Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-27
STARS FUND GAVE
CHRISTMAS CHEER
TO 5000 CHILDREN
Those Who Aided in Raising ST.
l73 May Learn Here the
Good Wrought.
HUNDREDS OF LITTLE ONES
MADE HAPPY WITH GIFTS
Many Touching Incidents Mark
ed "Cashing" of Tickets by
Joyous Youngsters.


The blessed day that comes but
once year" has joined the long list
Of yesterdays.
To three thousand children in this
city the Christmas of 1909 will stand
out in their memories as the ''red-let-
toriest" day of all their lives.
For many a day TO come they will
think gratefully of the good, wise Santa
Claus who was enabled to give them
dolls and dishes, boats and guns, games
and tin soldiers and candies, through
the big, unquestioning generosity of
EVENING STAR readers.
When Christmas eve came we looked
at the sum total of the Christmas fund
and were as proud as peacocks; proud
to think that it was in our power to
help SO many, and more than proud
to realize that our readers had given
us such splendid support. For their
sake, we will try to tell the story of
the fund from its beginning, that they
may find full measure of happiness in
knowing just how they brought sun
shine into homes that We're dreary and
rollicking happiness into many a gray
little life.
Just, three weeks before Christmas
the holiday spirit fell upon us. We
began to plan for the happiness of those
In our home circles. Thoughts of
friends crept in, and then, like a big.
big cloud forming ON a sunny after
noon. came the gloomy realization that
to many, many poor in the city Christ
mas would be dull and empty and holi-
day cheer bitter nockery That
whats the use" feeling came stealing
in, and we pitched in to work. deter
mined to forget Christmas and every
thing connected with 1t.
But Conscience had begun to torment
us. and work would not let us forget.
ITS UP to you" declared Conscience
with slangy positiveness.
Keep STILL" we growled, but Con-
science only grinned and shouted again,
.,aIt'h up to you In desperation we
asked what to do. and Conscience said,
IF you cannot do it all yourself, start
fund"
Thus began the EVENING STARS
christmas Fund. topped off by our own
hundred dollars, and followed by sew
eral substantial contributions. Per-
soilal calls were made upon prominent
persons. just to awaken interest, and in
a few days every mail brought checks
and bills and coins, until the glorious
total of $1,17S.75 was reached. Day and
night we worked for the growth Of the
fund until assurance came that we
would be able to carry out our plans
Then into all parts of the city we
went, trying to find the minister OF
every church, of every denomination,
and obtain list of the poor families of
81 x.1d
him enough tickets to provide for them.
In nearly every case the ministerswere
only too glad to cooperate, although a
few declined because their churches
were located in such prosperous dis
tricts.
As fast as the. lists of names came in
the tickets were placed in envelopes
and delivered to responsible persons
tmostly the ministers themselves), who
lost no time in getting them to the
children. Each ticket called for fifty
cents worth of toys, and in less time
than it takes to tell 1t the youngsters
were thfonging the department stores,
enjoying the glorious pleasure of pick
ing out exactly what they wanted. and
carrying their treasures home to ex-
pectant ones.
"Please I want a doll that goes to
Sleep" piped a wee lassie, holding up
her ticket to saleswoman in a Broad
street store.
eve don't have that kind for fifty
cents" declared the busy clerk, you'll
have to choose something else.a
The little girls lip quivered. Nothing
else had the appeal of a dolly with
eyes that really closed. The toy buyer,
standing near, noticed her disappoint-
naent and patted her shoulder.
Here here, no tears on Christmas,
cried he, "let's take another look" and
with a jolly wink at the saleswoman
he looked over the supply of dolls and
found a beautiful little winky- -blinky
one. the price of which was miracu-
lously marked fifty cents, though few
minutes earlier it had cost several pen
MES more Away danced the little
girl. dolly tight in her arms.
This is lust one incident of the many,
MANY that told of the Christmas spirit
that was abroad, and of the desire of
every one to help along the fund
Bows found pleasure in investing their
tickets for guns and soldiers and games.
The taste of the girls ran largely to
dolls and books For the babies there
were countless rubber balls and
soueaky rubber babies, with blocks ana
ray nursery books on the side. Every
body found just the thing that suited,
and nobody who had ticket was dis
appointed.
Though the tickets were marked
.toys," several of the store managers
decided to exchange them in any de-
partment. Consequently many little
ones found Christmas happiness in
warm stockings and cozy mittens.
Others purchased badly needed under
garments and other articles of wear
ing apparel.
Think OF it, you STAR readers who
contributed Three thousand children |
found Christmas happiness through !
your generosity In their name we
wish to express to you our heartfelt
gratitude for your cooperation.
The ministers. of the churches and |
their assistants, and everyone who |
tCantinped nn Page Fourtcen.)
For Teachers Convention.
Through car to Atlantic City. December Is. |
Leave Broad Street Station. New Jersey Central.
q M