The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-21
JOY FOR UNJUST
As WELL As JUST
H,;.w Christmas Will! Be Observed
in the Penal Institutions.
DINNER THE MAIN FEATURE
Eu. Santa Claus VIII Visit the Refer
matory and the almshouse-E'lis of
Fare That Would Serve for
q X. SIS Feast.
DINNER THE MAIN FEATURE

Little rs the general public may think
of il. the thousands OF prisoners IN tho
Statc peniteutiary, the hundreds in the
city jail, the two score or more in the
county prison, the hundred odd young
sters at the Laurel Reformatory and tho
many inmates at the City A!nshouse.
sre looking forward to Christmas with
6 degree Of pleasure equal in most every
respect TO the favored child of tho
Roalthiest banker of Richmond despite
Their rresent conditions and surrounds
tngs That such is 4 fact may sound ab-
st;rd. but is nevertheless a truth that
will not down. as q visit 10 any one of
these institutions and "A brief talk with
any OF the uniortuuates Will prove.
The question to the average person is
why and II is answered III a word-appc-
.ite. Those three syilaSies coupled wlEh
pleasant memories of past Christmas
Days which nearly every single one of
item recall, as if they We're only yester-
day, account for The jolitication ana the
peasant counttnances OF nearly nine out
OF ten OF the entire number
While ii would he a libel to say that
the inmates Of u single one OF these in
situations are not given plenty to cat OH
ring their confinement ii is & truth mat
for three hundred and siIty-lerr days
in the year the fare has Sa'neness. ana
regardless of however good or subsi;in-
ti5ii this food may be, the salneneAs cauS-
as the loss OF many a appetite
Therefore as the time for that three
hundred and siStyffth DAY draws near,
the prisoners begin TO whet their appe-
tiles in expectancy, and they enjoy this
anticipation possibly quite as much as
they do the re.< feast.
CELEBRATIONS.
WhiIa il is true that the question Of
a1.pette cuts q big figure in all OF the
iIstitutions named, there is another mat
ter considered in a least Two OF theH-
1fs CITY Almshouse and the Safe Re-
1o,rnatory In both Of these the mere
matter OF yictuals is only side issue,
when considered together with other ies-
tirities which the superintendent OF both
annually prepare for the persons under
their care.
AT the City Almshouse, the affa5le
superintendent, George e. Davis mas ar
ranged In addition to ono Of greatest
faats OF the season, a Santa Claus cele-
l,ration. Aftzr the two hundred oud IN
mates haze enjoyed fitting religious ser
vices in the chapel and an address by the
Mayor they will EACH as they HE out
of the room be waited upon by OLD lArts
IIriugle who Will present them with a
nice box of dainties, nuts, candies and
fruits. In addition, they will be treated
on the night before the first or the year
with a special entertainment, in - a
,be bsst local talent of the city VIII par
iicipatc.
The menu as announced by Superin-
tendent for Christmas dinner is as fol-
lows: Pork sausage. ham. turkey, sweet
and Irish potatoes, siaw, mixed pickle
sweet and sour-pound cake. fruit cake.
Jelly cake, email cakes mince pic, apple
pie peach pie. coffee The meal will be
tepred at . o clock.
AT THE REFoRMATORI.
Superintendent Cringan, of the retor,na- |
tory has arranged to make the one hum
drea ana fifty boys Of that institution
happy with a SAINT: Claus party on
Christmas eve after which they viii be
entertained with recitatlons and songs. IN
which many of the Toys will take part. /
Christmas day a sump&Uous dinner will |
he served, snd that night the lads Will |
be allowed to amuse themselves with q
display OF fireworks.
AT TIE CITY JAIL. |
CITY Sergeant Smith Will give the one
hundred and sixty prisoners in the city
jail a nice dinner, the menu being as