New-York tribune., 1910-07-14
GREET FRESH AIR PARTY
Youngsters Get Warm Reception
at Binnhamton Station.
MORE SENT THAN ASKED FOR
But a Scramble for the Extra
Ones Quickly Exhausts
Their Number.

Binghamton. y. y, is second class city
in population. but not in hospitality. When
it comes to cCrdiality in welcoming guests
it stands at the head Of class A No l.
The South is famous for its open door, but
UP Binghamton way they don't simply hang
the latchstring out where it will be handy
If traveller chances by. They come
down to the railroad station in thousands
to shake him by the hand and urge him to
come home and try pot luck with them
for the next two weeks.
If YOU don't believe II ask any one of
the 239 Fresh Air children who arrived
there from New York on Tuesday and are
just now revelling in that same pot luck,
with several sorts of trimmings added not
generally included in the term, but which
the Binghamtcnians were too modest to
mention in their invitations.
The crowd didn't cheer as the train bear
ing their guests rolled into the Lackawanna
station, but every member of it stood on
tiptoe and wanted to be In the first line.
There were so many people that it was
with some difficulty that the police forced
a passage for the children through them.
Seeking New PIayn1ates.
It was largely a crowd of mothers and
children. ghe mothers were there because
the mother hearts in them went out to
these small people from the tenements
and because many a one of them had
stopped to think what she would do if a
little curly head at her side had 10 spend
its day amid the sort of wretched sur
roundings from which the little New York
ers had come. The children were there to
get acquainted with some new playmates.
of whose coming they had heard for some
time.
When the children had struggled off the
train. with satchels and bags in many cases
as big as themselves, and a passage had
been made through the press of people
they were all seated on grassy slope op-
posite the station and their pictures taken.
This also gave the crowd a good chance to
look their fill
Then came the distribution of the party
among their different hosts and hosteeses.
On the Journey up the children had all
been tagged, so that they looked like ami
mated express packages. AS the numbers
on their tags were called all those wear
ing the same number gathered together
and were given over into the charge Of
the persons who are to entertain them dur
ing their stay.
Smothered with Kisses.
Many OF the youngsters WeTS returning
to places where they had been before. AS
they caught sight of these the motherly
Rostesses clasped them in their arms and
srnothered them with kisses as though they
were their own long lost children. And
all too sad is the truth that many of the
little ones so greeted have mothers who
find little time to lavish such affection upon
their children.
2 q
Z25 children. Through some misunderstood
ing on the part of the various organiza-
tons by which they were recommended to
the Tribune Fresh Air Fund fourteen more
than the stipulated number were sent.
When the 225 had been driven away in hay
racks and carryalls those fourteen
mained sitting disconsolately in a group on
the lawn. Their faces wore an anxious
look. for they half realized the situation.
The crowd was still there, and when it was
made known that these children might be
come the guests of anybody known to the
! committee in charge there was such
scramble TO take advantage of the offer
that in a moment there were ten more fnvf-
tations than there were children.
Order for More Children
Those who got none. having entered into
the spirit Of the thing would not be put
off and so an order was prepared for more
/ children.
| Before this order could be sent, however.
a hoy turned up who wanted a playmate
Of his own age to GO out TO his fathers
/ country place TO spend his vacation with
/ him. He too. would not be put off, and
one more was added to the list of those to
! he sent. Still another had to be added
/ later 10 appease a feeling in the heart of
the yardmaster of the Lackawanna sta
| ton. He has a pretty little place on the
outskirts of the city. As he put It: MY
| front lawn just needs a pretty little girl
about knee high to a graeshopper to com
plete the picture. and I guess you'd better
send me one along" These additional
twelve children will be sent to Binghamton
| to-day
| In charge Of the party on the way to
| Binghamton were Mrs. George ]. Michel
! bach, Miss Martha Gundlach and Mrs. S.
Barkman, who came all the way from
/ Binghamton to perform this kindly service
/ for the little Youngsters.
/