Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-24
CHRISTMAS HAPPINESS
As 1t Cones to the Inmates Of st. Eliza
beth's Hospital
Elaborate Preparations for the Cele-
bration of the F~stivn1-Every-
body Gets "a Present.

entertainments. socials and balls are given
to enliven the long evenings, and get mel
anchoIy minds away from broodings-one
OF the essentials. IL is claimed. of a sue
cessful treatment of insanity. For years
Dr. W. ". Goddirg, superintendent of the
hospital and his corps of assistants have
always managed to provide entertainments
and balls for the patients at the hospital
Thanksgiving night opened up the season
with a grand hop. which was participated
in BY hundreds of the inmates. Three
nights in each week have since been de-
voted to such harmless amusement.
On these occasions it is nothing new for
some OF the more trusted patients to per-
form the musical selections, and at one
time there was full orchestra composed
OF some or the patients OF the institution.
The festivities OF Christmas also come in
for good share OF attention, and for
weeks past attendants have busted them
selves with dressing the Christmas trees,
purchasing presents and arranging attires
Tor the patients who trip the light fantastic
over the ioor OF the large dining room.
The christmas eve entertainment which
is 10 be gwen tonight, promises TO be of
more general interest than any that have
preceded IL. Not only have there been
elaborate preparations for the occasion on
the part OF DIR. Godding and his assistants,
but the attendants have been buying pres
ents for each other. Many of the patients
VINO nave funds at their command and can
De safely permitted to visit Washington
alone nave been to the city and have made
purchases. which they propose giving to
some OF their unfortunate friends who are
not 80 faNorably situated as themselves.
Presents made by one patient to another
are generally of an inexpensive nature
There are nearly 1,TO0 patients and
nearly $50 attendants at st. Elizabeth,
ana on Christmas eve each of these will
De remembered with a present outside of
those exchanged with each other.
EnteFtai pmenf of the D,fs.,t.
The presents are generally of candy, nuts
and so forth, which are furnished at the
expense OF Or. Godding. 1t is said that the
doctor Is the largest single purchaser of
candy IN Washington, as it requires nearly
halt ton to SUPPLY his family" as those
at ST. Elizabeth's are sometimes called at
Christmas. Already the trees are being
decorated. and before tonight they will be
loaded with various articles suitable for
those for whom they are intended These
presents comprise whatever article the
patent may have expressed the most de-
sire to have, and none are forgotten.
W lille all manifest the greatest delight at
what they may receive. the colored patients
are the most demonstrative, and the joy
OF the women who receive dresses, aprons
or comb and the men who get red BAN
uahndS Is especially noticea BILE. There
are others, however who take more pleas
ure in playing with rubber dolls than any
tnlng else. These are imbeciles, and their
l.
ned SO much for the Christmas festiyi-
ties
With the exception of the balls all enter
tsihhlents are given in the chapel. THIS is
very large and commodious room capa-
bic OF seating several hundred persons
There IS a large platform at one end and a
large organ at the other. For wears a
patient presided at this organ and rem
dsfel some of the finest music ever heard
at the asylum.
queen of the Ball.
Ihls evening the entertainment will
begin in one of the large dining halls,
which will be cleared for dancing, and
from 10 o'clock ball viii be i'm pro-
sfess. The principal figure, as she is
indeed, at all the balls, is a lady once
prominent in the outside world, but for
several years past a patient OF ST. Eliza
beths. By common consent she is called
the queen. She is about sixty years of age
ana Is charming in her manners She does
not assume 10 have any authority but
takes the greatest pleasure in fixing her
beautiful white hair in long ringIets which
hang gracefully from her head. Her dress
Is covered with bows and pieces of ribbon,
not in gaudy style but so arranged as to
be extremely becoming to her. She is a
splendid dancer.
AS a matter OF fact, all the ladies who
participate IN the ball try to look their
prettiest Some are attired in pink some
In cream or white and there are dashes of
red in many costumes.
There is one rule in reference to the con-
duct of the ball which DR.. Godding insists
shall be carried out to the letter, and which
is never knowingly violated. This is that
each female patient wh) dances must have
a male attendant for partner, and each
male patient must have a female attendant
Tor partner. The reason for this is that
as all entertainments are given for the
purpose of elevating the patients, a con-
trary course would have a depressing in
stead of beneficial effect.
Beneath His Dignity.
There is but one inmate of the hospital
whose condition admits of liberty within
the walls of the house who persistently re-
fuses to attend any of the balls or enter
tainments given at the house. He is an
old colored man. who has been a patient
for more than thirty years. He styles HIM
self the king of Kings and Lord of Lords"
and maintains that IT would be beneath his
dignity if he should associate with the
other patients or be present at any of the
smuscments. He imagines that Queen
Victoria has TO obey when he commands
and frequently issues orders to her when
he is walking alone in the grounds.
At the conclusion of the dance to-
night the entire audience will adjourn
TO the chapel, where the presents will be
given out. Previous to the distribution Dr.
n. Fl. Wilmer. assistant superintendent
Will make d short address.
Capt. yohnsOn's sudden Death.
Capt. Alexander Johnson, a well-known
citizen of Washington, where he had resid-
ed for many years, dropped dead at his
boarding house, No. ;;33 Missouri avenue,
Saturday night. He was a man of inter
esting personality, and his career had been
an eventful one He served in the navy
as a youth for several years, and after
ward in the army. being seventeen years
in this branch of the service. Up to year
or 50 ago he was d clerk in the Interior
Department, but his health failed, and he
was compelled to give up active pursuits
During the past summer he was i'll at
Providence Hospital but seemed to have
recovered. Ills brother is district attorney
at Pittsburg, and he has many relatives in
Pennsylvania. Capt. Johnson'S death was
due &c heart disease, and the coroner did
not believe that an autopsy was necessary.
Flying Pigeons.
On December % members of the Fedora
ton of Homing Pigeon Fanciers of Wash
ington, ID. c., engaged in a turkey race
from Fairfax Va.-air-line distance twenty
two miles. The birds were liberated by
Secretary Geo. Tucker who says the birds
made a fair start. The returns were as fol-