New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-22
FOR AGED ISLANDERS.
How the Flower Mission Sends Them Christ
mas Cheer.

\ Christmas card is a small thing, and hardly
able to show cause why it should not cease to exist
bur over the islands in The East River where
the city shelters its aged ard infrm poor this
humble Christmas greeting Is a very great thing
indeed-a bit of brightness that shines for many
days in lives that know little but dulness and
apathy.
please. lady, would you care if sent it to my
child: I have nothing else to send"
This is 4 frequent question when the messengers
Of the Flower Mission distribute the cards. tied up
with 4 spris Of evergreen. on Christmas Eve, and
last Christmas young girl dylrs of consumption
said she took the little messaga # peace and
good will: 1t viii be buried with me
Small as this gift is. it becomes difficult
every year TO get it. Christmas cards not
popular as they used to be. and so there are not
so many old ones to be to the Flower Mission.
Trees are being cut down. and the friends of the
mission do not have so many evergreens to give
away. while those sale more expensive each
season. So it happens that the workers At the
Flower Mission rooms, No. 104 East Twenteth-st.,
are having hard time make up their quota of
cards Every branch of spruce and cedar is
stripped Of its last twig. and hundreds of new
cards have been ordered make up for those
that the public did send, for it would he a
terrible thing If the people IN the almshouses and
the hospitals and the insane asy ums did not get
their Christmas cards
With the cards the old men at the almshouses
all get gift Of tobacco. while the old
get tea and sugar. The patients in the hospitals
get oranges ana apples, ana The children Kan
dalIs Island get toys. dolls. games and story
books. The tobacco is sent each year by the
same person. and another friend always sends
coughdrops for the consumptives
The gifts, with the exception Of Those sent the
insane asyluns. all distributed by workers
from the mission and little personal attention is
much appreciated as the present
tits awful good Of yoIse what don't know US"
remarked an old woman, ito think of US and bring
Mos of the recipients have no one else 20 think
of them and bring them things, ard If the peculiar
l0n,liness of Christmas Eve were not broken by
thes, Flower Mission visits they would be lonely,
indeeJ
The wards and dining OF the city institu-
lions also decorated by the Flower Mission
with rops Of evergreen and wreaths and crosses
of holly. This work is also done personally, and
the nmatet appreciate the result much more than
II Il had been accomplished by the staff
In addition v the work the islands. the Flower
Mission also distributes food delicacies, clothins
ard TOYS the poor in the tenemcnts the work
teng done throfzh the various charitabe agan-
cies The people the coal barges that anchor
In New YORK for the winter also share in the good
cheer. These people naturally know no one in the
CITY and do Tot even make acquantances among
themselves. So the only biz OF brightness they get
Al Christmas comes from tho Flower Mission. and
the only dolls seen on several of the barges
Ion mamma can I take that LADY," said a
Ifttle girl when a missionary brought her 2 beau
tifut wax doll last Christmas and then she hid
her face in her mothers skirt and began cry
tecalse she thought he missionary was going 20
'' r. tloWer and Fruit Mission was founded in
sarbfI hartman OF the executive committee.
TTies Ella e. Russell vice-chairman. and Miss
FANNY Russell secretary and treasurer. Other
MANNERS Of III, committee are Mrs. f. Chamber
iHt,l Miss ida Benjarnin Miss briggs. Mrs. Emma
Iecnfs Miss Julia LatheTs. Mrs. Courtlapdt Starr
aCd MS H. lo'f4iSei4'