Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-28
Ready to be Sent to Inmates OF
Charitable Institutions.
THIS CITY HEADS THE MISSION.
Work Of Publication and Mailing Done in
Pittsburg.
The LADIES ARE ALL ENTHUSIASTIC

] MS Is AIlS NdSh lndJ a D21u OF SnrlStan
young ladies of Allegheny have set for
themselves, and they are working hard to
interest others in the good work of sending
Christmas letters to those in hospitals, asy-
lums and penal institutions. The work is
called the Christmas Letter Mission, and
though it started in London many years ago,
its headquarters for the world are now in
Pittsburg, this year for the first
time. Miss Sara Carney, of 81 Mon
terey street, Allegheny, is general
business manager for the publications. and
is also Secretary for Allegheny county.
The other young ladies in Allegheny who
are especially interested in the work are
Misses Mary and Marguerite McCance,
Lille Coffin. Jennie Harms, Lizzie Sipes.
Maggie Donaldson, Mollie White and Mrs.
Kerr.
The object OF the mission is to send a
Christmas greeting TO each inmate OF char
table and penal institutions, and also to
distribute on the streets greetings TO men
out Of employment and others whom the
letter should please, and perhaps make for
him better way of life. The letters are
suitable for hospitals, almshouses, insane
asylums, refugees and prisons, and in fact
everywhere anyone is liable to feel forgot
ten on Christmas Day.
DIDACIIC WORK ATTRACTIVE.
Great care is always taken that the letters
do not become prosy, as is too often the case
with evangelical work. Attractive pictures,
and bright, friendly reading matter make
them always interesting, and they are sure
10 be read; whereas, ii the reading was too
solid they would be thrown aside and no
note taken of them. Beautifully illustrated
cards are also included in the letter" and
on each is printed short Scripture text.
The packages are put up in envelopes of
five different colors, each having different
letters, and thus they can be traded around
IN the hospital wards, or wherever they may
fall, and one person can read five letters.
There are different STYLES of letters for
each department OF the work. The chill
dren's letters talk o! childhood days,
and the pictures are such as will
please the little ones. For weeks after
visitors to the hospitals will see the
cards stuck up where they can be seen by
the little sufferers, and the letters are often
read over and over again. There are letters
for old people. The Germans have letter
In their own language, and the French,
Dutch, Italian, Spanish and Swedish Ian
Cuages are also represented. Even the Chi
nese are not fol gotten, hut this year it was
found impossible TO secure letters in their
language. They will never be left out again,
however.
There is a special letter for the wander
ers. The first page pictures a man, poorly
clad, his stick and bundle before him. sadly
gazing toward a mansion, as he leans
against the stone wall near the gate. It's
reading tells Of the loved ones at home
thinking of him who is no longer with
them, but 4 wanderer away from home and
friends. These letters go TO those on the
street who are apparently away from home,
and are triendless. =
WORK FOR WILLING HANDS.
The work of preparing these letters is en-
tirelv in the hands of Miss Carney, of Allie
ghenv. She selects the reading and the
pictures to 90 with il. Then when the mint
ing Is done she reads the proofs, and has full
charge of the work until it leaves the
printers. Then the other young ladies
begin their work. They fold and get the
letters ready 10 be sent all over the United
States. They have all been working faith
fully since early in September. and are now
ready to see almost through their work
The distribution is done bv churches, Sum-
day schools. Kings Daughters and other
like organizations which purchase the letters
at cost from the Mission. Thirty envelopes,
each containing letter and card, are sold
ior 81. which is exceedingly cheap, con-
sdering the amount of work done. There is
not a salaried Office connected with the
Mission, and the expenses are very light, SO
that the letters can be furnished very chea p.
Orders are coming in already Among
those received are orders tor 800 from
Maryland, 1000 from San Francisco. and
many other smaller orders. Chicago is
sure to take a great many, as Joliet peni-
Tertiary is annually visited by the Christ
mas Mission Letters. The manager had
81, 900 printed this year, which is the largest
number ever published. They are more
attractive, and the general work is better
than ever before. Last year $500 were
uScd in Allegheny county. A great num-
Der Of the churches of all denominations
helped in the work and are expected 10 do
the sIme this year. All the charitable and
penal institutions of the county were
visited, and the inmates supplied with the
greetings. One year the letters intended
for The West Penn Hospital were lost
or stolen, and those in that institution
were greatly disappointed because there
were no others to take the place of those
that disappeared.
NEW FAD FOR PARTIES.
Mrs. James B. Scott has inaugurated a
v-rv pretty little feature IN this Christmas
ltAltI N'Ik- DNC Will present the CnliQren
o. the Ridge Avenue Orphans Home with
letters, and ordered 200 for that purpose.
On y edncsGay afternoon she gave tea to
a number Of her lady friends aud intro
du-gu the idea OF folding and preparing the
letters 10 send TO the little orphans on
Christmas morning. They are more definite
when the names of tic children are on the
envelopes and they can see that some one is
interested in them. Other folding
parties Will follow. and while the ladies
are having Z most pleasant time socially
Trey VIII feel they add mite to the
Christmas JOYS of the orphans aud riendess.
Often the letters are signed by the ladies,
which makes them even more effective than
If the mere printed matter was enclosed.
The Christmas Letter Mission is growing
very rapidly, and the ladies are very enthu.
siastic over their work. They hope next
wear to have even more attractive letters and
to reach much larger number of people
than this year. They also expect to Interest
the Kings Daughters more largely, and
thus rapidly spread the good work. The
Young ladies believe that it is right to make
The work of the gospel more attractive. and
instead of placing nothing but terrors before
those in need of it, to pick out the bright
side. and thus the work becomes more pro
ductive OF good. They deserve great credit
for the hard work they are doing, and il
should bear good fruit
The Ladies Delighted.
Tho r,leasaat effect and the perfect safet,
vyitb which ladies may use the liquid fruit laxa
7Trrs1 11orlor all 1oo-, itS,,,e Il.