The times., 1899-12-28
NEwsBoYs MADE HAPPY.
The Annual Entertainment at the
Aid SncfetN Homo.

Aid Society Home.
over one hundred and fifty newsboys as
sembled in the lecture room Of the News
boys Home, 230 C Street northwest. at 8
o'clock last night to enjoy the Christmas
cheer which was given by the members OF
the Newsboys and Children's Aid Society
One hundred and fifty happy street ur-
chins called in for a moment from theil
Tanderings on the thoroughfares OF the
city, left the hall laden with good things
to carry home and eat at their leisure.
The children Of the streets and alleys,
I the miniature men who help 10 support
families and have no Christmas in their
homes. were able, through the aid Of the
charitable women who compose the society.
To provide host of good things to eat for
their mothers aud sisters and smaller
brothers, and their little heads were filed
with lot of good things to think about
for some time to come.
The newsboys' feast is an annual event
at the home, and it is generally attended
by a large crowd. The boys who ccme are
not a select lot but are picked up In the
street from among the children who
/ actually sell papers or black boots. For a
long time the society provided the boys
with a regular turkey dinner and a Christ
mas tree.
Experience taught the managers of the
affair that the boys all wanted TO carry
their food home with them and allow their
parents and less fortunate brothers and
sisters to enjoy it with them, so for the
last two years the goodies have been
placed in paper bags and after a selected
programme had been rendered by the
members Of the society each boy has been
given a bag to carry home.
This bag has contained all manner OF
Christmas cheer that the children could
not afford to get for themselves. The plan
was found to work very satisfactorily and
the young people expressed themselves
pleased with the arrangement.
Last night the boys We're all gathered in
the lecture room. where Dr. Childs the
chaplain of the home, welcomed them in a
speech Then the small children living at
the home sang a Christmas carol, which
was heartily applauded. The next number
on the programme was the flag salute to
the national coIors. which were draped
around the platform which included the
singing Of America by all present.
The most amusing feature Of the pro
gramme was entirely extempOraueOus and
was probably the result OF the happy frame
Of mind into which the colored youth of the
city can get himself when good things to-
eat are to be given out. Two of the negro
benches decided TO get some plaudits, as
we'll as sweets. and each entertained the
audience with a real coon song.
When the youngsters We're through ap-
plauding the last performers, Mrs Bah
cock. one of the committee in charge,
played a march on the piano, and the boys
filed d, Snstairs, where they were each pre-
sented with bag containing a miuce pie
cake a box of candy, oranges. apples.
and nuts With these cIasped tightly in
their hands The urchius trudged OsJ
through the snow to their homes.
The affair was under the direction of a
committee from the Newsboys and Chill
dren's Aid Society, consisting Of Mrs. At
water Miss Childs the Misses Roberts
| Mrs. Waters, Miss Ferry. Miss Robertson
| Miss Port and Miss Boutelle The bags
were made up from contributions that were
received at the home from the various
| friends Of the society.