The Portland daily press., 1897-12-27
AT THE FORT.
Ahs Boys in Blue Drilled and Ate Tur-
key.

Hhe Boys In Blue Drilled and Ate Tur-
key.
great many people are always anxi-
GUS to know how the country's defenders
spend their holidays, and especially
christmas. and If any extra preparations
are made for this day.
With the idea of finding out II possible
What Christmas was like in garrison,
PRESS man paid assvisit to Fort Preble
IN the afternoon, and almost the first
thing that caught his eye was the well
satisfied look on every soldiers couute-
nance. The writer was given the 'glad
hand' by the boys in blue. All expressed
themselves as well pleased with the man
ner in which the day was observed. AL
though the regular routine WAS carried
out as usual, everything was done to
make the day as pleasant as possible.
Why" said one of he men, 81 have been
In this garrison over four years, and this
is the jolliest Christmas I ever had"
When asked what kind of dinner they
had, they took the writer to the kitchen,
where he was given the following bill OF
fare which speaks for itself: Roast
turkey with all the 'fxins," sweet po-
tatoes. Gran berry sauce, plum duff and
minoe pie. The 20 men who are at work
at Portland Head mounting the guns,
were also present at dinner and spent the
day at the fort. There were two men sick
in the hospital, but they were looked
after by their comrades and everything
possible done for their comfort and en-
joyment. One of these men is Private
Donovan Of Battery g, 4th Artillery, Fort
Washington, ON the Potomac river, who
has been sick for some time with malaria,
and was sent to Fort Preble for treat
ment. Even "Whiskers," the dog wait
and soldiers pet, came in for his Hhare
OF the dinner.
AT GOSPEL MISSION.
Never in the 20 years. experience of the
work OF the Gospel Mission has the an
nual festival of Christmas trees been
looked forward to with more hopeful
anticipation by the children of the Sun
day school than this year. The harder
the times and the greater the depression
|of business the more severely do almost
all charitable organizations feel 1T, and
as death has removed many Of the .larg.
est contributors, 1t was found by the
children at least that this year many
would have to be Of necessity neglected
But for several weeks kind hearts and
yyfllfrn hands hol H. Il
laboring for the event destined to carry
some rays of sunshine and happiness to
many darkened lives and homes. Two
large trees were erected at the altar, and
they were ladened with useful and orna-
mental articles, consisting of wearing
apparel, household goods, groceries, toys,
confectionery, etc. At s O'Clock the hall
was filed with an expeotant company,
including fathers, mothers, children and
babies in arms. After prayers and sing
ing several hymns, the distribution com.
mittee began their work, and for nearly
two hours 1t was a busy and interesting
scene, and at the close none had been
overlooked nor forgotten, and notwith-
standing the fears of some the Christmas
tree festival of 1897 proved one of the
most joyous ever held. Mr.. and Mrs.
Pearson desire to.extend their thanks to
the following contributors for their help
and encouragement.
Contributions of money-Hon. H. B.
Cleaves, Hon. John W. Deering, Hanno
W. Gage, ESQ, Mrs. L. A. Gray, Mrs.
W.ssWilliams. Friend at house, W. q. Wal
dron, NJ. G. Hutchinson, Mr. Dalton;
friend at Mission, j. S. Kicker, c. A.
Jones, friend by mail. Mrs. AID. sewan,
in memory of Geo. e. Davis, Mrs. Caro-
line Goold, Mrs. Frederick Fox, Mrs.
Dyer, Mrs. A. FL. Clifford E. J. Ilsley,
Mrs. DR.. Hutchinson, Mrs. Margaret
Rem1ck. Contributions of confectionery,
L. J. Briggs, Geo. E. Sawyer, Cloudy 4
Kent. Toys and clothing, H. H. Hay &
Sons, Mrs. Chas. +. Stafford, Mrs. o. A.
Clark, friend, one case Of Pettijohn's
food, Mrs. A. J. Hunnewell, Mrs. Abbie
Adams, Mrs. M. j. Graham, Mrs Emma
L Conant, Mrs. W. H. Stevens, Mrs.
Louisa Fl. Bunce, Miss Margie Saywcod,
Mrs. W. Williams, Owen. Moore IL Co.,
B. B. Farnsworth, W. H. Jeffrey, case
of children's shoes; Mrs. J.W. Dyer Mrs.
A. T. Laughlin, Master Robert Hale, and
all who have in any way kindly helped