Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-06
W0 Els T E & .
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY g. 1879,
e,,arn Har,on n, s,r..bour,.

The last European mail brought US tn
Stras6ourg Observation-Disclosures Kuriei" of Janu
AIRY Sd, in which we find an account of Chris
mas festival in which Miss Clara Barton wa
chief actor. This Journal is printed in bot
German and French, and is best known in thi
country as lie Courier du Bas-Rhin," whicl
is French translation of the German name
Its account Of the festival is prefaced by brie
sketch of Miss Barton's work abroad, as sis
ter of mercy. We translate the whole article
as follows:-
Saturday evening, December S0th, an inter-
cstng and touching Christmas iete was arranged
in Rothschen Saal, in this city, by Miss Clara
Barton, and her devoted companion Miss Zim-
rnermann of Carlsruhe Ii is known that Miss
Clara Barton. with the assistance of the Stras-
bourg subcommittee, and OF numerous and in
fluential friends in America and elsewhere, I'M
dertool and directed, in our city, with indefati-
gable zeal for nearly nine months, the manuiac-
lure by poor and needy women of clothing to a
large extent The garments thus made were
distributed by the subcommittee, and furnished
clothing for great number of other poor peo-
pie The aim proposed by Miss Barton, namely,
to furnish some an opportunity to earn their
bread, and supply others still more needy with
useful gifts, was folly attained.
"But her phlanthropic activity did not stop
here. Her benevolent ministry was required by
other mlsfortunes which weighed heavily upon
poor France. Her work in Sirasbourg was
scarcely finished, when she hasiened to Paris,
where, assisted by societies IN Boston and New
York organized to aid the French people, she
made the wisest and best use of her resources
to supply the wants of the most needy. After
deyoting several months to this work of the
good Samaritan, she found her strength ex-
bausted, and was Obliged to take refuge in the
bosom of a friendly family at Lyons one of
whose members, a young lady, moved by en-
thusiastic sympathy with her works of truly
Christian charity, had been her assistant in
Strasbourg, and had accompanied her in the
ambulanccs at Hagenau.
'She bad not fully recovered her strength,
when the American committee engaged her to
visit the places where the French had suffered
the last disasters OF the war; and she went to
Besancon, to Montbeliard, and finally to Bel
fort 1t appears, that, in the last named city,
her noble efforts were worthily appreciated
The journals relate that the councl-general ties
tilted their gratitude by public recognition of
her services, and, at the same time, expressed
regret that they had not had her within their
walls sooner. Her answer was full of pertincnce
and fncsse: GLOW could enter Belfort sooner,
when whole army was unable 10 penetrate
into your city?" Finding her work in Europe
nearly finished, but preserving an extremely
sympathetic remembrance Of the city of Stras-
bourg, she desired to revisit the CITY, again take
by the hand the poor women who had worked
under her direction, and give them farewell
entertainment.
Saturday evening at seven O'Clock, more than
two hundred persons having cards of invitation,
were received in the richly lighted Rothschen
Saal. Two great Christmas fir trees respondent
with lights and loaded with all the accustomed
accessories, were erected upon the platform.
Several ladies who had assisted in preparing the
fete, superintendent the. execution of the pro-
gramme which had been arranged, in all
its details, by the practical spirit OF
the noble giver of the entertainments.
After singing and pleasant conversation, there
was distribution of weighted porte-monnaies
aud other splendid gifts. The distribution Of
gifts was followed by collation..
"Mss Barton always connects moral ain
with her gifts. Therefore, she expressed thu
wish that the contents of each porremonnait
might serve as a souvenir of herself, and as
first deposit in the savings bank which is sool
to be reopened This wish expressed in goot
Strasbourg speech appeared to iird general ap
proval. God grant that wants more or les
pressing may not overcome the resolution taker
by the poor women. After the browning of the
bust in plaster, presented by an amateur, who i;
sincere admirer of the high qualities OF Miss
Barton, the invited guests approached her in
turn and babe their benefaetress farewell with
much feeling; and tears gistened in all eyes
when Miss Barton embraced them one after
another. No doubt this soiree will leave in all
hearts beneHcent and enduring remembrance, .