The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-29
The Associated Charities
Beautiful Reception
TO THE ClTY's POOR
Varied Scenes OF Christmas Festiva
at Which Four Hundred Children
Received Gifts and TOil.Weary
Mothers Caught Through
Their Offspring the Seas
on's Sunshine.

1t was only through the pathetic de-
| by the wistful look of mothers drink
ing in the scene with avid eyes that
one could have guessed at the Metro
poltan Hal last night that the Christ
mas tree and entertainment arranged
Iby the Associated Charities was one
| for the poor. The participants were
too Well dressed; they were too clean:
above all, they We're too happy looking.
One thinks of poverty as wretched.
That was, not the brand that was seen
| last night. 1t was a poverty that was
sclf-respecting in good clothes. firm
shoes, and gratitude untinged with
shame.
There were three hundred and
| eighty children-think of it. All Grill
dren whose parents were too poor to
give them the gifts that make the aV-
erage home on Christmas morning a
! decorated toy shop and confectionery.
| Having seen that they were all we'll
dressed, that they had good clothes
and stout shoes the Associated Charl-
ties proceeded to supply the defect.
| The Christmas Of the poor came a lit
| tie late, but it came in good measure.
! Ii gave a happiness that shone on the
! faces OF little children, the pretuoS'.
| the most unaffected. the brightest ol
| al gladneSs; "A JOY that came out ol
| the dim eyes of mothers who sat a.td
! watched and watched the JOY OF their
| little ones 1t was pathetic but il was
! a wholesome sight, one that touched
| the chords Of the heart ana ,'pinted
! the way to the underlying goodness
| and tenderness of the run OF average
| people whose generosity had made
| possible this bit of charity that induiS-
/ cd itself in luXuries for the bringing OF
"a smile to childish eyes.
The crowd was one OF the most aD-
sorbing interest. Little girls, With dolls
| il. their arms, packages OF candy IN
| their hands, TOYS sM 0ng about their
neckS, march ng alonS i'll the crush
| With a joy too deep for words; happy
| hearted little boys with serious faces,
already munching on the goodies OF
the tree; rustier fellows past ten, tax
| ing life with rnore sophistcat on blow
ing horns, shouting. an-aWed, happy,
pn-afraid And every where the moth
ers. glad eyed all of therl. ;SoTe With
1.-THE signs of suffering craven so deeply
on their faces that they cOuh not be
wiped away at Will others young
things with babies in their arms lead
ing faltering tots by grimy hands,
Iothers still hard featured women whom
looked the worst in the face with a
! grim smile-all imbued with the one
spirit of drowning their own misfor-
tune. their own hardship and Their
own doubts in a festival of Woman'st
love for her children.
There down the aisle went 81 Wo
man with a face like a Madonna, four
babbling babies at her side laden with
gifts, clutchng her skirts, her own
arms full of the surplusage of gifts;
there in front stands widow in black
ample hard handed from the wash
board, her broad Irish mouth stretch
Ell in an old motherlinesS that takes
in the entire crowd; again leaning
on arms laid upon the chair in front
of her a youngish woman who ought
20 be pretty and isnt-a woman with
deep lines and a sharp face-too know
ing--and a hat too gaudy for her poor
dress and her turned over shoes
watching with wide eyes that are mo-
tionless but blaze towards the stage,
noting the progress towards the tree
Of some atom in the crowd that suIges
happily towards the piles of gifts.
Coming down the steps is a family
group, the father. in the plain clothes
OF work, listening with assumed non-
chalance to the shouted comments of
the boy at his side, the mother, pale,
care worn, with shining eyes helping
flax haired boy on a tedious way
down steps so high that his short legs
take them always with the same foot.
The boy is too proud to be carried and
in his chubby arms he has the addt-
tional burden of a red wagon. The
mother looks up at the big and solemn
father; one sees that here Is the eX-
ception in this throng-a group that
has not yet founl out that it is poor.
that is still lunatic with love.
10 CT. in nf 10
market after the entertainments was a
sight such as has been rarely seen in
the city 1t was essentially joyous
and it afforded a variety of pictures
all of which We're good to look at.
There was never a rainy night more
blessed with the light of happiness.
The Time in the Hall.
The hour set for the tree was at hall
past seven o'clock. Long before that
time the mothers and their little ones
had begun TO arrive. At the hour the
hall was full and the galleries crowd /
cd with spectators. The little ones
were eager with expectancy. Before
them the curtain stood like wall that
BANKED off paradise. They pointed
chubby fingers and asked questions in
Vulnerable. Their Impotence gave line
evidence of their hope for the treat
Rev. r. S. Stephenson, head of the
Associations practical work, came
forward to deliver the opening PRAYER
lie is known to all the poor as an SQ-
proachable and a sympathetic FRIEND.
They honored him with sudden 81
lonce. Mr.. Stephenson is an ascetlo
looking man with a voice mat has IN
it a cadence of sadness that seems 10
be caught from the character Oh ms
work He prayed as he works, sinn'Y,
earnestly. One felt that it was a mo-
E,ent of great thankfu!neSs that there
was a living hope behind the words
lie finished and Hon. \. A lhomp-
son arose to speak. He took M little
time but he made a talk that was a
gem. His platform presence is one Of
force and dignity. Quiet words come
from his mouth dressed with me inner
force that hangs about strong per
the association: he touched on Christ !
mas treated as birthday as thel