The Washington times., 1915-12-25
City USHERS IN
DAY. OF PEACE
AND GOODWILL
Happy Children Reign Supreme
in Every Home in Wash.
ington.

Little Eddie did not SILVER, II was
not cold enough for that; neither did
Sister Nellie cling tightly to his hand,
for the jRnitoE Is paid to keep the
ghosts out; neither slipped down n
tarnister rail, for they lived in an
apartment house, but:
Eddie and Nellie did creep stealth
i,y out OF bed before dawn this mora
ing, while father and mother slept.
went into the living room, and there
found. piled high, around a genuine
old-fashioned Christmas tree, brought
by good old-fashioned Santa Claus,
a pile Of presents as dear to the child
heart as those any child of any gen.
GRAFTON ever received.
This IL the picture you can get in
nearly every home in Washington this
morning where there are children.
Busy Christmas Eve.
streets in all the residential sections
streets in al 1.-The residential sections
were busy with hurried, smiling per-
sons with great armfuls of bundles,
Doorbells were rung. and the donors
fled, before the portals were opened.
and Christmas presents were deposit
ed on. door steps, and in apartment
receptacles, all over the city.
Religious Observance of the day be-
gan at midnight in many churches.
especially In Catholic churches. where
crowds poured in to attend the mid
night mRsses, which were marked by
beautiful and impressive music.
Thousands attended these masses.
some of the larger churches. including
St Patrick's. st. AIoysius' and Holy
Trinity in Georgetown, being packed
full services was that at Mt. st. Sepul-
chre = Monastery, Brookland, by the
Franciscan friars.
Scarcely were the crowds from the
others wendell their way, before the
break of day. to. early services in both
Catholic and Protestant Churches On
Capitol Hill many attended a sunrise
ton at $50 o'clock. and nearly oil NJ
the Episcopal churches ~ the citv' 40
we'll as many others of Protestant de-
nominations, had early services.
No One Forgotten.
Never before have such efforts been
made by societies. fraternal bodies,
missions, settlement houses. charity or
ganixations, and churches to insure
every one in Washington a Merry
Christmas.
Last evening hundreds OF volunteer
workers carried to the homes OF the
poor baskets OF provisions and more
FOR the coming winter months.
The salvation Army served a break
fast, as we'll as a Christmas dinner,
and at both the Central Union and the
Gospel Mission workers were busy last
night and this morning putting the
nnal touches to the preparations for
Christmas dinners, Christmas baskets.
and Christmas trees to which children
OF the poor will be invited, and from
which they will receive presents.
Not even the wards OF the District
were neglected. At the Jail an excep-
ton is made on Christmas Day to the
rule against bringing presents for the
inmates. and friends of those who are
detained there took them Christmas
foods and presents OF various sorts.
Though there was no turkey. there was
special Christmas dinner, with pork
as the meat for the occasion, and this
afternoon there are special services con-
Quoted by choirs from various churches
at both the jail and the Washington
Asylum Hospital.
Down at the District workhouse. at
Occoquan, the inmates received holi-
day, dressed up In their Sunday best"
and gathered around Christmas din
ner table. Later they assembled for de-
votional exercises
The Associated Charities was fore
handed with its Christmas giving. In
stead of carrying baskets around on
families happy in teh assurance that
a merry Christmas was to be theirs by
sending forth Christmas pGovislons a
day ahead of time, and presenting these
TO the mothers. so that the Christmas
might be as normal and homelike as
possible.
With each of these baskets went
some substantial gifts. such as a ton
OF coal. or warm clothing.
Nearly 2 900 children We're the bene-
nciaries of tho Christ Child Society.
This organization. under the direction
Of Miss Laura v. Merrick, distributed
-. Il.
fore. All the presents thHt make the
child heart harry were piled high tho
last week at 929 G. street and Young
women worked against the incoming
deluGe OF gifts. in wrapping them in
bundles to be taken out last evening.
At the Y. NJ. c. A. members Of the
stan made the annual Christmas vista
uon to rooms of those who live thcrc
Wishing them Merry Christmas. and
every effort was made to provide the
essentials of a CHEEKY Christmas for
RNVE -.