Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-25
LIVES MADE BRIGHT
Lads in Rags Warmly Clad by
SakS & Co.
CHRISTMAS GIFT OF FIRM
Hundred Boys Picked Out as the
City's Most Deserving.
SAD EYES MADE TO SHINE
Chilled Bodies Caused to Glow With
Sturdy Shoes, Wooden Stockings,
Suits and Thick Overcoats.
CHRISTMAS GIFT OF FIRM
SAD EYES MADE TO SHINE

For the twenty-ninth time the firm of
Saks & Co. clothed and made happy
hundred children of the poor today. This
has been the way the firm has celebrated
Christmas since 1855. A hundred boys,
most of them the sons of widows whose
stories are replete with poverty, disease
and broken lives, went to the Saks store
this morning with torn and ragged
clothes. with feet showing through the
sOpping wet shoes and with practically
no protection against the winter which
makes other people rejoice for a white
Christmas" They went away with dry
stockings and stout shoes. with bright,
new red neckties and fine caps, and, best
of all, every one of them wore brand
new overcoat, especially fitted on him
by corps Of statesmen and department
heads, who give up their Christmas morn
ing every year for the sake of this bit
of practical charity. Many needing. them
badly were given new suits
Picked as Deserving.
The boys were picked out from all the
poor of the city as being the most de-
serving. The experts of the Associated
Charities looked over the situation and
issued cards to the 100 lads who, in the
opinion of the organization. are most in
need. To read the list of cases is
enough to bring tears.
1t would hardly be expected that there
are one hundred examples of such pitt |
full poverty in city.
Mothers with five children, none of
them over eleven years old, and all de- |
pendent on the mean earnings of the
woman at a dollar a day and even less, |
came with their boys. There was a
widow, young woman, from whose
cheeks the roses have long since fled, |
who has six children, and who can earn
SIG a month.
There was a little boy who came shyly. |
with his card in his hand His face was
washed brightly. and his ragged clothes
had been smoothed and brushed so that
he might show his respect for the peo
pie who had invited him to the only
Christmas he will know today. On the
list which showed the needs of the lads
some one had written of him:
"His mother and father are dead"
Leaves Warmly Clad.
He went away with a pocket stuffed
with Christmas coins and a pretty neck
tie set off the dark blue of his new over |
coat He had left behind the rag of a
hat and wore a fine cloth cap on his
golden hair. His stockings were warm
and thick and wooden and his shoes, in
stead of showing all his toes, were thick
and heavy winter OOOtS o1 extra SOou
leather.
The boy whose father and mother are
dead had gone to the right place for
welcome today.
There were many others. In the list
of hundred there were children whose
parents are both cripples. There were
twins whose faces would make splen- |
did addition at the table Of some. rich
host today, yet their father Is dead ana
the mother can earn only 81 a week
They were clothed and made happy with
crisp dollar bills There was boy OF
eleven whose mother is ill and who is en-
tirely dependent on the earnings OF two
Ia de of fourteen and sixteen. One OF the
cases which attracted attention was that
of a widow who has five children and who
can earn a few dollars month. and yet
she struggles to keep her family together
DESPITE the advice of relatives.
Some Children Sick.
Some of the children were sick with cold
when they arrived at the store. and for
their benefit DIR. J. NJ. Heller was on
hand. He advised and prescribed.
In addition to Joseph Saks and Isaac
Cans, manager of the firm. the employees
who gave up their Christmas morning for
the distribution Of clothing were George
S. Daniel Samuel Phillips. Sam Splitter.
Henry n Ober, Samuel Peach, j. Rosen-
berg, w. s. Atwill, p Baulsir. Mr. Hal
lock. Mr.. Umphries and Charles Hoover.