The herald., 1893-12-26
aTHIS IS N'OT CALL RELIGION. y
The Views Of a Salvation Army
Guest Expressed.
There We're Two Thousand Hungry
People Fed.
The Guests Were Not Tough, But Only
In Hard Luck-Turkey and
Mince Pie Which Cost
Nothing.

A few weeks ago great idea took pos
session of the minds of the Salvationists.
They determined on Christmas day to
provide such banquet that no hungry
man or woman IN Los Angeles ehould go
unfed; 30 for the last three weeks the
members of the army have been canvass
ing the towl for subscriptions OF food
and money.
And as q Salvstionist in good ca1se
never takes no for an answer, their ef-
forts resulted in entire success.
The affair was held in Turner ball, and
half dozen long tables, seating over
900, were kept well filed all the after
noon.
In order to prevent imposition, the
Salvationists used discretion as to the
admission of guests, and for several
days prior to yesterday had been dis
tributing tickets to those whom they
considered deserving
AS early as 10 O'Clock the holders OF
these tickets began to assemble. They
were not very ragged or dirty crowd,
and in the east would have appeared
prosperous by the side of attendants at
similar gathering; but for all that
their faces wore the strained, hopeless
expression which tells of lack of work,
and want. There were young men,
middle-aged men and old men, but the
greater number were aged between 35
and 45. Several OF them were we'll
dressed, and at any other meeting might
have passed muster for well-to-do busi-
ness men.
II oya hn nA
and the first detachment allowed inside
A number were unable to gain admit
tance and went back again to wait until
their more fortunate brethren got
through, while the smell of roast turkey
and the rattle of busy knives and forks
became exasperatingy distinct.
Inside the hall busy Sslvationists were
running to and fro with big baskets of
stesming potatoes, and dishes piled
high with turkey and beef. Besides
these Two good Christmas standbys were
quantities Of bread, butter, cheese, sweet
potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, celery,
salad and stacks of good mince pie,
without forgetting cranberry sauce,
which was go plentiful that it was
| poured out of huge wash jugs.
1t was strange when they began to eat
to see the difference between their mode
of getting through the good cheer in
front OF them, and the manners in vogue
at similar banquets in larger and more
METROPOLITAN cities; in the latter the
affair is more OF wild beast show than
anything else, the famine-visaged guests
silently devouring their food without
tho assistance of knife or fork, and ap-
parently endeavoring to excel one an
other in the quantity they can swallow |;
race against time.
But at yesterdays dinner things were
different. 1t might have been some big
Masonic banquet that was in progress
sion, rather than dinner to the hum
cry. Thev were nearly all respectable
people, fallen on hard times, and they
found time while satisfying their hunger
to say pleasant word to one another,
and thank their red jerseyed walters for
their attentions.
When they were through, and filed
out again, everything disappeared with
a rush; there were over 800 plates and
dishes to be washed before the next i'm
patient detachment could be feasted,
and there was correspondingly no time
to be lost. The busy soldiers who, since
in the morning, had been hard at work,
once more started in, and in wonder
fully short space of time had everything
clean and the tables once more in order.
And so the work went on, until nearly
1000 hungry people had gone away satis-
fed.
"This is wot calls relidgun," fer
vently calculated one of the banqueters,
and it certainly seemed to be very near
it, when one watched the softening in
the faces of the men. and the smile come
to the faces of the women, for hunger
has very petrifying effect, and it is
easier to pray upon full stomach than
an empty one.
Captain Armstrong twas in charge of
the entire affair, assisted by deegatee
from Pasadena and Santa Monica.