The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-26
THEY FED 1900.
Christmas Dinner at Salvation
Army a Success.

To conceive an idea of the display of
voracity by the children at the Saliva
ton army dinner on Christmas day
take the Christmas dinner scene at
which the nine little RuggIeses partici-
pated, as described in the Birds
Christmas CaroI'' by Kate Douglas
Wiggin, and multiply it by several hun
dred. No wonder that the members of
the Salvation army post are weary to-
day. The serving of nearly thirteen
hundred people with food besides the
sending out of basket dinners to two
hundred more has been a work for
which weeks of preparation were neces-
sary.. Its performance, the dinner
itself, continued from II o'clock until
6 p. m. and $500 people enjoyed the
meal.
Systematic management resulted in
the collection of all the contributions
made by Topeka people for the event.
For ten days or more wagons have been
busy hauling things to the army head
quarters for the Christmas celebration.
During the days just preceding Christ
mas most of these contributions have
been in the shape of food. And this
food appeared on the table yesterday
along with a vast amount more which
was purchased outright by the army
Topeka has come to the support of the
Starvation army generously. For several
years the army has been giving in
creasing attention to it's Christmas
celebration. This year it meant more
than on any other year in the past, for
there mas Do6n nuCn suffering among
the needy of Topeka whose homes were
desolated by the flood last summer.
Among the people who lost property in
the flood, also, there are many who have
been able to supply themselves with the
necessaries but have been unable to af-
ford Injuries
It was a motley crowd that filed the
army hall at 302 Kansas avenue from
IL o'clock Christmas morning until after
darkness had settled down in the even
ing. The small arabs were the first to
get in. With them came number of
tired looking women in shawls and
children. These waited long and pa
tiently. Others knew something of the
proportions on which the dinner would
be given so delayed their arrival until
the middle of the afternoon, thereby
shortening their period of waiting. An
other year the Salvation army will have
to secure larger hall or will have to
procure an additional store room. TWen-
ty-five feet of the front of the one used
yesterday was fenced off for the ac-
commodation of those who were com
PEELED to wait, and the space was ridic-
ulously Inadequate Farther back in
the hall were set the two long tables
each thirty feet from end to end and
capable of accommodating forty people
The two tables were set parallel and
were inVitingly furnished.
For an hour the women who served
were busy loading down the two tables.
Momentarily the smells from the kitch-
en- in the rear became more pungent
and appet1zing. At each place was set
a cup of coffee and a plate of soup just
before the gate was opened and the
holders of tickets were admitted. Great
plates of cake, quartered pies, celery.
oranges, apples and grapes were piled
along the center in reaching distance.
The meat was held in the kitchen I'M
til the first course had been disposed
of. AS the approaching readiness of
the dinner became more and more
manifest, the small boys who had been
Scuff1ing and eating candy in the front
of the hall forced their way to the
gate and stampeded for the tables as
soon as the gate was opened. With re-
markable alacrity all were seated and
all waited for the blessing which was
asked by Salvation Army brother
At the moment when the blessing was
concluded crash arose from the
tables. Every urchin had reached sim
ultaneously for something to eat. For
six hours the rattle of dishes continued
without Interruption When a chair
was pushed back someone was ready
to be seated in it. When the small
boys had been taken care of the older
persons were served. There were a few
colored people, good many aged men
and women, and not a few youngish
men and women, most of them with
children.
In spite of the evidences of the touch
of poverty to be seen everywhere the
Salvation Army dinner was by no
means cherries affair. Happiness
was apparent among the children and
their effervescing spirits spread among
their careworn elders. No one was hur-
ried, most of them did that without be-
ing urged in order that a share of all
the good things might be had. The
food held out well for the Salvation
Army people had calculated care
fully upon the demand that would have
to be met.
]. E. Nissley says that he turned the
feeding of his newsboy brigade over to
the Salvation Army people, making q
substantial contribution to the dinner
in consideration of it. No dinner was
given at the Social Settlement rooms
Christmas day. Police Matron Thorpe
managed a distribution of gifts to a
great many poor children Christmas
forenoon. She had also seen to the
distribution of a considerable amount
food sent in to her headquarters. Also
she distributed about 300 tickets for the
Salvation Army dinner. Music for TIE
dinner was furnished by George
Hughes, Jason Hughes and Master Har-
old Parr. A photograph secured for the
day was kept busy with the comic
songs and rotations AS the first