The sun., 1906-12-26
DINNERS FELL TO THOUSANDS.
SALVATION ARMY HEADS THE
LIST or HOLIDAY GFIERS.

Rask cts ', ith All the Material for u Dinner
Given to s.OOO-A Tremendous Christ
mas Tree In the Afternoon - class
in Sociology Among the watchers.
Five thousand mothers and children Of
the poor filed through the Grand Central
Palace for three hours yesterday and each
received the makings OF Salvation Army
Christmas dinner from the hands Of Com
mander Eva Booth. As the army figures II,
that meant dinners for 25 900 persons. They
weren't all from the Fast Side, either
Chance questions found boy from Hoboken
and a girl from Harlem. and one little chap
who staggered of with his hamper con-
fessed to coming from Fishkill, athough
he couldn't remember how.
In the afternoon 1900 children and
enough others 10 fll the Palace came back
for the Christmas tree and entert 3lnment, /,
the new feature which the Army has sub
stiuuted for the great evening dinner OF other
years. II all came out OF the magic kettle
at the street corner.
Every basket held a chicken. a loaf of
bread, a can OF soup, pound OF tea and
another OF sugar, some tuTnlps and carrots,
a box Of crackers, some oranges or apples,
a copy Of the Christmas Wdr Cry and card
from Miss Booth Miss Booth said there
were as many applicants for tickets as ever,
and that as few as ever of the prosperity
ripples have seemed 10 reach the tenemen Is.
Whatever rise in wages there has been is
taken by higher rents" she explained.
There we're all sorts Of demonstrations of
gratitude as the bresdlinsrs reached Miss
Booth. Catholics made the sign OF the
Cross above her head and blessed her in the
name Of their 81 ints One old woman with
a crutch had almost reached the door when
she remembered and came back. Il am
az old aha aaid N ha 4 'AV
man der, -and wish you a thousand happy
New Years" She hObbled away CRYING
professor from the theological seminary
at Meadville, Pa, stood near the head OF
the line with his class in sociology and
watched the distribution. When BriRadier
Parker, who had charge of it all, was told
that the Meadville school is Unitarian he
said: Il don't care The Unita rians dom
agree with our ideas OF salvation, but those
boys seemed sincerely interested and that
il all we could ask.
The Christmas tree Of the afternoon, so
the army says, holds the worlds record
for height. Anyway, its tip bEzSshed the
rafters OF the Palace and when the colored
lights were turned on the children shouted
that it was big enough for them.
Col. Clifford Of the army ran the enter
tainment with a mega aphone There were
singing OF America, which every child
seemed TO know clear to Great God Our
King" motion pictures, speaking of pieces
and a dumbbell exhibition by boy in
white, with spot light accompaniment.
Then Miss Booth spoke, saying that she
was not at all like the old lady ia the shoe.
for she knew only too well what 10 do with
the means that we're given her To make
children happy. And it's the happy boy
and happy girl that make the happy man
and woman" she co included.
A lot OF telegrans from Santa Claus were
read between whiles. Joseph Schilizzi of
Cherry HILL who sat under the gallery,
was in the middle or a story about Joe the
Toik, who was In jail in COnstantinOpl pie
fifty-one years because he wouldn't quit
believing n Jesus and who now plays the
piano in the new Cherry Hill Mission, when
Santa himself came sliding down a chute
Santa and Miss Booth handed out the pres
ents, which came in different colored pack
ages for children Of different ages Every
boy got little wagon TO cart his stun away
In and every girl a doll carriage.
For the mothers who had babies nd
bundles 10 carry and far 10 go there was a
man who stood at the door with a long
leather nag and handed out nickels for
carfare. Bundles OF clothing we're also
givsni on top Of the regular presents.