The Washington times., 1902-03-20
Good Old People Make
Merry at the An
nual Feast.
WAITED ON BY SOCIETY FOLK
Usual Donations of Hot House Blossoms
and Delicacies Received From Rich
Patrons of the Institution-Cardinal
Martineli Present.

Two hundred good old people without a
sent among them, ate, drank, and were
merry yesterday in honor of man who
lived /. 800 years ago.
Tho old people were the residents of
the Home for the Aged. and the man in
whose honor they celebrated was st. Jo-
Eeph, spouse of the Virgin Mary. and fos-
ter father of the Christ.
St. Joseph Is the patron saint of the
homo, and on his annual feast day. the
Little Sisters in charge of the institution
make great preparations in his honor.
The big brick building, always airily
sweet and clean, takes on an added bright
pess. Spriug blossoms adorn the marble
altar of the chapel. and there are more
flowers blooming before the statues of the
good saint and of the Blessed Virgin,
whose shrines are placed in the various
sooms and halls
Four Distinct Homes.
The four wings of the house represent
as many distinct homes, and are occupied
respectively by men and women. white
and colored.
The table in the four dining rooms were
spread with snowy linen and decorated
with flowers; some of them hot house
blossoms sent by the rich patrons of the
institution. and some of gay colored it's
tue paper, made by the Sisters them
selves. Beside each plate were an orange,
slice of cake, and some candy, and for
the men there was also a bottle of beer.
These good things, together with pipes
and tobacco. and the substantials used at
the feast, were sent by the friends of the
home
Donations Received.
Mrs. Letters gift was sixty dozen eggs;
Mrs. Crackanthorpe. the wife of the sec
ond secretary of the British Embassy,
the oranges; the Misses Patten the ice
cream, and the Misses Letter the cake.
AT 1880 o'clock the society matrons and
maids who had come to work and wait
were already in their white aprons. pro-
rided by Sister, and were detailed to
The various refectories. where they served
from the first course to the last So skill
fully did they attend to the wants of the
old people that one distinguished states
man present -audibly-where
they had learned their trade
Presented a Pleasant Picture.
The old people made a pleasant picture
dressed in their very best. Most of the
men wore broadcloth coats-and all the
women added to their neat caps and
gowns bows Of bright ribbon. bits of
lace, and here and there an old ashioned
ring or breastpin.
After dinner the old people entertained
the visitors with music and recitations
that brought smiles and tears together
Mrs. John f. Ellis, who has been
henefactress OF the home ever since it
was founded, thirty years ago, supplies
the old musicians with fiddle strings, and
Miss Riggs. who is also a most generous
friend. is in such personal sympathy with
the residents that one old person went
up to her with sudden wall in her voice
TO tell her that she had lost her comb
again" She smoothed her hands over
her short gray hair if to apologize,
but Miss Riggs assured her it looked very
nice. and she went of as pleased as a
child.
Benediction by Cardinal Martinelli.
When the programmes were over Cardi-
nal Martinelli gave benediction In the
chapel which ended the exercises for the
day. Rev. Father Reed, S. J., OF st.
Aloysius Church, is chaplain of the
home, and as he passed in among his old
people the affection in which they hold
him was expressed in the childlike en-
thusiasm with which they greeted him on
every side. Rev. Father OConnen, who
did such noble work among them. and
who served them for many years, was
transferred last August, and is now sta
TONED IN Boston.
Is a French Order
The Little Sisters OF the Poor is
French order, with the mother house in
Paris. The local house is under the pat
rouage of the French Embassy and each I
year the Ambassador assumes the dignity
OF master OF ceremonies on st. Joseph's /
feast day.
The Embassy was represented yester-
day by NJ. Boeufve, its chancellor; Nine
de Margerie, wife of the counselor, and
Nine. Vignal. wife OF the military at
tache.
The visitors who went either to serve
the old people at table or to look on at |
the pretty scene included practically all /
the younger diplomats from the Catholic !
Embassies and Legations and a hundred 4
or more representatives from the official t
and social world. together with many
other friends and benefactors Of the /
home.
Those Who Called.
Among the callers were Nine. de |
Planches wife OF the Italian Minister;
Nine. Merou, wife of the Argentine Min |
lister; Nine. Calvo, wife of the Minister |
from Costa Rica, and children; Mrs. |
Crackanthorpe. wife of the Second Secre-
.ary of the British Embassy; Mrs. Corbin, |
Mrs Carroll Mercer and her guest, Miss |
Eleanor Carroll of Baltimore; the Misses |
Patten. the Misses Letter, Mrs. Henry /
May, Mrs. Perrin. Mrs. Wynn, Mrs. Will .
liam H. Ryan, Mrs Attwell, Mrs. Irwin. |
Misses Riggs, Master Laureson Riggs. |
Mrs. James F. Barbour, the Misses Cul- /
len, Mrs. Franklin, wife of Admiral |
Franklin, Mr.. de Lampre, of the Panama |
Canal Commission; Mr.. Montgomery, Mr. /
Downey. Mr.. Petit. the Misses Brown, |
Mrs. Forney, Mrs. Copenhagen, Miss |
Raphael Ellis, Miss Sherman, Miss Dain- |
gerfield Miss Sands. Mrs. Janin, Miss lie !
Bourgeois, Miss de Smirnoff, Miss Smart |
Miss Hill. Miss Elizabeth Burke. Miss |
Kate Mann. Miss Ella Blaine G!eeson, |
Miss A. L. Holden. Miss Mcdaniel, Miss |