New-York tribune., 1907-12-26
TAKE TOUGH CLUBS TOYS.
Greenz1ch Village Tots Ozcn THAT
Organization for Day.

Nobody in old Greenwich Village asked yester-
day where Patrick or Gretchen or even little
See Moy Everybody knew they could be In Just
one place-the Tough Club and their famous hang
out in Grove street.
The Tough Club is not tSd as it sounds Away
back In 65 when the boys had told all their war
stories few hundred times. they decided to get
together and form club to tell them once more
So the Tough (neaning strong and not rowdy) Club
formed. Three OF the boys still left or that
Munchauseu crowd-Simon NJ. Sharp. who Is four
years older than Mark Twain. but says he feels
four years younger; Andrew Bell. who has kept
his youth by selling -four on the Produce Exchange.
and John Hopkins. All three of these youngsters
showed up yesterday to get their Teddy bears with
the others. Young Simon was little late, so he
had to take a doll instead.
About three hundred and fifty children of the
neighborhood lucky enough 10 get cards let
ting them in for a Christmas present at o'clock.
One minute before that time they were all in front
of the house. at No. q Grove street. Two minutes
later they all inside. and President Joseph
J. Fitzhenry buried from sight as he tried to
get the youngsters ranged in some sort OF order.
BY putting them three TO a chair he came as near
as he could 10 accomplishing the impossible
lot of older ones arrived on the first rush. but
John Jay Joyce, the trustee, at once took these
downstairs look the old play bills In the grill
room, and there other things to look at in
every well regulated grlllroom. AS reception COM
mittee to those children whose size prohibited the
wearing of knIckerbockers. John Jay was well
seconded by Ed Bodine and Louis D. Warford,
the secretary not to mention the white coated in
dividuaI who translated Gaelic and Plattdeutscher
orders into the real New York Christmas spirit.
Aside from the occasional trips to the grillroom.
every member of the club that could get there was
as busy with the ''kiddes' 'Tody' Hamilton
used 10 be orphans day at the circus. First
they got real vaudeville show going. which kept
the boys and girls quiet for an hour SO. 1t was
d good show. Then began the passing of the ice
cream. and much OF that delicacy was served TO
the youngsters that half of them went around look
ing for their overcoats to get warmed up.
After making sure that every one had been served
at least four times the boys were sent down.
stairs while the little girls got their presents.
There games. and Teddy bears. and dolls
that could sit up and speak. and almost everything
else that finds its way to Christmas celebration
waiting for them.
But while the boys were waiting for their turn
did they get together and sing? They did. but they
did not sing Christmas carols at ALL Being real
New Workers they sang ''Harrigan, That's Me-
and School Days" instead. but they sang them
just thankfully any high priced choir ever
sang Christmas carol. The spirit was there. any
how. Afterward they stormed the upper stories
and got their toy fire engines and automobiles and
things of that sort.
There was only one unhappy person present. and
that was Captain Bob Oswald. who is Chief
been purchasing Christmas cheer for the others
all the afternoon on SO bill because there
was not change enough in the house to break it.
Captain Bob" had the sort of BILL too SO
he tried to make an impression the crowd the
same way. Unfortunately for his design he laid
the bill down the bar (pardon. counter} Just
as the requisite amount of change taken in
He did get his bill back.
In the evening there was dance. it being also
ladies' night at the club, and the older folk had
just good time the youngsters had had
until midnight and after. Altogether, it was a
great day for Gil the seven ages in the old 9Th
Ward.