spirit of the young preacher. He proceeded to erect a small church on the corner of the lot where his own home stood, on South Tenth street. For four years he kept this church going without any sort of aid from the board, his own high character as pastor and citizen attracting to him many friends. He has lived to soe his denomi nation well and prosjerously established in Omaha, and much inward satisfaction is his been use of that accomplishment. Besides the two cnildren mentioned above Mr. McCague has living the following sons and daughters: Thomas H. and Brewer E. McCague, Om&ha; William L. McCague, Chicago; Mrs. J. H. McCuUoth. San Diego, Cal.; Mrs. George Marples and Lydia S. Mc Cague, Omaha, Christmas Belong to Frank Walters. Frank Walters, general manager of the North western lines west of the Missouri river, was born on December 5, Is CD, at Cedar Falls, la. He was edu cated In the public schools of the little Iowa town and filled various positions in the railroad Service from 1SI2 to 1802. Steady application, faithfulness and a capacity to learn the business brought him Into the position of division superintendent of the Chicago, Rock Island & P&ciSc road is June, 1902. He re mained six months In this berth and then was made assistant superintendent of the Chicago & North western., remaining in that position until It 03, when he was made superintendent of the Sioux City division, holding this place until 1S05. In that year Mr. Wal- ters became assistant general superintendent at Nor folk, Neb., and was there something over a year. He took the position of asEistant general manager in that yesr, and for a Christmas present he was ap pointed general manager In 1906, the date of appoint ment being December 10. Trank Walters is not only known pretty generally as a mighty good railroad man, but in the social line he is also of the best typ of American citizen. He belongs to the Omaha club. Country club. Commercial and Railroad clubs in Omaha, and is likewise a mem ber of the Union League club, Chicago. Mr. Walters Is married and two children, a boy and a girl, have Pepys' Notes on Ancient Christmas Days III ov 1C60 PEPTS, the original social reporter. set down in his diary that he had listened to a dull Christmas sermon by a stranger In his church. He notes, too, "Our pew was all covered with rosemary and baize;" then wrote down the further fact that, when he got home, "found my wife and mayde with much ado had made shift to spit a great turkey sect me this eek from Charles Carter, my old colleague." From which it will be seen the turkey as considered, even in the land of the "baron cf beef." a goodly gift Two years later Pepys made this naive confession of dilatorinees and plenteous feasting, his wife evi dently being ill: "December 26, 1C62 (Christmas Day), With my boy talked. It being a most brave cold and dry frosty morning, and had a pleasant walk to Whit Hall, where I intended to have received the communion w 1th the family, but I came a little too late By and by down to the chappel again, where Bishop Morley preached .upon th song cf the angels. 'Glory to God on hljh. on earth peace, and good will towards men.' The sermon done, a good anthem followed, but I staid not I walked home again with great pleasure, and there dined by my wife's bedside with great con tent, baring a mess of trsve plum porridge and a roasted pullet for dinner, and I sent for a mince lie abroad, my wife not being well to make anv herself yet." The next day Mrs. Pepys was p and busy, stia "keeping Christmas," for th careful old reporter WTot in his diary; "December 16, 1662, Up, my wife to the making cf Christmas pies all day, being no- pretty well again, and I abroad to several place about business. Home, and found my wife busy among her lies, but angry for some saucy words that her mayde Jane has given her, which I will not allow of, and therefore will give her warning to be gone. Being also cied at my boy for his staying playing abroad ahen sent of errands." Pepys also made intercstirg note, a day cr two later, that he unwittingly bent his mife. He sajs, under date January 1: "January l. 1C63. Waking this morning cut of my aleep on a sudden, I did with my elbow Lit my wife a great blow over her face and nose, which al.ed her with pain, at ahich I was sorry, and to sleep again." Not maty modern men would make so refreshing eoc'easion, albeit eld I'epys S3rrow did not prevent Liza "pounding the pillow" sgain right away. On another Christmas day. 1 66 6. Pa Pepys admits he slept late. Noting it was Christmas day, he set down: "La7 pretty long In bed, and then rose, leaving my wife desirous to sleep, having sat up till 4 in th morning seeing her mayd make mince pie. I to church, where our Parson Mills made a good aermorf. Then Lorn, and dined well on tome good ribs or beet roasted and mince pies; only my wife, brother and Barker, and plenty cf good wine of my oane, and my heart fall cf true Joy. and thanks to God Almighty for the goodness of my condition at this day. After tfitner I begun to teach my wife and Barker my song. 