Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-12-26
CHRISTMAS CHEER At
THE COUNTY HOME
Inmates Enjoy Gifts From a
Generous Public.
GUILD OF MERCY GRATEFUL.
Two Pathetic Cases Among the Ia
mates-0ne a Very Sick
Man.

IL was napier Christmas for the
sixteen inmates of the County Home.
than ii would otherwise have been
had not a generous Annapolis public
contributed to their Christmas cheer.
The Guild OF Mercy feels grateful
TO the charitable citizens who re-
sponded to the appeals to take these
unfortunate ones some little reminder
that the outside world has not forgot
ten them and that this is season of
Good viii to (alD Men" For davs
the Guild of Mercy has been purchas-
ing presents for the men and women
at the County Home, and tying up
packages. Each and every man and
woman was rene embered by some
thing substantial as we'll as candy.
cake, nuts, hgs, dates and pipes and
smoking AMI chewing tobacco for the
men.
1t was long, rough road to travel
to the County Home ana back to An
napolis yesterday, and the trip con-
sumed all of six hours, the membe RS
Of the Guild making it, practically
gave up their entire Christmas day.
but they were amply repaid. Ex-
pectancy beamed frc m each face, and
had th5 Guild deferred its visit there
would have been many disappointed
ones.
The CounCy Home is beautifully
situated on South River, but so far
from Annapolis that one who goes
lover the hills TO the poor house"
will hardly come back again. The
Home was as clean as a new pin, and
well heated, considering the old
fashioned stoves and lack of up-to-
date necessities.
Upon arrival there the presents
were distributed, first to the one
white woman, whose case is a pa
thetic one. She is Doctors widow
and her father was a physician. She
is connected with some of the best
families in Maryland, but is the last
surviving member Of her immediate
family. She is refined and delight
full old lady. She was touched by
the gifts, the first the worlds "char-
ity" had ever bestowed on her. 1t is
her first Christmas at the County
Home.
Next the white men were remen.-
bered and all were pleased and thank
full to all those in Annapolis who con-
tributed so generously to their Christ
mas cheer. The hospital was next
visited Here an old white man is
quite sick. He realizes that he will
probably not be on earth next Christ
mas, and he made one request of the
Guild of Mercy, strange wish filled
with pathos.
When asked if there is any little
thing he would like to have, he mod
estly answered: Eyes, there are two.
First | should like a pair of soft
slippers, No. z, felt or any kind that
would ease my feet, showing the
hard. cowhide shoes, new pair, how
ever, that che county furnishes the
inmates. This man has bronchitis,
and while he is very sick, he is net
confined to bed, and is able to move
around the place they call "the
hospital" His other request touched
the members of the Guild deeply.
He said: please bring me white
shirt to lay me out in when | die"
The colored ward has four men and
three women. One old colored woman
must be over 100. She is bed-ridden,
and a colored man is bed-ridden. He
is feeble minded. Most of the color
ed inmates are. There was only one
other request besides the slippers and
shirt for something the Guild
did not take down-a clock. A white
mao asked for one.
The visit to take Christmas cheer
to the Home was frought with the
hardships of travel over very bad
Anne Arundel roads, covered with
snow and ice, but the weather was
fine ami the gratitude of the recipients
of Christmas cheer was marked and
we'll worth the trip. The Guild of
Mercy expresses gratitude to the
Annapolis and Naval Academy
donors.