New-York tribune., 1907-12-29
LITTLE MOTHERS FETE.
700 Remembered By Santa Claus,
Who Sent Many Goodies.

Murray Hill Lyceum never came nearer losing
its than it did yesterday afternoon. when the
seven hundred Little Mothers" gathered in tie
auditorium for their Christmas festival caught
sight Of the first tray of the fee cream and cake
provided for them. A houseful OF little fathers
could not have surpassed the yell that went up
then from the hundred young feminine
throats.
A programme came before the refreshments
songs and recitations-to which the small girls
gave pretty close attention. when you consider
that the ice waiting for them on one
side and presents the other, and they knew Il
Miss Slesenger- Howell sang several songs and
John D. Lndley. tenor gave two groups OF songs
Miss Edith Granger recited "a Woman's Answer.
The girls of of the cooking classes of the
Little Mothers Aid Association sang some songs.
dressed in their class uniforms and caps. Toward
the end of the programme fourteen hundred young
eyes began TO turn anxiously toward the ante
room man had gone in with tray of spoons
and another with dishes The girls knew the
signs
play something-anyt thng-to keep them quiet
till the ice cream Is served" said Mrs. Clarence
Burns to one of her volunteer helpers.
The other struck up Love Me and the World Is
Mine At the first notes the piano seven hun
young voices joined in Justify The FIRST tray
of ice cream appeared The bearer slipped a bit
at the foot of the stairs and hundred hearts
stood still Then the tray was righted and the
children cheered. Led by Fl. A. Groesbeck. treas
urer of the association. they swung back into the
song again. Then they sang ''Harrigan' and Ar
rawanna" and ''Schooldays, while the serving pro-
ceeded as rapidly ten distracted women could
perform it, OF course, the children who hadn't had
their ice couldn't help standing up and
pressing forward in their fear lest they shouldn't
get any, but they behaved very We'll Little by
little the vocal chorus grew smaller, till every
small throat was stopped with ice cream and the
pianist played alone.
Then the presents distributed. A class of
young girls from the Sunday school of All Angels
Church had filled the bags and come to help give
them out. Each bag contained doll. game, a
book, bag of candy, and something useful-a
pair of stockings cap. The children Of the
South Ferry branch-dark eyed little Syrian moth
ers whose own big mothers work cleaners in
the big office buildings and are the poorest of the
poor-were told to march around first and get their
presents. They did so. joyously. but then the Sec
ond avenue branch children, four hundred strong.
got anxious. Were there bags enough to so around?
They didn't know. Perhaps they'd better so and
see Then ensued exciting time. with hundreds
of small heads In fuzzy caps and nondescrpt hats
hobbing around the tables where the presents were
piled up and shr voices demanding OF every
grown-up, "Misss. how do get my bag?"
Mrs Burns Gained the troubled waters. and by
branches were sorted out and ranged in proper Sc
quence in orderly line that marched past the
place where the presents were given out.
1t was interesting to see the change that came
over the small faces as the girls received their
bags-how the sharp anxiety faded out and a
beatac expression succeeded. Most Of the dolls