The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-26
AGED POOR FEAST and DANCE
WHO COfLD RESIST the IRISH
REELS WITCHERY:


We'll know fer These Many Year,
-lesnaFd % Roseommen. Aged "a
The Christmas dinner to the inmates
of the Home for the Aged Poor. in Seven.
,ieth street near Third avenue. was served
yesterday at noon by John ID Crimminr
founder Of the feast and members of
his family. a. IL has been served year
after year for 80 many years that Mr.
Crimmins himself doesn't remember just
when the custom began
How long have we been doing this
sister, he asked a Little Sister Of the
Poor. who stood by while with va-r
white apron over his morning coat he
heaped cranberry sauce and dressing on
the plates
Now, I'm sure I don't know tina,
sir she told him. Its twenty years
I've been here my .elf. and you did IL
the year | came"
For twenty years a. least. then. the
house Of Crimmins has been making
Christmas cheer among the aged poor
In Just one way this il unfortunate II
there had been only one dinner the vet
Grams from the old sod could and surely
would date time from it, Now their
the big wind which seems TO have come
before the birth OF most OF them. though
YOU have to be sixty TO qualify for ad-
mittance into the home. That makes its
Christmas dinner a select and exclusive
affair. together with the limited capacity
Of the home. which shelters only sO0 per-
sons Of both sexes.
In most OF them the thin blood warns
and tingles when The Wearing OF the
Green IL played, bu. they are quite demo-
cratic. as witness Peter Beranger. the
French Canadian. who hunted and trapped
through Ontario almost in fiintlock days.
or Sol Herman. from the south OF P-rIs-
sia. who may have been at Sedan. or
and chiefly Aunt Eliza Anderson. who
owns 20 SO. and was once OF the old negro
colony on Long Island.
NO. sub. no sub. All nevsh teches il.
said Aunt Eliza proudly when some one
saw that she hadn't heer glass and
wondered IL she were neglected
Downstairs. IN the younger women's
dining room the dining room where
colleens OF sixty-o are secluded. that
their romping may not bother their elders
dancing began before dinner. promoting
appetite and digestion. besides giving out
let TO girlish high spirits. A Hungarian
violinist named Clancy. with "A compatriot
harpist accompanying him. played the
old Irish jiss and reels for ten wild min
utes. while in the aisle between tables
Catherine sullivan Of the County Clare.
Bridget Carroll Of Mayo. Catherine Cotter
and Mary Hyland OF Roscommon and
many more sweeteyed things bobbed
.S.xA
cheered by Mr.. Crimmins One fine Iump
Of a girl. not hindered a bit 10y two wadded
canes she uses. did brave little dance all
alone with suah good will that she soon
sat down all out Of breath. but blithe and
smiling.
There was hung on tho wall in each
lining room an evergreen framed motto
INVOKING blessings upon Mr.. Crimmins
and family. The notices were not
needed bit. for everybody was invoking
III the blessings he could think % by word
II mouth. but they looked well on the
walls. where they will hang again next
Christmas. and no doubt on many a !
christmas vet to come.
When harp and fiddle reached the !
Younger men not one Of them knew how |
q dance. which wrote them down for |
and not for gay gussoons. |
md they were properly ashamed OF IT, !
liter disgrace To his sex was saved In
he veterans room Upstairs by Michael
leonard Of Roscommon. 81 years young.
who rose "a beseemed a lad Of accom-
,lishments and did reel au deux with a
newspaper man until the newspaper man
.ried quits. painting terribly. and qliailed
,sfore the twinkle Of triumph in NiChael's
fright old eye.
While the drumsticks were in picking
he fiddle began TO Groom Rory O'Mors-
IRainst a background OF mellow chords
rom the harp. and drifted from that into
Believe Me II All Those End.sring Young
harms and no one was quite a. happy
Until the song had ended. II mad. rather
pleasant unhappiness, though. Tor that
land and he knew how TO get his melody
iown into all the deeper places Of man.
specially Of n man who had left the peat
,ogs and the heather long ago.
In room TO himself lay Matthew
Nance. a man Of parts, sometime valet
O Cardinal McClo-ksy. Matthew IN ~.
which il young when you think Of Annie
'unnion. oldest inmate. at o.. but he
.as paid for his aristocratic seclIi-ion
" being very i'll and nv having has Christ
ras dinner served to suit invalid diet
iimilarly secluded Was Mary MIlquesny.
whose fine eyes and soft skin showed
vhat beauty had been hers. She bright
ned at trading Christmas greetings
With Mr.. Crimmins Mary's heart was
sistful az missing the dancing She d
ather dance than eat any day. she said
The celery served came from the Grim
nin- country home at Noroton. Conn
he oranges. Mr.. Crimmins observed.
Iad been rather a source Of bother. they
ad to he Just OF a size. that none Of the
Id people might feel slighted in the
cling Pipes. candy and tobacco. being
tanda rdized were easier problems The
iIrkey. MIR Crimmins had selected. TO
1sure their being Of the tenderest
After dinner the music travelled again
rom room 10 ROOM and among yhe
ounger girls the dancing was Iusti-r
han before Shawls fell nnheeded. Bon
ct strings streamed out in abandon
> the dancers whirled They might
q whirling yet 10 Thomas Woods hadn Z
ONE around with his address of tribut.
D Mr. Crimmins. which ho had been
elected to com pose and TO read j.. every
OoIr.
II was a sumptuo,is address. with much
hetoric and quotation OF poetry. and
Iith all the good will in the world While
Ir Crimmins was replying in ths younger
isn's room ons greedy old fellow risked
fa. a,irvangiti0rig knife hiRp af his ,