The evening world., 1891-06-20
More Than 10000 Happy Little Ones
at Madison Square Garden.
1.-The Worlds Free Strawberry
Festival for Poor Children.
The Most Remarkable Audience the
Great Gilmore Ever Faced.

More than 10000 Of tho poor children Of
this hlg city awoNe this morning with the
thought:
This Is the day OF THE WORLDS straw
berry festival"
Then they got out Of their little beds, hur.
ricdly washed their faces and hands and began
to get ready for the great event. Breakfast
was OF no account to them this morning.
Their minds were flled with anticipation
Of the pleasures promised them this after
noon, and 1t was as much n task for them to
cat as 1t is on bright May mornings to go to
school.
Never did they hurry through the meal so
! quickly. Meagre M It may have been, 1t was
more than enough for the tots, whose only
thought was the festival to which they had
been invited by THE WORLD, the peoples
paper.
Bearing In mind the injunction to come with
hands and faces clean, even though shoeless,
and having little else to wear than II single
slip, the girls again performed their aDlu-
tions; the boys-wcll, they were boys.
My, but didn't the hours Of the morning
drag! Was a day ever so long'
But all things come to an end, and 80 It was
with their waiting. Finally those who waited
for their parents permission TO start were
allowed to depart on their happy way. The
many who didn't wait for permission were
already there.
such a crowd OF children as was gathered at
noon to-day In the nCighborhood OF the MAdi-
son square Garden never before was seen
massed in a like area.
To the stranger who asked what was the
magnet that drew this great gathering OF
little ones, the reply that THE WORLD was TO
give a free strawberry festival In the big Gar
den to the poor children of the city, and that,
moreover the only Patrick sarsneld Gilmore
and his unapproachable band were to enter
tain them with the delightful music that
only he so well knows how to produce, was
sunicient-the drawing powers OF such mag
net needed no further elucidation.
More than 10000 tickets had been issued
by THE woRLD, but they did not by any means
represent the number Of tots that had come
there were thousands OF Others who hoped by
some happy chance TO secure admission to the
feast.
They We're Of all sorts and sizes, from five
to fourteen years OF age-and their attire was
as varied as their faces, which shOne with
soap and friction. There were neatly dressed
little ones, whose clothing was poor but
clean. There were those who wore but little
more than enough to cover their nakedness.
| Hundreds were shoeless and stockingless, but
all were as happy as only such children
can be.
Capt. Reilly was there with near 100 picked
policemen. Rattans were carried instead Of
clubs, and the Doisterous ones were dealt with
gently, but it was a good-natured crowd, and
the hardest duty OF the Officers was TO with
stand the guying Of the barefoot urchins.
The line was formed In Madison avenue, be-
ginning at the broad lobby's entrance, ex-
tending around through Twenty-sixth and
Twenty-sevcnth streets into Fourth avenue,
and ending In mass of youngsters, all
struggling to get next In line.
The boys formed one line and girls the
other.
When the doors were opened at 1890 a
great cheer arose which rang like an echo
along the length OF the line and was taken
up by the tail-enders and sent back again
with shrr hoorays.
In they marched, two by two, holding fast
to their pink tickets with grip that only a
desperate rObber could loosen, the big police
men guiding and keeping the hurrying line
within bounds.
IL was a remarkable sight and one that
made even the ennuyed lounger's face light
up with such n beam OF amused pleasure as II
had long since known. And there were many
such that curiosity had drawn 10 watch the
novel procession enter what was to the pro-
Cessionists palace OF delight,
AS the little ones passed the gates they
| "A tad rtt nd oft Ia 10
where they were skilfully seated-and 1t re-
quircd skill to seat such gathering. Then
began chatter and clatter that even the dog
show could not equal.
There was so much to surprise and call
forth cXclamatiOns ofwonder and delight that
It was Impossible 10 stlll the wagging
tongues.
Long before these tiny guests had arrived
The WORLDS force had been at work prepar-
ing for their reception. Hampers OF berries,
cans OF cream, a barrel OF powdered sugar,
and ltO boxes OF cakes had been delivered at
the stage entrance.
There were 5000 quarts Of ice cream, and
Horton, the manufacturer, had promised 10
be prepared TO supply any deficiency upon re-
ccipt OF telephone order.
Long tables were set in the galleries, spread
with snowy daInask, and at intervals OF ff-
teen inches japanese napkin and u new
spoon. There were $50 on each table.
But more attractive still were the walters
tables IN between. There were piled the
luscious strawberries, the pretty culorcd
cakes and alongside We're the big cans Of
crCam-thcy did not look so nice, but every
boy and girl knew that what was inside Of
them was nice, and their mouths watered In
anticipation.
You people TO whom Gilmore and ice-crcam
and strawberries and cake are nonoy@lty can
not realize the Joy that nnCd the hearts OF
these thousands twitteriug like little birds
OF course there were shouts Of "Hey, Chin
my, where are yer'" aud " Amt this bully :"
and the like, but II only added to the real in-
tcrrst OF the occasion, for this was n festival
for the children or the people, and too much
circumSpection would be unnatural
At l O'Clock the boys were enlivened by a
drum corps as foretaste OF the music 10