Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-25


thirty little fellows of all sizes and colors,
many of them accompanied by their moth
ers or other relatives, and all anxouSly
waiting for the store door to open.
The Poor Alone Were There.
There was only one condition. however,
in the motley throng, and that was power
ty. 1t showed in the worn clothes, in the
broken shoes, in the thin cotton stockings
that barely covered slender shanks, and in
variety of other significant ways which
sc emed all the more pitiabie because it was
Christmas time. But most of the faces
were clean, and all the eyes were bright
with the anticipation of what was to come.
The boys formed the advance guard of a
hundred and more worthy ones, who had
been selected with careful discrimination
bya the police force of Washington as being
best entitled to participate as recipients in
the annual distribution of Saks CO. s
Christmas gifts. This year Saks & Co. de-
cided to give to each of hundred boys a
warm suit of clothes. with an extra pair of
pants and cap. but when the noon hour
rolled around today good many more
and just that many more little hearts made
full of happiness.
The Distribution Begins.
The doors were opened shortly after $50
o'clock, and a corps of Messrs. Saks &
Co.'S energetic clerks proceeded to attend
to the wants of the juvenile visitors. Each
boy or his guardian was armed with an en-
velope which contained a card reading as
follows:
CHRISTMAS GIFT.
Will be given a suit of clothes, with
the compliments of Saks and Com
pany. upon presentation of this ticket
at their store between the hours of
Christmas
SAkS AND COMPANY.
Recommended by Richard Sylves-
ter, Met Police. Not good unless
counters:gned
The boys were admitted to the store in
groups of four, and upon presenting their
cards were told to take off their coats and
try CD the new ones. Each youngster was
as carefully fitted as if he IVES the pur-
chaser of n 50 suit, and the plump and
the slender alike were rapidly suited and
given their bounties and sent off as happy
as happy could be.
Named After the President.
Among the first four was the namesake
of the President, Grover Cleveland Mayor,
of 925 B street southwest He was plump,
like the distinguished man for whom he
was named, and his fat cheeks glowed
with color as he looked down at his new
coat and saw how smoothly he filled it out.
Later on another namesake of the Presi-
dent in the person of Grover Cleveland
Buckley, of G25 f street northwest, was
also fitted out. There were all sizes, as
there were all colorS, in the crowd that
| followed, and the clerks who had been
| familiar with Saks & Company's distri-
button of clothing at each Christmas time
were unanimous in their opinion that a
| more deserving set Of children could not
| have been selected. There We're naturally
many individual cases which appealed to
| the notice of those who were present dur
| ing the distribution.
A One-LeGgcd Newsboy.
| Harry Ropp of 250S 1 street northwest
hobbled in on crutcheS, and it was seen he
| had only one leg. Harry was a newspaper
| boy, and was selling Stars enc evening
when he stumbled while jumping on a
| cable car and fell under the wheels. His
| left leg was laceratei SO badly that it
was necessary to amputate it above the
knee. He got a nice suit and cap, and
| was as happy apparently, as any two
| legged boy in the crowd.
| Little Lawrence Fenley, who lives al 941
| N street northwest, fell and hurt his head
yesterday, SO lis mother came down to
| get his suit, and he's feeling good deal
| better now.
Danny Baxter was a sweet-faced young
Ster, hardly five years old, and when he
| took off his roundabout to try on his coat
hole in his cotton shirt showed he had
no undershirt There was a thick one
put in his bundle, and home he went, out
der.
Fred. Hanson, a handsome, manly little
fellow, came in without ticket He was
from the Newsboys Home and had only
heard of the goodness of Saks 6; Com
pany this morning. Pride and dsappoint-
ment struggled for the mastery when Fred.
heard he would need a ticket. His man
ner and bearing, however. We're as good as
card this time, for Mr.. George Lewis
directed that he should get suit and he
beamed like July sun.
Four Years Old, Plump and Polite.
Harry Stevens is plump, chubby little
fellow, and he lives at 1880 Lewis street
northeast. His delight was evident when
his double breasted coat was slipped on
him.
How old are you, Harry"
"Hay?" he replied TO The Star mans
question.
How old are your
I'm fo years DID,"
Come over here and get new hat"
said the clerk.
"All right" responded the happy young
ster cordially. and he trudged along to
the other side of the store.
When he received his bundle his little
head bobbed theoretically.
Sank you, SIR he said, and away he
went with his father, smiling like basket
of chips and hugging bundle that looked
twice as big as its bearer.
Daniel Boose of Nc. MAYORS alley was
three feet high and five years old, and he
and grateful young mother, who accom-
panied him. The coat he put on pleased
him so much that he hated to have 1t
taken off and wrapped up, but when 1t