The news & observer., 1905-12-26
mo- :: ,-'HEDAY GLAD
The Christmas Spirit at
Greensboro.
People Who Sought Out the Poor in
This Worlds Goods and Made
Them Rich in Joy and Grat-
itude.
Especial to News and Observer.)

Especial to News and Observer
Greensboro, n. c., Dec. 25.-At the
Salvation Army headquarters in the
John r. Cutchin building on South
Elm street this morning, there was
a joyful Christmas for the unfortu-
nate, the poor and needy. A better
plan than a Christmas dinner, where
folks walk up and herald their pow
erty or gluttony and cram enough at
one meal to last for three, has been
devised by these real Christian work.
ers of the Army. For weeks, Lieu
tenant Irwin and her corps of active,
genuine Christian workers. have been
seeking the homes of the unfortunate,
getting acquainted with those whose
families suffered in silence, but made
no vulgar sign for public discussion
or criticism. The Salvation Army had
not mendicant, a hummer, or a pro-
fesSional beggar on its list. 1t had
the addresses of 81 unfortunate fami-
lies in this one city. For each one
there was a basket ready at Salvation
Army Headquarters, and each basket
had in 1T a chicken, five pounds OF
roast beef, Irish and sweet potatoes,
two loaves of bread and some other
Christmas things. And there weer 81
applicants. Ten modest suffering fam
lilies had ben overlooked even after
weeks of search, and knowing the
sweet unoStentation of the Christmas
dinner the had not hesitayted to ap-
ply for a basket. OF course, they were
accommodated, even at the epenSe Of
making grocery stores have the key
turned on the lock this day.
On Wednesday night will be the
children'S night with the Army, when
a big Christmas tree will be provid-
ed with presents for all who have not
had Christmas childhood's joys. some
of them never having heard of a
Christmas tree or a Santa Claus be-
fore. Fact. There are children all
over this land who never saw
Christmas stocking in the morning or
heard of q Christmas tree.
But when Christmas comes among
the wealth the next best people
known are the Jews. They are the
best contributors to the Salvation
Army folks for practical charity,
they have just shove the Elks into
helping outdoor poor people beyond
the original limit. and do all other
sorts of Christmas good cheer stunts
unat other folks wouldn't do unless
the Jews set the pace rst. AS en-
ployers they can't be beat. Every
clerk of a store gets a reminder in Il
substantial present. AS manufac-
turers their operatives never here
abouts fail TO be remembered with
such practical preSets as CORDS of
wood ana dressed turkeys freighted
to their doors, with no questions ask
ed. Folks find out the MessrS Cone.
because every Christmas they give SO
many turkeys the local market cam
not supply the demand, and an ad-
vertisement for two weeks in many
papers last week for 500 turkeys de-
livered at a certain place. told folks
here that they had exhausted the
home supply.
The Salvation Army was going to
give Christmas to the inmates of the
county poor house, but the Daughters
of the Confederacy had made ar
rangements to do that. and afterwards
they found out that the Elks had
been fixing for that very same thing,
and SO the Illks have the right Of
way. These fellows. besides helping
everybody who needs help all the
year round, have outdone themselves
this Christmas. In their elegantly
appointed lodge rooms in the McAdoo
building to-day they have kept open
house for all visitors. none denied,
and the quality of their charity has
not been strained. 1T has been of the
very best, needing no strainer. for it
was good before it came out of the
cow better from the egg. best from
the distill before the rectifyer or the
druggist got their miXings in it.
OF all the Christian heroes. where
can you find u stronger one than the
Rev. Baldwin Dean, of st. Barnabas
Episcopal church. This morning at
o'clock. without promotion or
warning, his lovely wife, and beloved
sister here in everything that is good
and holy, was suddenly stricken with
paralysis. Smitten speechless in ten
minutes after having remarked that
it was the happiest Christmas morn
of her long life because she had been
enabled to make more people happy
than ever before. At IL O'Clock
Christmas worshippers found him III
the chancel. but being relieved few
moments by Assistant Stone, who
read the morning services, the be-
loved and aged rector returned, Of
fered up prayer for the sick admin
istered the Sacrament and simply
asked that he be ecused from his
Christmas sermon. because God had
called nj melsewhere, and all the
time this glorious servant of the Lord
and believer in the promises, stood
there to his post of sacred duty. the
nerviest one of all present And she
is one of the best women that ever
lived and is nigh at deaths door.
What world of unknown heroes
there live about us unheralded.
Saturday night the officers and
stockholders of the Greensboro Fur
niture Company gave a banquet to
their operatives and invited guests. A
proposition was made to the opera
tives that if they would agree to It. 2
dividend in addition to their regular
wages would be declared to all who
worked the succeeding twelve months
of what profits were made. This year
has been profitable one. That night
was a fine one to the rs operatives
who joined their employers in break
ing bread at Clegg's.