The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-01-14

a campaign and battle as much misunderstood
and more misrepresented, perhaps, than any
other of the war.
A GLORIOUS CHRISTMAS.
The Needy Soldiers, Widows and Orphans Feasted
In Brooklyn.
We gave recently an outline of the plan
adopted by the members of the Grand Army
in Brooklyn to make happy, on Christmas
Day. the hearts of the old veterans and the
widows and orphans of soldiers in that city.
In such excellent hands the enterprise could
not be otherwise than a success, but it far
exceeded all expectations. We cannot do
better than print the letter of Conrade
Dubey, only pausing to remark that the
example OF the Brooklyn comrades is most
worthy Of being remembered and followed
hereafter:
Brooklyn, N Y, Dec 90.
To THE EDITOR For the past two weeks the
Bureau OF Employment and Emergency Fund OF
the Memorial and Executive Committee, GAR. OF
brooklyn, has been actively engaged In preparing
for the greatest event in its history-that of provd
ing Christmas dinner for every old soldier and
soldiers widow and orphan in this city. The Board
of Education visited of its sessions, and
permission was asked that the Principals of the
different schools be invited to ask from each scholar
potato, an onion or turnip. Most of the schools
responded. The large academies were asked to
uoflale poultry OF ltS equivalent.
On the morning of the 23d notices began pouring
in from the different schools for TO send trucks to
take away the things We asked for 10 or II voun-
teers who were out of work to go With the trucks
and help load and unload. About 10 IN. the first
truck arrived. What was our surprise unload
ing, instead Of finding that which we had asked
flour, canned goods of all kinds pumpkins pies,
cakes, bread, and, in fact, everything that could be
thought OF. The trucks came and went all day till
we had filled every available place at quarters.
We then asked permission to store them in the
basement of the municipal building opposite right
under the office of our next Commander-n.Chief.
The jolly Corporal was in the best of humor all
day, as the aroma of the celery, oranges etc., PEN
etrated the whole building and gave him fore
visit to this city. He visited the rooms on the
day OF distribution and says he shall never forget
that sight. and has promised TO write poem on it.
All day long till the night of the Esd the trucks
in loaded. The whole day was spent in unloading
and asserting goods.
Notices had been sent out to about $50 destitute
City Hall, between the hours of 10 O. m. and p. m.
In the meantime we had arranged our barrels of
vegetables, , oranges poultry etc. 1t was pretty
Were in a produce market. The first to come was
an old colored widow. 1t was 9 a. IN. 1 told her
the hour named on her card was 10, but she con-
WINGED me that she could make look like 10, and
she did not intend to get left told her there
no Danger the only thing was we were airaid we
would not have enough applicants
AS the hour approached the room began filling
up. The venerable DR.. Little made his appearance
took his station in front of the poultry stand opened
his book and the work commenced. The people
fell into line, and as each came up he she
ceiped pair of chickens, bag containing apples
and oranges, and basket Of vegetables: canned
goods etc. much as they could carry. We were
kept busy for hours and if you could have heard
the God bless you's," from the dear old comrades
gaddened your heart. There We're some merry
scenes in connection with the distribution. An old
comrade with little woolen cap came to me and
asked:
Is this the place where can get my Christmas
dinner?'
i told him it was, and asked what he had to put
ii in. He showed q little basket, such as school
children have to take their lunch in. told him
that would not do and his countenance fell. said
he would have to get u large bag. When he brought
a burlap bag tall as himself he seemed frightened
and said il the smallest he could find We took
the bag, and the little man put both hands on his
knees, standing with mouth wide open while we
piled in the potatoes onions and oranges topnino
it off with two great heads of cabbage. When he
asked Comrades, is that for ne?' told him it
and his knees trembled as he Strengthened himself
up. said Can you get that home?" He replied
" will get it.there if it kills mel" and away he
went to make glad the hearts that were waiting
him. So the good work went on till the end of the
day.
unteers to help for the two days For these
comrades filed barrels of provisions and had
them delivered at their homes. Here, also, let me
say that whenever we heard of widow or a soldier
in Distress through the hundreds that came we put
up without their knowledge enough to last them
three or four days We had previously notified
Commanders of Posts oalso send the names of all
deserving soldiers or their widOws-whose orders
were also filled.
After the labor of the day went to my home,
told the story, and made my own family happy
The next morning, Christmas Day. after all the
little surprises were over and the usual merry
Christmas had been gone through, was regang
myself after breakfast with of those six-for-a
quarter the smoke of which drove the servant girl
out of the room. The basement door bell rang and
1 heard an old man ask Does Comrade Dubey
live here?n
sang out: "Show him I'M"
In he came and what was my surprise to see be- |
fore me of the volunteers who had been help
ing us for the last two or three days.
said: well, comrade!" His only reply was to |
burst out in tears.
] could not stand that, so l said: Comrade, |
what is the matter"
He then composed himself enough to stammer
out that his barrel of food didn't come The little
ones had waited till 10 o'clock for it. when thew
were put to bed. His wife and himself waited up |
till midnight and no barrel came. To make mat
ters worse, he said:
'.Comrade. 1 have been out of work now eight |
weeks and there is not cent i'll the house The |
fact is, we have not had our breakfast yet"
Well now just rammed my hand in my pocket |
and took the first bill that was large enough handed
it to him, and told him that would give him and |
his family as good a Christmas ssa dinner as as mine
was made happy, and as he clasped my |
hand all he could say was, Merry Christmas, /
ewes heayenward as he brushed the tears away I |
resumed reading my morning papers but could |
not keep the fog OFT the glasses, and the more | |
rubbed them off the dinmermy sight wns found |
there were n few tears in my own eyes. All through
that day my thoughts would rever. to those COM
rades and widows and the little ones who through |
our Bureau were enjoying perhaps one of the hap
piest Chrstmases they had seen for years We |
must have fed upwards of 200 families and in some
of these there were as niany 10 persons. Yet
with all the provisions that were given out we |
have 100 barrels left They were told to come next |
week and have their baskets replenished
Trusting l have not taken up too much of your
valuable space. and hoping the day is not far off
when all the schools in the cities of the Union will
respond i'm like manner to the call of the Bureaus
of Employment and Emergency funds,
l remain yours, in f.. &. and L.,
EDWARD A. DUBEy Chairman.
We print also the following letter, which
explains itself:
To THE EDITOR: nelose the official report of
The Committee of Citizens who kindly examined the
methods of the Bureau; with view of obtaining
annual donations from those who felt interest in
our work without having recourse to the beg
ging appeals which have been often used in the
past To show the representative character of these
good men, permit me to say. that Comrade T.. L.
is the present Major General of the Sec
,nd Division N. G. s. N. Y; served through the
war as Colonel, Brevet Brigader- General and
Major General of volunteers, and is a partner in
sKzy,s s,yl;q7 7g,;,
E CURES WNERE All Else FAILS. n
Best Cough Syrup; Tastes good. Use