Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-02-03
Five Hundred Poor Children at 4
Christmas Feast.

Alley Hall, and were RECALLED with roast
mutton and plum pudding out of money
subscribed in reply 10 an appeal in the
columns Of the Daily telegram. This i,
dinner (says the Telegraph may be taken
as sample of the many given through
the same means on that day. Twelve
o'clock was the hour fixed for the dinner
and long before the cooks were ready the
entrance to the hall was more than filled
by the invited guests, the rear of the
force lingering in the alley. Each was
expected to bring " fork, knife, and
plate" When all had taken their seatsit
was curious to observe the cutlery, and
, the doubts which the owners seemed to
have as to their capabilities.
Among the five hundred sets there was
not one bright knife all were deeply
rusted, scores were worn-out shoemakers'
knives, and q majority appeared to have
been picked out of dust heaps in anticipa.
ton of the feast. The forks were equally
varied in appearance; prongs were turned
IN so many ways as to make 1t impossible
to raise meat upon them; one-fourth were
handleless, and scores were mere skewers.
There were several notable little sufferers
at the tables. Clara, II years of age, hob.
bled in upon crutches. Seven years ago
she was run over in the street, and had
not grown an inch since. Maria had
cut extending across her forehead, given
her by drunken father
Many of the boys had bruised faces, but
they would not tell how they were thus
marked. Phoebe was asked what she had
for dinner on Friday, and she replied,
1.-TWO ha'penny pieces of fried fish, and
twas 'atween my big brother, and my lit
tie brother, and my father, and my mother,
and me-" Hundreds of the children rep
resented families that are chiefly sustained
on bread and tea. In only single in
stance was difficulty experienced about the
guests. There were two sisters, Elizabeth
and Sarah, and they only had one pair of
boots and one shawl between them; but
1t was ultimately arranged that the one
who stopped at home had her dinner sent.
In another case three little Ones the
children of widow, could not be found
until Christmas Eve. Then the Bible
woman discovered them about 10 o'clock
at night, shivering on the doorstep of
their lodgings, waiting for their mothers
return. When they were told about the
feast, they appeared to forget their suffer.
ings, and shouted in the exuberance of
their joy. Among the women there was
young widow whose case was one of
special hardship. She had lost her hus-
band, and, falling into i'll health, became
lame. They had occupied respectable
position, but to maintain herself and her
little girl she is obliged to sit in public
street all day, offering iron-holders for
sale by which she realizes I'd per diem.
To that income the parish adds Is Cd a
week. She walked up one of the aisles
preceded by her little daughter, who ap-
peared very proud of her protectress, and
the child gave her mothers hair several
furitive touches with her hand, as though
to make the most Of her appearance.
When all were seated, several minutee
elapsed before the meat appeared, and the
time was diligently occupied by straight
ening the prongs of forks, Frightening
the knives, and drawing patterns on the
table cloths. Grace was at length sung;
and then conflict of no ordinary kind
commenced. The knives would not cut;
the forks were useless Some of the boys
changed the usual mode of handling the
dinner weapons, and hacked away with
the knife in the left hand Others gave
their knives click to put an edge on
few applied the knife with rapid mo-
ton to their boot One little fellow, to
get the better purchase, rested his elbows
on the shoulders Of his neighbors and
this led to a short row. At length, by
common assent, the majority of the knives
op6 forlc ruora loiJ 1oup oud uimhlp
fingers quickly effected clearance of the
plates
Then followed pause, during which
all the walters mysteriously disappeared.
A hum was raised as ofpartial satisfaction;
but many an anxious look was detected
toward a certain door. At length it
opened, and waiter appeared, holding
in each hand plum pudding. A second
waiter followed the first, third the
second, until it seemed as though the line
would never end and it was only when
the fortieth waiter, with the eightieth
pudding, had appeared that the magic door
closed. The meat and potatoes had been
received in silence; but this was too much
for discipline.
Not one of the five hundred had tasted
plum puuulng since tne previous Cniis'
mas, and these buildings were the realiza'
ton of years dream. In vain the Su'
perintendent gave thelsignal..for silence.
The first couple Of buildings was greeted
with cheer, and every succeeding couple
, provoked an addition to the volume OF
sound. They shouted until people ran in
from the neighborhood to know what had
occurred; they shouted until the very
last pudding had been cut up, and was
under course of distribution. Plum pud.,
ding was monarch of the day The second
course was more quickly disposed Of than
the first, and many . little girl was 81,
lowed to "take bit 'ome for mother,
One of the Superintendent mentioned
that in reply to an appeal for old clothes,
he had received sufficient to furnish two
hundred men and boys with suits for tine
winter.