The evening times., 1896-12-25
UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE
Children's Hearts Made Glad in
Hospitals and Orphan Homes.
CHRISTMAS CHEER FOR ALL
santa Claus Made Sick and Crippled
Little Ones Forget Their suffer-
tng-TOys In Plenty and Goodies.
TOO-Even the Inmates Of Reform
schools Were Not Forgotten.


day the Christ child was born in Eethle-
hem. Through that birth there is Il great
human love in the world today, which
reaches down through the classes and the
masses and embraces the lowliest in the
land.
because OF that love there is a spirit of
giving and doing today, and the humblest
have felt the divine ray Of comfort. The
children of the fortunate have romped and
joyed and lived their childish instincts
spirit OF happiness and rood is natural.
and they find the world with them for one
happy day atIeast There is a comm unism
of good in the air.
While the fortunate ones have sat in
their easy chairs and listened to the gay
peals OF laughter, the romp and song and
prattle of their little ones, while they have
IL oSed through windows where holly and
evergreen hang-out uron the cold, frosty
day-a thought for Les Miserables has
gone out from many n heart and a hope
that Joy has reached the little ones of
less comfortable homes has stirred them to
deeper feeling. Many &C cd impulses have
born fruit, and the Christ child's influence
has been nowhere so wonderful as in its
making joy for 1.-The least Of these"
Joy for Little Sufferers.
Where children most touch the heart is
when they suffer pain and are in poverty.
Out on W street, near Fourteenth, is thu
Children's Hospital. For days and days
the wards of he hospital have been filled
with an eager anticipation, which has
brightened e yes and made little limbs for
get to ache.
Yesterday, when the warm sun fell
through the windows and made brighter
the long rooms, with the little white paint
ed iron beds, eager eyes looked up at the
visitor, and happy lips were ready with
the quick response: Tomorrow is Christ
mas; tomorrow Santa Claus comes" The
nurses had trimmed every ward with ever
green, and punches of holly, with their red
berries cleaning among their glossy leaves,
hung on the walls and in wreaths in the
windows.
The children that We're able to be about
had trimmed up their doll houses and set
their pretty paper ladies in most social
groups. on every bed were gay
pictures, balls and little dollies, just enough
of pretty things to make keener the appe-
tite for the pleasure OF today, and keep lit
tie hearts from despairing OF the truth Of
the delay yed good time.
sitting up in their little white beds
their cheeks glowed, their eyes shone.
Returning health was part OF the promise
OF the good day. II am going to have
a dolly and carriage said most of the
little girls, while the boys had visions of
drums and mouth organs and soldiers.
..whois coming tomorrow brought two
N or nf fhatn-.sS a,,ta
and mamma" How very near together
are these two saints at Christmas time in
every child's Consciousness. The nurses
passed around the beds. shaking up a
pillow and smoothing damp ringIets. with
smiles, that did much to cheer the pa
tiently waiting little hearts.
Their Stockings All Filled.
This morning when they Weakened early
in the frosty twilight of the best day Of
all the year every child found his stock
ing at the head Of his bed filled with toys
and the coed things that could not hurt
the health coming back TO them. But that
was not all that the day had in store for
them. AT noon they Were given i dinner
a. good a they could bear, the sick little
things. Turkey and ice cream were part
of the menu.
And after that, oh, blisSful moment,
every child that could walk or sit up 10 be
wheeled-and most of them were able
through the kind ministrations Of the
nurses and visiting ngmothers-wer taksni nto
the big clinic room where magnificent
tree bloomed to the ceiling. 1t was so
gorgeous with its ropes OF silver and gold;
its flowers and fruit; its candles and gay
paper dollies. that hardly an eye could be
spared to search the room for more. If
you could have seen the ecstatic eyes
you would have felt that the land of make
believe, which love evolves, is the best
land of all.
When the ma agnficence of this tree had
become natural enough for other thoughts
to intrude there was another vision to he
taken in. A long table In one side OF the
room was loaded with toys, filled by the
ladies OF the board, the doctors, interns
andnurses. And whattoysthey were, To be
sure!
Every child's name was called and every
wish remembered. There were a great
many baby pianos and quite as many drums
Dolls in carriages were quite too numer-
Gus to count There were accordions eN-
press carts, trunks for doliies' clothes,
Noah's Ark, all the animals of the forests
and deserts, and picture books with the
iveliest sort Of stories.
The day has been almost too good to be
true fer these sick children, and nearly
one hundred little ones will sleep tonight
with the symbols of love hugged tight in
their wasted arms. Who says, in the sight
Of this. that Christmas is a humbug?
Fun Among the Orphans.
At the Washington Orphan Asylum, on
Fourteenth street, Christmas began early.
For days and days 1876 heads have been full
of visions, that had their realization this
when toys and candies were dis
tributed. Older ones were not forgot
ten, and suitable gifts were provided for
them. A Christmas dinner from the Cor
coran fund was served, as il is annually,
because Of a thoughtful mans loving re-
and turkey, cranberry sauce,
ice cream and cake made another festive
board.
Santa Claus came in the afternoon to the
kindergarten department, in which there
are thirty-one children, and n tree with its
fruit Of toys and candy bags grew by his |
magic wand. Next Tuesday Afternoon
the children will have Christmas enter
tainment, singing of carols and speaking /,
OF pieces. and general celebration of the.
holiday time. Lessons are over with
them for the present, and the play-rooms
resound with shrieks Of laughter and babbIc
of voices.
At st. Vincent de Paul. s>orphan Asylum
for Girls, on Tenth street, the holy Christmas
Day was begun with mass at O'Clock
celebrated by DR.. Stafford. At noon a
splendid Christmas dinner was spread
Monday they will have their Christmas erl-
tertainnent, and a cantata will be sung by |