Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-01-04
RELIEF CARD PARTY
At CARvEL HALL
For Serbian Refugees, Pathetic
Appeal.
WAR AND DISEASE.
Have Wrought Havoc---Mr. Hamil-
ton Wright Mabie Quoted.

The following extract, taken from
The Outlook of November 3,1915, shows
the purpose for which the Serbian Re
lief Card Party at Carvel Hall is to be
given:
''The two great forces of destruction
war and disease have fallen most heav-
lily on the Serbian children, and today
the pressing problem for Serbia, and
for Americans, as we'll as the care OF
between five and ten thousand children
made orphans by war and disease.
Their fathers have fallen at the front,
their mothers have died of typhus
fever These children are not or
phans in the ordinary sense They
have not only lost their fathers and
mothers but they have lost all per-
sonal relations with the world about
them. Many of them are IN parts of
the country which are strange to
them; they do not know who their
relatives are; some of them do not
know their own names
They are wondering about the
country, in fields or woods, caring for
themselves or dying for want of care
They are feeding themselves as ami
mails feed themselves, wandering in
little forelorn bands about desolate
parts of the country, or, if they are
near villages and are fed. Perhaps
never in the world has there been such
pitiful condition as that of these
thousands of friendles, homeless and
shelterless children. During the past
summer they have been sleeping in the
woods and open fields; but winter is
already approaching, and it is not
difficult to imagine, if one is willing
to face the truth, what will happen to
the greater part of these homeless
wanderers. The story of the life of
these children makes a heartbreaking
appeal to all who know the situation
personally. A soldier who had been
wounded returned to his home on a ten
days leave only to find that his wife
had died of typhus, and that his two
children were alone in the little house
without food. He took them to st. He
lena's Home and begged with tears in
his eyes that they might be received
there. But it was impossible; the Home
was compelled to return to the front
and leave the children to make their
own way and take their chances
The problem is not only physical, it
is also moral. Those of the children
who survive are in danger of becoming
beggars and criminals. The Relief
Committee, of which DR. Elliott is hon
orarv president and which has the
cooperation of number of influential
and deeply interested American men
and women, has its headquarters at 20
Fifth avenue, New York. and has al
ready been able to send considerable
sums of money to still the cries of the
children and to save them starvation
and worse.
Mr. Hamilton Wright Mabie is the
author of the stirring appeal from
which these extracts have been taken
and, to quote him again, IF one is
willing to face the truth, it is not
difficult to imagine what will happen
to these homeless wanderers" So the
Serbian Refugee Relief Committee of
Annapolis is trusting that everyone
will "be willing to face the truth" and
become interested in the fate of these
pitiful little children.
The card party mentioned above is TO
/ be held at Carvel Hall, on the evening
of January Z, at 8 o'clock. All those
/ desiring to play will kindly send their
names to Miss Margaret Walton, 80
/ Maryland avenue