The Wilmingtonian., 1884-12-27
VOL. III.-NO. 142
The Happiest Day of All.

In the preceding issue of THE WHINING
ToNIAN we made reference to ia good chris
tian woman who forced back the unbiddeI
tears as she heard her prattling children
talk CT what "Good Old Kris" wo1lt
bring them, because she too well knew tha
father with two months enforced idlenes'
meant forlorn Christina" passing
reference was met, not only by generous
but by an overwhelming response from
every part of this city and even the worthy
sisters of Edgemoor sent their contributions
to the deserving cause.
Those noble, unselfsh and sympathetic
souls, who so cheerfully came to the rescue
of those whom adverse fortune had so cruel
ly borne down, would have had their hearts
filled to oyerhowing could they have wit
messed the fruition of their donations.
Miss Emily and Miss Hattie Beecher,
whose generons impulses so eminently fttod
them to take the part of daughters of "Good
Old KRIS kindly consented to take charge
of the Christmas offerings and on Christmas
eve, accompanied them to their destination
andihere arranged them on large table in
the most tempting and appetizing manner.
In the centre was large lady cake with the
inscription "to Eva"-and Eva, by the way, is
an unusually sweet faced, mannerly child of
six years. Then came the pies, the oranges,
the bananas, raisins, candies, biscuits, canned
fruit, beef, chicken, ETC., etc. The table when
arranged by those young ladies was filled at
every point and it resembled a wedding
feast. On another table were placed clothes
for the baby; clothes and toys for Harry;
woollen cap, nice new stockings, new shoes,
handkerchiefs, mitts, wraps and doll for
Eva; while the table also contained manifold
articles for others of the household.
AS the frail mother witnessed the bounte-
GUS provisions which had been made for
her, she stood speechless, but her counte-
nance told of the depth of her feelings and
of her unspoken gratitude-and when the
children came tripping down stairs on
Christmas morn they were dumbfounded, for
few moments, at the sights which they
encountered in the dining room and it is
safe to state that of all the happy families
that gathered around the festive boards in
this city on Christmas day, none were bright
er nor happier than the one above referred
to.
The kind friends who heard the appeal in
behalf of the unfortunate were Mrs. A. P.
Beecher, Mrs. j. II. Hoffecker, Mrs. A. C.
Smith, Mrs. Benton Craig, Mrs. Charles
nj npni1.5aii, IL. Y. pre-~.,, -AI-a.- n
Baldwin, Miss. Mary Findley, Mrs. NJ.
Bowers, Mrs. s. Hawkins, Mrs. Hickman, Miss
Amelia Fullmer, Miss Sheppy, Mrs. H.
Blackburn, Mrs. G. H. Davis, Mrs. Emma
Carr, Mrs. Beck, Mrs. ]. Lindsay, Mrs. John
H. Porter, Mrs. Biddle, Mrs. j. Coleman,
Miss Alma Davis, Miss Belle Baxter, Mrs.
Bradbury, Mrs. NJ. Wilson, Miss Flora
Baldwin, Miss Emma Hoffecker Miss Mol
lie Flemming, Mrs. ]. Hillyard, Mrs. A.
Peterson, Rev. Mr.. Estln, Mr. James john
son, Mr.. E. Barton, Mr.. r. s. Lowell, MIR.
W. Clavey and Frank Hoffecker, Esq.
The lesson emphasized by the kindly
greetings meted out to the family whose
interests we have been considering in the
above article is that it pays to be good-it
pays to so live that when the blighting frosts
of adversely wither the attractions of life,
friends will rise up, from unknown quarters,
to help bear the burdens oil the day.
Another lesson emphasized by the above
case is, that the great heart of the public
beats in sympathy for the deserving, and
that the heart of man, when properly ap
pealed to, is full of tenderness for his fellow
man,