The Portland daily press., 1884-12-31
THE lNNoCENTs.
Their Annual Christmas Dinner at
City Hall.
THE GOOD WORK DONE BY THE
CHELDREN's CHRISTMAS
CLUE.

yesterday marked the third annual dinner
given by the Childrsn's Christmas Club of
Portland to their guests, the children not SO
fortunate as themselves, and whose Christmas
cheer 10 that with which the club provides
them. The columns of this paper, for several
days past, have been full of the preliminary
details OF the affair, the appointment of COM
mittees, of walters, carvers, and, in short, the
organization which has made this years fes-
tiVal much more emphatic success even,
than its predecessors. Then again it was
happy idea to make children the officers of the
club, as was done after the last dinner, and
teach them those habits of method and system
which will be of such value to them in after
years. In consequence of this plan, the chill
dren, some 1900 in number, have met quarterly
and made preparations for what has been
known as Innocents' Day, because the first
Christmas Club dinner was given on the date
OF that church feast. But it was during the
past few days that the most active and efficient
work has been done. and pages could be filled
with the doings of different child members to
add to the pleasure of their little guests 1t is
delightful to see the habit of giving thus early
inculcated in the breasts of these. our future
men and women. 1t is astonishing, too, to
note from whence contributions came. Not
only from Portland, but sister cities all over
the Union added their mite, If only in the
shape of simple toy, and friends of the club
in Europe forwarded novel gifts.
From and after ten O'Clock yesterday City
Hall, and its ante-rooms, was scene of ex-
traordinary hustle. In the Reception Hall
the carvers were at work dissecting fowl, and
preparing the food for the banquet In the
hall proper Mr.. Frank B. Knapp performed
herculean work in the short time he occupied
in putting the tables up and the club owes
him great deal OF praise for the interest he
has taken and the labor performed in its be-
half. all the various departments were in
shape in much quicker time this year than
ever before and when the hour arrived for the
dinner it was remarkable to see the rapidity
with which the great hosts of guests was
marshaled and handled without particle of
confusion.
Before twelve o'clock the sidewalks in front
of the City Building were filed with children,
and soon the lower corridor was crowded not
only with the guests Of the Club, vino were all
under thirteen years of age, but by many leEs
fortunate children who hoped they too might
have share; but this was impossible, and the
Truant officer, with several policemen firmly,
but gently, soon had order out of turmoil and
the children gathered in lines, ticket in haLd,
ready TO pass the ticket takers. Up stairs the
club members, with their badges worn on the
breast stood ready to usher the little ones into
their places as soon as the order should be
civan III of thic ,arrholin ond d;rao+ipu
was done by Mr.. M. B. Gilbert, Iwhoss skill in
this direction is notorious. Prior to the sec
tions, of twenty-five children each, being
taken in hand by member of the club acting
as marshal, their outside garments were left
in the cloak room and Mrs. Atwood, who had
charge of this department must have won
derful head for she not only took charge of
every garment of the $50 guests but knew Just
what belonged to each when the days enter
tainment was concluded.
At 80 p. m. to the music of Chambers
Band the little folks marched in and took their
places at the thirty tables, at each OF which
seats for % had been provided. Little Pau
lima Madison, Swede, tiny tot of three
years led off, and her infant mind could hard
| ly grasp the glories that greeted her eyes. The
long tables, set off by the bright colored paper
| napkins OF every hue; the Christmas tree on
the stage, resplendent in its gold and silver
trimmings and festoons of red, white and blue;
the ocean of toys that decorated the stage; the
crowds of gaily dressed spectators in the gale
ries, conspicuous among whom were the vel.
low caps of the "Little Bees;'' and added tc
all these, the music of the band, caused the
child to continually stop and stare, with bated
breath, causing many pause to the army ad.
vancing from the rear.
| Seats had been provided for 220 of the chill.
dren, which was all that could be thus accom-.
modated. The rest had to stand but evidently
considered it no deprivation. They all were
as neat as wax and over 400 of them had been
| provided with comfortable garments by the
committee over which Mrs. Henry Taylor pre-
sided. On each plate was placed a biscuit
pieces of turkey and chicken, and a piece Of
pie. Beside each plate was placed cup Of
water. There were dishes in the centre of the
table holding bountiful extra supply Of food
The amount of food sent in was SO generous
that every child had all that he or she could
eat, and the large corps of children walters
we're unspariDg in their attention.
When the children were all in place Mr.
Elliott G. Mitchell, the president of the club
who with eight other officers of the institu
tion were located on the stage-called them tt
order and spoke as follows:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
My Friends and FeROa0 Members of tn,
| c. G. c.:
This being our third Christmas anniversary
dinner, | think our club may now be regarded
no longer as an experiment or as an incdenta
visitor, but as an institution which has come
here to stay. Its success on this occasion viii
prove, trust, at least equal to that of the two
preceding years. The members of the clut
have certainly done their part to make it SO
| But to the many ladies and gentlemen who
have so kindly and generously assisted Us, itt
success is, of course, chiefly DUE and I an
| sure the members of the club would not for
give me if should fail to give them cordia
thanks.
But my chief duty at this moment, as ]
understand it, is to extend to our 600 guests q
hearty welcome to the Christmas feast pro
vided for them. Instead, therefore, of com
Stunning your precious time by trying to make
| speech, let me beg yop, after the Rev. DIR
Small has asked GODS blessing, to consume
| the good things before you with hearty goot
will. And when tonight you shall have al
| gone to your beds, let no bad dreams or horriG
| nightmare dare to drive from your minds the
| pleasant memories of these Christmas joys.
AT the close of Mr.. Mitchell's remarks, Rev.
DR.. Small of the First Baptist Church made &
few remarks on the origin Of Christmas, after
which he invoked the Divine blessing, Al
the close of the prayer the children were told
to ego H." And they did. The play o.
knife, fork, and spoon continued for gooi
hour without any interruption.
After the children were satisfied, the table,
were quickly removed under Mr.. Knapp's su
perVision, the boys broom brigade swept NJ
the crumbs 10 no time, amidst the cheers OF
the small guests, and then Mrs. Purington
the director of entertainments, came forwarl
| and the fan began. First, Mrs. Susan Fobes
! of Baltimore, a lady who few years ago was
one of the best amateur actresses in Portland
recited with great taste and expression
"Mother Goose and Santa Claus" Then the
children all sang in unison with GREAT sweet
ness and expression the carol, "Carol, Sweetls
Carol" under the direction of Mrs. Merrill
music instructor of the public schools, IL
which she had drilled them with great care
for several weeks and which they were unex
pectedy called upon to sing upon this occasion
Next eight young ladies gave the retrograde