The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-26
CHRISTMAS DINNERS FOR
UNFORTUNATES OF CITY
Day Is Observed at All Charitable
and Penal Institutions of Coun-
ty, State and City.
KING TURKEY REIGNS
without the door let trouble lie.
And IL by cold il hap to die.
Well bury ii in a Christmas pie.
And eYermore be merry I"

without the door let trouble lie,
And IL by cold it hap to die.
Well bury ii in Christmas pie.
And evermore be merry"
This old song, although not literally sung.
expresses well the Christmas spirit that
prevailed yesterday at the different char
liable and penal institutions of the city.
Never before in Indianapolis have so many
children and unfortunate people been made
so happy by charitable funds and institu-
,tions. The Christmas portion dealt them
bountiful and elaborate that one is
safe in saying that the city's poor will
remember Christmas of 1903 as one of the
happiest days of their lives.
At each of the institutions Of the city
where poor and unfortunate beings are
sheltered ample preparation had been made
to celebrate Christmas as it should be cell
ebrated, and from reports all plans were
carried out with great success. With few
exceptions, turkey was the king of the din
ners, while all the trimmings that go 70
make it complete were not lacking. In
many of the institutions Christmas trees
with gladness. and when presents were dis
worldly joy was complete. At the places
where older people are harbored bountiful
Christmas dinners, with their accompani-
ment of good cheer. were the features OF
the day.
Sheriff Metzger, of the Marion county
jail, sent ray of light into the lives OF
days behind the bars in gloomy solitude.
At o'clock the prisoners were led into the
dining-room, where 166 pounds of brown
turkey, with cranberry sauce, oysters,
baked beans, mashed potatoes, celery,
fruits and nuts were spread at their dis
posal. For one solid hour these victims of
~ 4 3AII bod
been planned that Andrew Sweeney. of the
Board of School Commissioners, would ad-
dress the prisoners, but on account OF the
latters call from the city his talk was
postponed until New Years day, when even
more elaborate entertainment will be given
the prisoners. Sheriff MetzSer dispensed
with number of acceptable Christmas
presents. Each of his deputies found
five dollar gold piece under his plate when
he sat down to dinner yesterday
RABBITS AT WORKHOUSE.
One hundred and fifty rabbits contributed
to the good cheer at the workhouse yester-
day. The dinner, although lacking in tur-
key. was complete in all other appointments,
and the prisoners were allowed an hour in
which to satisfy their appetities and to join
in jolly informal conversation. The din
per was served at 2 o'clock.
Miss Rhodes, of the Indiana Industrial
School for Girls and Woman's Prison. made
Christmas a merry day for the girls and
women of that institution. During the
morning exercises, consisting of recitations
and songs, in which thirty of the inmates
took part, were held III the chapel, after
which zoo girls sat down to sumptuous
Christmas dinner of turkey, oysters. mashed
potatoes, fruit, candies and cake. Last
night forty of the girls presented play in
the chapel entitled The Drowning Christ
mas" Ice cream and cake were served as
refreshments. The girls declared that the
day was one Of the happiest they had ever
spent.
Yesterday was a great Christmas among
the poor children of the city. Little gamins
that before had not known the meaning of
the day were initiated into its joys and
good times. For pure unsurpassed happi-
ness the Flanner Guild, an institution for
the industrial education of the colored chill
dren, set record that has never before
been equaled in Indianapolis. Three hun
dred small coloied children of the city, to
whom previous Christmases had been no
more than an ordinary day, were taken IN
tree. brightly lighted and loaded with simple
presents. Short exercises were held by Dr.
Morgan, superintendent OF the Flanner
Guild, after which Christmas lunches and
presents were handed out to the children
The delight of the children was boundless
and they plodded away to their bare homes
with their black faces beamlng with Joy
almost sublime. The Christmas festivities
of the Flanner Guild were under the man
agement of Mrs. Henry Hart, Mrs. A. +.
rsp Time a that as n eo has made
Indianapolis to give the poor col0red chill
dren of the city Christmas blessing. Even
more elaborate plans are to be made tor
next year, when the movement Will De mdue
more general.
Sixty-eight small boys and girls at the
German Protestant Orphans Home spent
Christmas yesterday that they will long
remember Almost the whole day was de-
voted to Christmas celebration. In the
morning the children were given free reins
hon
the buildings and grounds The children
assembled in the afternoon and Christmas
services conducted by Rev. Peters, were
held. Later a big turkey Christmas dinner
was served in the dining rooms and the
little tots Toasted themselves all the
good things that are the accomplishments
Of Christmas times.
MANY ENTERTAINMENTS.
Last night the children attended the
Christmas entertainment at the German
Evangelical st. Johns Church. Plans have
been made for the children to go in body
to Christmas services to be held tomorrow
night in Tomlinson Hall by the German
Evangelical lions Church.
At the Central Hospital for the Insane,
over nineteen hundred Christmas presents
were distributed among the unfortunate in
mates yesterday. Christmas exercises un-
der the management of DR.. Edenharter
were held in the afternoon in the chapel
where a Christmas tree was loaded with
presents and candies. The women inmates
were given their choice of number of
small articles, of which bountiful supply
had been provided and the men inmates
were given pipes, pies and handkerchiefs
as Christmas offerings from the institute.
After the presents had been distributed a
dance was held in the chapel for the more
tractable inmates and the festivities lasted
until late in the evening. AT noon, a
Christmas dinner with a menu of turkey,
sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pies,
cranberries, fruits and nuts was served
to the nineteen hundred inmates. The day
was one of the most successful holidays
that has ever been observed at the institu-
ton.
Although Christmas exercises were held
Tuesday at the indianapolis Orphans
Home. there was no end of good cheer about
the institution yesterday. Presents were re-
ceived throughout the day from outside
friends and at noon a splendid dinner was
spread before the children. TURKEY was
missing, but thick slices of beefsteak with
gravy were as greatly appreciated by the
children In addition there pleni-
tude OF mashed potatoes, cranberries, oys-
tiers, mince pies, fruits and candy. The only
drawback in the Christmas festivities at
the Orphans Home this year the sick
ness of many of the children. Just now
measles is trimmings its course among the
children and about twenty of them down
with ii. A Christmas tree was given AT the
institution Tuesday, when presents were
distributed literally among the little in
mates.
King turkey was the feature at the Ger
man Lutherans' Orphans Home yesterday