Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-07-21
HYSTERLA in Relief. giving.
Remarkable and Bizarre Collection Gifts Recently opened Relief DspO
San FrahelsGO-OPeT Hats and OSkS
Hler q Quantities. Some GTers
Who Made MShEes-PstS Forgotten
Especial Correspondence of the Evening Post)

San Francisco, An overhauling OF
the gifts Of the charitable 10 the
stricken people of San Francisco that
has Just been made in the Durant
School demonstrates that sudden i'm
pulses Of generosity are often hyster-
zeal. In some cases It would seem
that these impulses had caused al
most temporary insanity; especially
in the case of the young woman of
Peoria, H., who sent the refugees an
ermine-trimmed opera cloak in
which she left diamond sunburst.
Many OF the boxes that have re-
Gently been opened show that the
senders were either folk who did
not stop at reason. or that they del
egated the sending of the gifts to ig-
norant, If not half-witted, servants
More crush opera hats than will be
worn in San Francisco for many
months to come have been found in
the cases Of gifts recently opened.
There are also several score of even
ing dress suits of various patternsl
One box contained three varieties Of
evening clothing, half a dozen pairs
of patent leather shoes, and three
opera hats. There are among the
gifts a number of Inverness coats,
quantities of dress waistcoats, and
dress shirts in which the studs re-
NAMED. AS these relief supplies of
clothing came by the carload and
choked the schoolhouse storerooms
for distribution, there has been con-
siderable delay in getting at the con-
tents.
At first the army officers in charge
Of the distribution of clothing opened
only the cases that had been sent by
clothing stores and manufacturers.
There were also liberal contributions
of shoes from retail and wholesale
houses AS these were easily han
died, and showed excellent judg-
ment in selection, they were dis
posed Of first Then came the sort
ing of individual contributions.
These were sent in every variety of
package, some even in fine leather
grips and handbags. A great deal of
children's clothing of very fine ma
terial was received, but has not been,
and is not likely to be, distributed.
A few children of the refugees clad
in such garments would present
amazing contrasts with their neigh
bors.
The same may be said OF several
tons of women's clothing. Much OF
it would be only suitable for wear
either at the opera, ball, or some
similar entertainment. Some Of the
gowns that were evidently sent by
wealthy women are of Paris i'm
and have been very little
worn. There are boxes of silk stock
ings of every shade in the prism.
There are even silk tights that were
sent by kind-hearted, if
chorus-girls. There
are also other bits of finery appro-
prinate only for the stage.
In the matter of hats there is the
ness Of things ifr' @toS opera hats Reaff5
with and without opera cloaks. Mill
merry creations for street wear that
are fairly canopied with plumes were
jammed in boxes with odds and ends
Of extravagant fnery. There was
no stint of lace and handsome en-
broidery, and many of the hysterical-
ly generous are undoubtedly regret
ting their moment of blind impulse.
Givers Who Made Mistakes.
Many letters have come to the Off
GERS of the army in charge of the
relief work, calling attention to mis-
takes they made personally, or err
rors OF their servants, who packed
garments and pieces of fin
cry in the boxes of gifts. AS there
are hardly any names Of the givers
on the boxes, however, it is not like
ly that many of these contributions
will ever be returned. Already
vain search has been made to locate
the diamond sunburst sent by the
young woman of Peoria. A variety
of stick-pins and less valuable arti-
cles of jewelry have been found In
these gift boxes, and they are being
stored away In case their owners
might wish to journey to San Fran
cisco and reclaim them.
Many men who sent their fine raj
ment for distribution among the des-