'It is Decreed,' hich pleases me mightily, as now I have Mr. Hunxton's base. Walked alone on foot to the Temple, thinking to have seen a play all alone; but there, missing cf any bills, concluded there was none, and so back home; and there with my brother reducing the names of all my books to aa alphabet, and then to supper and to bad." Whether "Barker" was son, maid or friend is not stated, but the heavy work cf cataloging his books did not kill his merry spirit, for the next day Pepys rote this in his diary: "December 26, 1666. To White Hail trenc home, carrjlng a barrel of oysters with me. Anon tomes Mr. John Andrews and his wife to dine with me and young Batelier and his wife. After dinner I put the ottfn Into a coach and they to the Duke's house to a play. Jt mas indifferently done, Gosnell not singirg, but a hew wench, that sings naughtily. Thence home, and there Mr. Andrews to the vyoll, ho plays most excellent on it. Thence to dance, her being I'embleton come, by my wife's direction, and a fiddler; and mighty merry we were, and danced; and so till 12 at tifht, and to supper, and then to cross X'urpos6. mighty merry, and then to bed." On December 24. in 1667. Pepys stayed up nearly all night, at church services. Hi lot of the occasion roads: "December 24, 1667. By coach to St James", it be-ing about 6 at night; my deaign being to see the ceremonys, this tight being the eve of Christmas, at the cueen's chapel. I got in almost up to the raiL and with a great deal of patience staid from at night to " la the morning, la a trj great crowd- blessed his home, which has been in Omaha for th lart four years. Dr. Van Fleet One of Elect. Edward A. Van Floret, an Omaha physician, cam as a happy Christmas gift to his parents in 1S6S at Randolph, Wis. The family afterward moved to Ne braska and he secured his education at Schuyler, graduating from the high school in list. During 1SS2-9 4 he attended Cotner university and put in the next two years in the Lincoln normal university, from which he received a diploma. He afterward took th course at the Omaha Medical college, graduating with th class of If 02. Since taking up practice Dr. Van Fleet has kept his office in the McCague building. H Is a trustee of the Child Saving lnrtitute, a member of the Nebraska and Douglas County Medical socbitica and also president of the Historical Entertainment as sociation and of th Interstate Lyceum bureau. H a&liates with Ko untie Memorial church. Christmas Baby at Stamp Window. While he is dealing out the Christmas stamps at the Omaha posloS.ce Irven W. Barr dovs not forget that he is, or was, a Christmas baby, being born on December 25. 1879, at Ashland, Neb. Except for his birthday always falling on Christmas Mr. Barr sayi his life has been uneventful. He rustled for fun Ilk other lads until 12 years old, since which time he has been busily at work all the year round. H secured what education he has in the public schools. Th ninth grade in a high school having twelve grades at Friend, Neb., was as high as he went, but he dis charges his duty as a servant of Uncle Sam with satis faction. He is married, Mrs. Barr having been TTias Elizabeth Zimmer of Omaha before marriage. They hare two children, neither born on Christmas day. Edward Rosea ater II, son of Victor Rosewater, editor of The Bee, was born two years ago today. That same Christmas day was the date of birth cf even other Omaha babies, one of whom appears in the group. Tho year befor v babies arrived en Christmas day, whil in 1C9 but two Christmas births were reported. Th ages given below th pictures ar of this date, some cf the photographs being taken much earlier. Of th fifteen babies bora in Omaha in th last thre years tin wer girls and six wer boy. As will be noted from th pictures, th Christmas chil dren, old and youag, bear a striking resemblance to th great bulk of peopl not born on so happy a day. They ar bright, promising looking people, and sine Christmas has a doubly Joyoua meaning for them they ought to be j articular! optimistic clUxtna.