Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-26
CEEEsssrHAs AT TEE ALusRoUsE.
HOW the Day was Spent by the Wards
OF the City.

4 CHRISTIANS TREE FOR THE oHILDREN-A LITTLE
ONE WHO WANTED TO HANG Up HIS STOCKING
PRESENTS FOR THE GROWN CIIILDREN-A THOUGHT
INSPIRING CHRISTMAS DINNER
81 wisth TODD doe out there" lisped little blue
eyed girl OF three or four years. as she climbed UP
to the window sill at the District almshoIse YES
terday and looked out at the broad sheet Of Christ
mas snow. 81 wish TODD doe out In the snow
and she turned her large blue eyes up into THE
STAR reporters face and put her little hand con-
lldentiy upon his knee. The reporter had gone to
see how Christmas looked from within the white
washed walls OF an almshouse, and was seated In
the ONCE waiting Tor Superintendent Stoutenberg
CHRISTMAS TREE,
already deSpoied CT its treasures ana barren, ex-
cept for bits OF fancy paper and glass ornaments,
"hlcn mad escaped the onset OF the children the
night 6eiOre. stood upon the table and proclaimed
that Christmas hal not forgotten TO look in upon
the little ones even there. The child's eyes wan
dered from the snow outside TO the tree within and
her little face frightened up with a smile as she
said, 'we hadh n t'esmas tree lasth night" Then
she pratted on in Ter childish way about the snow
Ile Tree ana Christmas until Nr. Stouten5erg ar
rived YES said that gentleman, as he con-
Quoted the reporter through the wards "thev
celebrate Christmas, apd probably enjoy it, In
their way, as mitch as anyone does. But YOU are
TOO late Tor dinner: you shOuld see them az their
day."
How about the children and their Christmas
trec?" asked the reporter
ION, they had their tree last nGlt-Christmas
eve My wife fixed things up for them and they
had very merry time The tree was in the Office
Whera YOU saw it, was dressed off nicely and looked
real Christmas-lil;e. There were twenty-eight
cilidren present, and each one got bag OF candy
ard some little toy. We have TO be very economical
buJ very little present Will make child happy
FOR long time. and I like to make them harpy
When can. My LITTLE girl-a little one about five
years oiG-calae over with her mother and recited
Christmas rhyme This overcame the bashfulnHss
n mia ~,
had learned at the workhOuse school, where those
VINO are old enough attend, and the evening seemed
10 pass very pleasantly,
THE WOMEN AND MEN
enjoying ii as much as the children Besides this
there were about ninety presents given out to the
grown people. Each OF the women got a knit
shawl and handkerchief and each OF the men q
useful present. Many OF the children have never
Known what 1t IS to have a home Christmas: they
have been picked up off the streets when babies
anu nave Lever known any other home than this
But som" lew have, and they are very eager about
Christmas. one little fellow who has nO1 been hera
long came up to my wife yesterday morning and
asked ii they were TO hang up their stockings for
Christmas and when asked what he knew about
hanging up stockings for Christmas he said: oh
used always to hang up my stockings and ret lots
OF Things until mother and father died, two Christ
go "ue tigl .h;.I SStllta ClluS Wouldn't put
ilAtnhlg more LII Them The poor little fellow was
told that he could not hand up lis stocking. but
mat he would get something off the Christmas tree
which was just as gC1d.'
The reporter accompanied Mr.. Stoutenberg
through all the wards, and was wished a merry
CHRISTMAS by many OF the Old men and women who
SAT t0lStlng their feet at the heaters making them
selves comfortable after good Christmas dinner
some OF the women had hung picture cards ON the
walls OF their rooms and placed flowers on the VIM
DOW slilS TO make it cheerful for Christmas morn
ing. ana nearly all We're dressed with particular
care Tor the occasion, having their new shawls on
and their heads tied up In clean handkerchieis The
chlluIcn were gathered In little groups In the nurse
ry and other parts OF the building, amusing them
selves with the little trieS they had received for
christmas. and they all seemed we'll cOnteited The
men were seated about the halls in their part of the
bulltiihS, or engaged in some occupation in their
rooms.
WHAT THE OLD MAN WAS THINKING OF.
one Old gray-haired man attracted the reporters
attention particularly He seated apart from
the rest, his head resting upon his hands and evil
uently lost In deep thought. While looking upon
his STOPPING form, his white hair ana careworn
and thoughtful face, the reporter fancied he could
read his thoughts, running back to the Chrstmases
past, perhaps TO happy home where, On Christmas
eve, group OF happy children gathered around the
cneeTrul hearth and watched the sparks fying I'D
tne chimney, down which Santa Claus was expect
ed TO come after they had all retired PERHAPS he
was counting over the changes that each succeed
Ing Christmas had brought upon him; perhaps he
was thinking Of the One-the first fatal step that
had brought about his run and brought him in his
on age TO seek shelter In an amShOuSe. AS the re-
porter passed. the Old man raised his head and
looked at him thOughtfully for a second and then
sald: 1--WE had tiptOp Christmas dinner to-day;
was Just thinking how nice 1t was We get Denty
ner, and nuts and raisins, frlit-cake and pie for
dinner we had The ne iapsed INTO Silence
again, reSllming his thoughtful attitude.