Evening star., 1908-12-25
Christmas Cheer Dispensed
With B0untifuI Hand.
FOOD FOR MANY FAMILIES
Hundreds Receive Well Filled Saliva
tion Army Baskets.
SCORES FED AT MISSIONS
Jail Prisoners and Almshouse In
mates Not Forgotten by Chris
tian Organizations.

Christmas charity in abundance was
handed out last night and to-
day by several of the Christian organiza-
tons OF Washington. The spirit of Civ
ing which becomes contagious In the
Yuletide season, resulted in an epidemic
Of happiness in the District today.
Homes which were erstwhile the lairs
of gaunt wolves of want became places
Of good cheer. under the generous infiu-
ence of the spirit of Christmas. as 1t was
carried into effect by associations and
Perhaps no organization in
has greater Christmas ac-
to its credit than the Sal
vation Army. The workers of this band
of Christians had been engaged for we, rs
in scouting along the byways and high
ways of the capital and in the conges.ed
of the other half searching out
extreme cases of suffering. When the
scouts reported to Mai. NJ. Elizabeth
Barter, in charge of the southeastern d.
vision. with her headquarters in this city
a long list was prepared OF those VINO
were known to be sorely In ne "a.
As a result of this work pathetic PIC
lures of poverty were presented at the
of the Salvation Army. $50
avenue, last night and to-
day. AS Maj. barter was directing the
work Of preparing the baskets filled with
Christmas cheer for 800 poor families an
aged woman approached her. Win down.
cast eyes the venerable woman asked:
Am too late to make application for
some food for my family? This is the
first time in my long life that / have
been compelled to ask for charity, but
my good husband died several months ago
and left me weak and i'll with several
children to support. God knows l have
tried hard to find employment, but when
apply they tell me l am too old and
too feeble to work.
She Was Not Too Late.
Maj. Barter observed that teardrops
were trickling down the face of the poor
woman and she replied. in the kindest of
tones:
NO, you are not too late she said.
We are glad of the opportunity of pro-
viding you and your loved ones with a
Christmas dinner. Now. on New Year
eve We will have Christmas tree In our
hall and if you will bring Your children
to the entertainment we Will see that
they are given some toys, candy, fruit
and other good things
The gratitude of lhe venerable woman
found vent in food of tears. She
walton Army and tottered from the hall
murmuring:
God bless you, ma am; God bless you.
The workers of the Salvation Army
handed out holiday cheer in basketsful be-
tween and ID o'clock last night. lAli day
long the laddies and lasses were busy
filing the long lines of baskets to the
number Of half thousand in the main
auditorium at $50 Pennsylvania avenue.
Each receptacle contained large fowl,
vegetables. bread, fruit breakfast food
and other eatables, also a CHEEKY Merry
Christmas"
The money with which the provisions
were purchased was collected from char
liable citizens by the Salvation Army
lass:es. Many of the baskets were sent
out by the army from lists furnished by
the Associated Charities.
A we'll dressed and prosperous appear
ing man. who was attracted to the hall
by the hustle of the distribution. after
watching the workers for a few minutes,
turned to woman who was with him
and declared:
This is the real thing in charitable dis
.pensation. There is no theory about
this
The prosperous man then distributed a
liberal quantity of silver money among
those standing i'll the food line.
One of those who received d we'll filled
Christmas basket from Maj. Barter was
tottering man. who said he was seventy
SIX years of age. In days gone by he had
been volunteer fireman. and his eye
sight was almost ruined while heroically
rescuing mother and her child from a
burning building. AS he dashed through
the flames and smoke he was burned Sc
verely about the face, resulting in the
permanent injury of his sight. Cropping
his way to Mai. Barter, he told her that
he and his aged wife live alone in George
town. His children have scattered to the
four winds. The veteran fireman was
shivering with cold. Maj Barter gave him
heavy overcoat and a basket with the
makings of Christmas dinner. and the
venerable firefighter Of other days went
away rejoicing.
Had No Place to Cook.
A deaf mute wrote on his pad that he
was alone and very poor. and when a
basket was offered him declined to take
IT with the explanation that he has no
way to cook the food. The Salvation
Army iasses gave the man a supply of
canned goods and bread. and it happened
this morning that young woman with a
deep blue band on her bonnet and the let
terS 5. A.. printed on it. carried a
smokins-hot baked chicken to the hum
ble lodgings Of the deaf mute
Another pathetic case was that of a
LAD OF sixteen years. whose mother is
blind, his father dead, and he is the sole
support of several smaller children and
the mother. One of the children is para
lyzed from the waist down. Another, who
mas been earning So week, was required
to give up his position owing to the child
labor law The manly little bread win
hCi WSlil away Will Ills lace sun USED
with smiles Juggling a basket heaped high
with Christmas goodies.
When the long line Of persons had been
provided with baskets. Aaj. Barter dis
tributed the food left over among the
less fortunate who came too late to
have their names entered upon the list of
800. She said it was her intention to
keep an eye" on some of the most pitt
full of the many cases Of dire want that
were presented at the Christmas eve dis
tribution.
At the Reform Schools.
The boys out at the National Training
School. formerly the Reform School. had
jolly time today. Supt. O. n oarnall
gave all the lads the freedom of the
buildings and grounds ana the youngsters
ron.ped about and engaged in games and
frolics. alike unmindful of the slushy
snow and the rain which set In about
noon. Last night the boys were visited
by Santa Claus. who gave each of them
bag of candy, nuts and fruit. Soon
after daybreak this morning the gifts
that had been sent to the inmates by
their relatives and friends were distrib-
uted among them. before they sat down
to hot Christmas breakfast.
The girls at the reform school for girls
out Georgetown way received many pres
ents and were entertained in variety of
l,..., .fn1 t.r;e-f