Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-25
Christmas Cheer GenerouslyEztended
to the Unfortunate Poor.
SUNDAY OF TEE MYSTIC SHRINgRS
Boys and Girls Given Overgarments
by Saks & Co.
OTHER SWEET CHARITIES

Today the unfortunate who are needy and
destitute are being gladdened by the kind.
ness of those upon whom fortune has
more kindly smiled, and the home in the
District would be hard to find wherein some
beam from the light that fell on Bethle.
hem has not found its comforting Wav
Private individuals, business firms and or.
ganizations alike have entered into the
good work, and religious and secular bodies
have assisted generally in spreading the
holiday goodness.
Charity of Mystic Shrfners,
There was a significant occasion of this
sort at the National Rifles armory yester-
day, where the mobiles of Almas Temple of
the Ancient and Arabic Order of the Mys-
tic Shrine gathered to carry out their beau
tlful Christmas custom of sending out hun
dreds of substantial baskets of food to those
VINO would have otherwise, perhaps, known
not today what a Christmas dinner meant.
1t was scene at once animated and af-
fecting.
Scores of Shriners, divested of their Sum-
day coats, with shirt sleeves rolled hack
worked with steady vim filling boxes and
baskets and big bags with turkeys cuts of
roast beef, mutton, veal, fresh pork sau-
saSes, hams, flour, butter, meal hominy,
beans, coffee, sugar, rice, potatoes turnins
pumpkins and other vegetables, while an,
pies, bananas and other fruits were in
Guided. AT IL o'clock the entire floor of the
armory, which is almost 40 by 30 feet in
dimensions, was covered with the baskets
and other receptacles containing each an
appetiZing variety of food sufficient to pro-
vide two or three dinners and MANY lesser
meals for Sood-sized families.
Many Wagon Loads of Baskets,
Then commenced the work of sending
them out to their destinations. Wagons
had been donated for this purpose by
knox's Express Company, the Independent
Ice Company, Brown Bros, Colburn Bros.
Fl. p. Pillsbury' & Co., the E. E. Jackson
Company, S. A. Leishear's Express Com
pany, W. l.. Hughes, e. NJ. Willis, Muddi-
man d Co., {. r. Talbert. William c.
Peake, Joseph Mathy, George Blitt. Welby
5. Ashby and Muicare & Co. From eigh-
teen to twenty-five baskets were placed in
each wagon and the driven given n LIST of
the houses where they Were to be left and
the names OF those for whom each was in
tended, and the caYalcade of wagons num
berlng over thirty in all, made several trims
each, the entire delivery embracing eveII,
section of the city and District, the sound
of their wheels sending Christmas nousic
into the slums that found an echotnp ra
sponse in hearts that knew little of cheer
or comfort.
The Only Requirement Was Need
NO creed or color, no religion or record
was asked by the Shriners when the mecca
sity of person was announced and a re-
quest made on behalf of some unfortunate
for portion of their generous charity.
Necessity was alone the requirement, and
every basket went where its welcome con-
tents would fill empty stomachs and make
hollow hearts happy.
The Shriners. too, showelfaaat their own
hearts We're in the work, because II was
hard work. Carrying heavy baskets at a
brisk pace and loading them into wagons
were line of men prominent in the bust
ness and professional life of Washington.