Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-25
XMAS CHARITY
AND BENEVOLENCE
Gifts of Food for Poor and
Needy.
SPIRIT OF YULETIDE
CHILDREN IN ORPHAN HOMES
MADE HAPPY.
Festival Season Made the Occasion for
the Distribution Of Supplies to
Sick and Unfortunate.
SPIRIT OF YULETIDE
CHILDREN IN ORPHAN HOMES
MADE HAPPY.

SANTA sClauS, the tlreleSS reindeer speeu
Merrily Jingle the sweet-toned bells, light
swings the sleigh at their flying heels, and
on his fur-draped perch sits Santa. the
friend Of all the world as happy and as
tired as a myth can be. And who. of all
the worldly wise. would shatter an,illusion
| at the Christmas time? Is there one OF all
the little folk. or big folk either. who would
have It shattered? It's not too much to
say that In Washington the young men
and the old of the national capital Jared
generously today and the sleigh load left
at the homes of the rich and the poor in
this one city alone must have been as big
as a mountain The weather gods were
generous. too. though. to be sure, There are
some slight regrets that Christmas did not
dawn upon q snow-clad earth.
Clear and cold ana sweet the air this
Christmas morn tempered the north wind:
genial and smiling was the face Of the
street and road, hill ana dale, fence and
treetop, day the most idsal Tor the
Christmas time. And there are but few
so bowed. 50 stricken 80, e srsf oppressed pre- saa
bring some tightening Of the load
The city vas awake early this morning.
The gray-clad, rose-tinged Christmas dawn
had stolen but a little way across the land
feet twinkled across the floors to the stuffed
and swinging stockings, to dressed and TIM
| seled trees. Even the elders OF the popula-
ton were soon astir. restless with the spirit
of the Christmas morn, as eager as the
younger generation for the surprise Of un.
expected present. Cor the indication Of
friendship affection and good will.
Nor was the true meaning of tho day for
gotten. In many Of the Roman Catholic
churches midnight services were an i'm
pressive and interesting feature of the cell
ebration Of the feast of Christmas. Hun
dreds Of candles burned on the decorated
affairs. and Christmasgreens. pine and holly,
were plentbfully provided for the decora-
ton Of the body of the churches Again at
5 o'clock. before the dawn, other services
| were held. equally solemn and impressive,
and these, as well as the midnight serv-
| ices were well attended. And In many of
the Protestant Episcopal churches OF the
city services were held at and 10 O'Clock.
besides the regular worship later In the day.
Some of unusual programs prepared were
elaborate, the result OF weeks OF prepara-
| ton. ALI were appreciated and enjoyed.
Remembrances for the Poor.
| Charity has come to be more and more
fact and not name at the Christmas
| time. And Washington is not behind her
sister cities in providing for that portion
| Of the population to which. save for the
spirit of charity, Christmas would be but
a name. Many charitable organizations
| furnished Christmas dinners today to the
homeless and the poor, and many wealthy
! residents of the national capital gave of
| their bounty to feed the hungry and des-
| titude. But more than this, it was through
! the efforts of the charitably disposed, the
| wealthy and the kind at heart that Santa
| Claus was enabled to visit hundreds and
| even thousands of humble homes. Cloth
! ing, food, the necessities Of life that to the
very poor are luxuries-candy and toys for
| the little foikS-in fact, the whole Christ
mas outlay is included in the list of the
| gifts distributed during these Yuletde days.
| Downtown, in the business section. the
| city was deserted this morning, save for
! the laden wagons outward bound on be-
| lated deliveries. But elsewhere about town
| the streets were thronged. The churches
| all held large congregations during the
| service hours and afterward. The laughing
throngs some present-laden some pleasure
| bound journeyed here and there about the
| city, enjoying the many little minor pleas
| ures that make the day what it is In the
| afternoon the theaters We're all well attend
| ed, and tonight, from present indica TONS
the amusement seekers will be out in force
Not only in the theaters will they hold
| sway, however, for in many homes there
Will be more or less formal gatherings of
relatives and friends to make merry until
Christmas day has gone, leaving behind
1t the sweetest of memories and in pros
| pect the anticipated pleasure of ali the
| fulet1de holidays.
Feeding the Poor.
| 1t is estimated that LOO of Washington's
| destitute families were taken care of by
| three institutions the Central Union Mis-
| sion. the Homeward Bound Mission and
the Salvation Army today There were
| dinners or baskets at each one of these
places. The Homeward Bound Mission
| sent out few baskets. about a hundred
| in ALL and gave the largest dinner 1903
| people being fed. The Salvation Army dis
| tributed 425 baskets, so that there was no
| way of telling just how many were fed,
| but the presumption was that they would
| average five people to a basket. The Gen.
| trail Union Mission had a family prayer
| meeting at its headquarters in the morn
| Ing and all those who attended were given
free dinner ticket. about $50 being dis
| tributed mostly to the inmates of the home
| who sleep there every night
| 1t was a good day to get up an appetite
! The sun was shining and the clear, cold
| wind down the avenue made lining OF
| some sort to the empty stomach as neceS-
| sary as was warm coat to the outside
| of the frame 1t was a popularity of
| Washington crowd that few Of the people
| supplied lacked the coat either. There were
| old colored mammies with shawls over
| their heads and a multiplicity of garments
| of one sort and another about them:
mothers with coats good many seasons
| out OF fashion. but still warm, and COM
| Portable children, who from the looks of
| them might have Communicated most of
| the garments Of the elder members of the
! family to wear while coming after the
| much-sought basket
Salvation Army's Contribution.
| Early In the morning tho crowd began
| to gather about the Salvation Army head
| quarters on the south side of Pennsylvania
avenue. There was big policeman at the
| door to hold the waiting ones In check
| and he was needed. too, for there was
| crowd that resolutely declined to keep in
| line and any one who wanted to get In
| had to play foot ball and buck the center
| as earnestly as though it was the third
| down and four yards to gain Coming
| out was bit easier. The waiting people
| were let out In squads of seven at time
and played a tandem formation on the
| crowd at the door. which was always sue
cessfui In breaking a way to the side
walk. The next seven oozed in under the
arm Of the big policeman and then there
was a wait while they were lining UP with
full baskets for the return rush to the
sidewalk.
Upstairs the work was unceasing. The
big assembly hall was covered almost from
end to end with baskets. each one labeled
with the name OF some family that had
been looked up and found deserving Some
of the tickets We're marked send" and
others will be called for" The latter
were In the majority, for there were COM
paratively few needy families who could
not muster one member with energy and
clothes enough to go after a good dinner
The baskets were OF the slat variety, gen.
erous in size and each contained about 81