Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-28

rive. Some were driven to the dining hall with
four-in-hand teams-d driven in buses that col
lected the little ones from distant points. This
ride was one of the happy features of the day
to many little ones. The crowd outside kept
increasing until the doors were opened. Mean
while inside the hall looked very pretty. When
Mr.. A. L. Stewart surveyed it from the
stage and said sit is good" the
tables were ready for the multitude. At each
chllds place was wooden picnic plate, on
which was generous portion of turkey and
dressing and two large buttered rolls. Close
by 1t was wooden dish filled with an orange
an apple, banana, nuts and raisins. Down
the center of the tables were rows of growing
plants, around the bases of which were piled
more oranges. Uncut cakes and glass dishes of
fruits and cake were scattered literally all over
the great area of pure white table cloth.
Beneath each ehilds plate was a large paper
bag and into this the fruit and nuts ard CAKE
were to be put, so that the little ones would
have something to chew on at home or to
divide with those who had not been able to put
in an appearance at the big feast.
THE FIRST INsTALLMENT.
1t was just on the stroke of / o'clock when
the first installment of stomachs was admitted
and while a section of the Marine band orches-
ira, under the direction of VIM. Santelman
played sundry airs the busy Mattresses pro-
vided their charges with seats. Then the
children waited while the orchestra
added another number or two to
its program. The preacher who had
been requested to say grace had not
arrived. Very patient. indeed, were 'de kids"
as one OF their number characterized the
diners. Then Commissioner Douglass arrived
and was escorted to a seat on the stage. The
children frightened up considerably at his APP
pearlng, for he had a decidedly clerical aspect
and they felt sure that he would speedily re-
move the religious disability from which they
tf..,f nt1<
seat and seemed to be looking for the chaplain
with as much anxiety as any one else. The
youngsters were disappointed, but before they
had an opportunity to murmur Capt. Frank
Aldrlch rushed III accompanied by the Rev.
Mr. Young, pastor Of the Metropolitan Baptist
church. There was no mistake about the man
this time.
COMMISSIONER DOUGLASS AND THE GRIP.
Mr.. A. Il. Stewart called for silence, and got
it. Then he introduced Commissioner Doug
lass, and the Commissioner said:
''Some of you boys and girls who read the
newspapers have been reading of the grippe
a sort Of influenza that gets people by the
throat. Well the grippe has had me for three
days, so I'll not talk long. That will please
you, for you'd rather eat than talk just now;
know would. You ought to be very CRATE
full to the good people who have spread
these tables so bountifully. suppose you are
here to enjoy yourselves, and I'll tell you how.
Don't try to eat enough to last you three days,
for you can't do 1t and be comfortable; but eat
enough for two days. Any boy or girl ought
to be able to do that; used to when was
boy. IL you follow my advice you'll feel well
today and tomorrow"
THE DINNER.
The Commissioner speech was applauded
and then the Rev. Mr.. Young offered prayer.
No notification was needed when that closed.
Every one of the 1875 pitched right in and did
justice to everything in sight Everything,
with the exception or the roast pig, who, with
a corn cob in his mouth and two flags stuck on
the back of his neck, decorated table No. 3. 1t
was the donation of Mrs. Wilkinson and it af-
forded more amusement i'll its entirety than it
would have done had it been carved and dis
tributed.
The first tables were occupied for 45 minutes
before the children were satisfied, and the
browning glory of the feast was a plentiful
supply Of ice cream-One of the new features
of this year. treat Then the contented ones
filed past the stage and were presented with
dolls or toys and Christmas cards, all of which
were stacked up ready for distribution by the
willing hands OF the women whose kind hearts
made the occasion possible.
THE SECOND CROWD
was then ushered in and seated in aremarkably
smooth manner. Rev. DR.. Williams of Christ
Episcopal church said their grace, and by
y
was interesting tonote the fact that none of the
youngsters were in really starving condition,
and all of them spared enough time from the
dinner to look at the Christmas trees, which
decorated both sides OF the stage, and to won-
der what was in the stacks OF white candy
boxes on which were "C.C.C." in gold letters
The Georgetown Dinner.
The happiness of the $50 poor children who
were the guests of the Christmas club at the
regular Christmas dinner TO them today at
noon was about complete as human happiness
can be in this life at least There was not a face
in the whole number that did not bear some
trace of delight. Noon was the hour set for
the feast for the young ones, but the clock in
the hall Of the Curtis building showed that it
was a full hour before the appointed time
when the first of the guests arrived. Perhaps
the mildness of the weather had considerable
to do with the full number of children being
promptly on hand by that time. Rev. Drs.
Stuart, Tongue and Rice said grace, after which
the hungry youngsters set to with heartiness
that is seldom displayed by them when per-
forming less pleasing tasks. No fault could be
found with their appetites, yet it might be ex-
pected when such tempting food was waiting to
be disposed Of AS on such occasions the two