New-York tribune., 1907-04-20
A MOTHERS LUNCHEON.
Helping Hand Society Gires annual
Treat to Tenement DSCeLLers.

Five long white draped tables stretched across
cha large lower hall OF Helping Hand Memorial
Capel az No Gl6 West 54th street yesterday after
voon Two hundled and fifty places were set at
these tables with plates piled with good eatables.
nnd AZ each place was blooming geranium which
the iuncher was afterward 20 carry home with her.
For II was the anniversary. the forty-hrst. OF the
ladies' Helping Hand Association the entertain
Teut anG luncheon which II gives every year TO the
tenement house mothers who are members OF its
various classes.
Typical tenement house faces they were. the
faces OF these women who sat behind the blossom
sng geraniums. Some OF them were old. wrinklei
and toothless Many were younger, and all were
lighted I'D with the pleasure of this meeting. q
the songs. the flowers. the little break IL made IN
their lives But and all bore the marks Of an
existence IN which next months rent is generally
an unknown quantity.
Before the luncheon began there were two songs
sung BY one Of the women AS she sang. ard after
ward as she talked and laughed with her neighbor
at table. one would have suspected her 10 be
blind, and yet she is
Luncheon ended with Ice and cake. and
then the programme began. Prayer was offered by
the Rev. ". Ackert. The chldren's exercises fol-
lowed. They marched Gown from The chapel
crowded on the platform in their Sunday fnery
Twelve little boys and girls impeIsonated the
haired giT Ieeited Rileys The g2bbe-uns II git
tiniest tot %. cid something. and not one broke
Then the women sang ''The Mothers Hymn"
and after this the Rev William Garter pastor Of
The Madison Avenue Reformed Church. made =
40 4 they Will lighting up his talk with number
of funny stories which seemed appeal
These women Illustrated the saying that tho
harder the life the IS a little fun needed ana
appreciated When Mrs. Minnie Marshall Smith
got up 10 Teciie for them, they applauded her rst
selection, a rather serious thing, which she gave
piano accompaniment played by Mr. Smith
But her version of the matrimonial adventures 0f
Jenny Wren and che gay tontiI set them all laugh
ing, and Kate Douglas Virgins The Gossip"
brought down The house
waited at the table. and saw that every got
plenty Of hot coffee sandwiches and fee cream.
Among these members. many OF whom teach the
Friday classes Of women, We're MIS-. II @. Ar
nl0ur. second drectress of the association; Mrs
2. H HerricE. who is on the luncheon committee
MISS Moves. on the appncatio;a committees Mss
Helen Miller and Miss Wynkoop. T. J. Herrick
who always comes the Friday meetings, took
general charge yesterday. and was everywhere
seeing that all had good time. Miss Moves be-
sides helping with the tables, sang several German
said wrinkied and bent old when she
come TO say good bye 10 member OF OF the
committees, her geraniUnls and big orange in
We'll. you must come often and see US" said
Mrs. T. J. HeTrick, heartily. Poor SOUL she
whether she lives or dies. But our missionary
Miss Zesse, spends all her time visiting such. and
slow TO tell their wants. When the cold weather
came last winter l felt troubled. I thought
how cold the poor must be. So ! said to the
you need coal or IL you have any friends who
need coal, YOU must let Us know
Then ] went home and felt better. BuJ a few
days afteTWard Miss ZIesse visited one of our
women and found her ia be6-llept there by the
fast.
Why didn't you tell us: Miss Ziesse asked her.
1t Is e e asaby n1Sese sp9es y9sid yWsie is me effect
Of long life OF want"