Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-26
DINNER TO THE POOR.
SOME 200 ENJOY THAxKsGryING AT
MASONIC HALL.
THE SIGHT AN IMPRESSIVE ONE
Aged Men and Women In Tattered
Garments Assemble Around WELL
Stocked TnbIcs-Interesting Exer-
cises Before the Meal,

cises before the Meal.
| While the wealth and fashion OF RIch-
mond, clad in the latest fall suitines
and wrapped in furs and handsome
beaver-cloth, gathered at the West End
| Park yesterday, after having tempted
their appetites with. the dainty delica-
cles of the Thanksgiving dinner-,able
there congregated on lower Franklin
street the city's poor. come to do duty
to the bounty offered them by a small
band OF Christian women The feast
was spread in the dining-rOom Of the
| old Masonic Temple, located near the
corner of Eighteenth and Franklin
streets, and which is said to be the old
est Masonic Lodge building in this coun-
try, having been used by the members
OF that order here for 120 years. The
| surroundings were In accord with those
who gathered TO partake Of the viands
| spread out in such tempting array. The
building shows its age. and is surround
ed by other structures, more or less on
| the verge of decay.
/
| the city's poor who have already passed
many milestones on the journey of life,
| and some OF those present were certain
! ly very near their goal and had but a
| few more turns 10 make In the hard
! rough road. However while youth could
! not partake of the feast there were
many children gathered on the steps
and in the lower porch of the building,
and wherever there was pane of glass
through which glimpse might be
caught Of the heavily-laden tables with
! i'm, small. pinched face, with eager,
staring eyes, pressed itself close to this
place of vantage, and drank in. with a
child's delight, the sights within. And
they consoled themselves by reminding
each other of the great Christmas-tree
which is to be loaded for their exclusive
benefit some time during the coming
holidays. and with the thought of this
great treat the wan faces lit up again,
and the child once more assumed his
natural state-happiness.
EXERCISES BEFORE DINNER.
The dinner was preceded By interest
ing exercises in the chapter-room of
the temple. at which Rev. II. A. Good
win and Rev. James f.. Cooke delivered
short addresses appropriate to the occa-
sion. Miss Davis, a charming elocution-
ist, recited with fine effect, and Mrs.
Bringle contributed to the enjoyment
of the afternoon by the rendition OF
several solos. There were about 200 de-
serving objects of charity present
tickets of admission having been issued
for that number and distributed through
this members Of the City Mission.
At the conclusion Of the exercises the
real event Of the day occurred, and 1t
Will, no doubt. be long remembered by
all who participated in il. The audience
was requested TO file downstairs, where
the dinner-tables were spread. They
slowly descended the stairs in couples,
and 1t was an interesting sight, and one
calculated to indeed make truly thank
full those who happened 10 be better off
I'm the goods of this world than the I'M
fortunateS who had gathered under that
roof to accept OF the charity so kindly
extended them.
They had all come dressed, Of course,
in their very best, but for all that many
Of them were not clad sufficiently to
protect them from the rawness of the
day Many an old, WORKOUT shawl was
seen clinging to the shoulders of some
aged and decrepid woman. and many
tattered coat enveloped the emaciated
forms OF palsied men, who showed but
too plainly upon their faces that want
and hunger were no strangers 10 them.
TEMPTING TO THE APPETITE.
Down stairs, however, was a sight call
culated to make them forget, for the |
time being. their condition and cause
smile of satisfaction to play upon their |
haggard countenances. Spread out be-
fore them were four long tables. laden |
with all the substantial articles of food |
likely to cheer the heart at this season. |
The boards fairly groaned under their |
burden of hams-the good old Smithfeld, |
and those of other brands; oysters, fried |
and stewed; bread, right from the |
and also the homemade pro- |
duct; pickles. sweet and sour; celery |
coffee, steaming hot, and sending up a |
delightful fragrance, and last Of all the |
glorious turkey himself, Drowned to |
turn, and laid out in state, as was his |
right according to the custom of years. |
Besides this most substantial bill OF |
fare. there were fruits OF all kinds, and /
CAKES from the rich pound-cake to the |
waffles of egg-shell thick
ness.
And the whole of this glorious feast
was due to the efforts and untiring |
energy of a band of true-hearted women,
who gave their Thanksgiving-Day up TO |
the cause of charity instead of the pur-
suit Of pleasure. These ladies, who were
all present to serve their humble guests,
we're. Misses Pearl Bodcker. Ruby
Bodeker. w. j. LYMAN, Mary Snellings,
Marie Prosser, Maggie Prosser. and
Nesdames r. G.. Green, Maria Robson,
5. w. Arsell, Julia Small, NJ. ID. Leigh,
). c. Crump, George Lyons, PM. Seay,
susan Read. and Albert Mayo.
The donations were very generously
made bv the public. and the ladies de-
lire TO thank those who so promptly re-
,ponded to their call. For many years
he City Mission has gotten up these
annual dinners. but a few years ago the
;ociety had to abandon the undertaking.
md the ladies above mentioned under
ook the task, and they have well sue
.eeded i'm their benevolent object.