Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-03
ORPHANS OF WAR
!. NEED YOUR HELP
~
You Can Adopt One "By
Proxy for a Year for the
< Sum Of $3.50.
$4,000 ALREADY RAISED

How would you like to adopt ut
tle French war orphan?
Could you give yourself better
Christmas present" than to do so by
proxy" through the Fatherless Children
OF France-now?
Do you want to help prepare for the
upbuilding Of France after the war by
doing your bit" by helping support
child-or maybe more than one-until
he or she reaches the age of independ-
ence?
This is how it may be done:
The sum of $3.50. along with SINH
lar amount from the French govern
ment, will for one year give child its
home-with its loved ones that are
spared the devastating touch of war
along with its education and means
OF living in reasonable comfort. That
means that 10 cents a day will do it.
Then, too, it is possible for one, if
10 or she Is unable to pledge such an
amount to give at times to the gen
eral fund, from which appropriations
are made for the partial support Of as
many French children as can be taken
care OF
Where to Mail Checks.
washingtonians, il they desire to help
in this work--as a duty, for the heroic
work of certain Frenchmen in our dark
days of less than a century and half
Ago should at least be still more partly
repaid in Frances hour of need
may do so by mailing funds or checks
to Miss Harriet Winslow, treasurer of
the Washington committee of the Faith
erless Children of France. at I'LL 18th
street northwest.
The work of this organization in
America began about a year ago. and
Washington and $500. 900 in the United
States. That is nne showing for this
city. Of course. but it must be remem
bered that this city owes still greater
debt to France than the rest Of the
country, for L'Enfant planned Wash
fngton-that is. the older part-making
IT model for the rest of the cities of
the world.
The name of any child YOU may wish
to adopt will be furnished and you
will be placed in touch with it, You
may form one of the most charming of
friendships through the medium of let
tiers and photographs you may ex-
change. Christmas presents may be
sent to your child" free from duty
through Andrew Demetre, at 221 4th
avenue. New York city.
Needs Becoming Greater.
The needs of the fatherless children
Of France are becoming greater. More
fathers are being sacrificed upon the
fields Of battle every day. and those for
whom provision was made a year ago
are in need again. The French govern
ment Is doing nobly for the children
that have become it's wards. but it can
do only half the work required for each
one.
Full Of hope and trust. the govern
ment and. the children have turned to
America-the United States-for the
aid necessary
The. children of America also are
asked to help BY doing SO and form
ing friendships among the children of
both nations, full mutual understand
ing in the future may come about This
plan has been worked out by Miss
Fell, two Englishwomen who visited
the United States in regard to this
work last year.
Touching Letters of Thanks.
Touching letters of thanks already
have been received in America from
the children SO far aided A postal
card from one child, to little Wash
ington girl who took her under her
wing" reads:
Thank you for your amiable post
cara like you very much, even
without knowing you. i would like to
ten you aloud Of my joy. but il is i'm
possible. never forget you, Just the
same. in my prayers to the Holy
virgin. and ] ask her for a great deal
OF happiness for you and your parents"
Even II those who give such aid to
the children of the republic across the
ocean cannot read French, there al
ways Is a willing interpreter, as in
the above case.
Here Is a story related nv visfto,
near Paris:
The mother had been an enfant
trouvee. deserted by her parents From
earliest babyhood she had known hard
= ship and trouble. no home memories no
mothers love. no father
Father Goes to War.
Then happiness came to her one
day as sunshine suddenly breaks
through a dark cloud Her brave
'garcon' was fine young fellow, hon
est and hard-working-a locksmith by
trade-and together in a home Of af-
lection and happiness a little family
grew round then-hsppy little things
There were six of them. from the age
of three months to ten years, when the
with its iron grip. The father laid
down his tools and went-a son of
France before all things.
And sorrow came TO be their lot.
There came the struggle to keep her
home together. There was a tiny gar
den around the house in which she
worked TO raise few vegetables for
sale. and her little son of ten aided
her He was man. now that his ia
Their was gone. and his mother must
be his charge
"a kind neighbor gave the little fell
low a pair of rabbits to help him and
he fed and cared for them. One morn
ing letter was brought to him from
an unknown friend with a little pres
ent Of help TO the brave family. and the
Delight of the children was touching
at was the first letter they ever had
received. The little boy sat down to
write his thanks in the name OF his
mother and brothers and sisters What
business II was, They all clustered
around him. the baby being upon his
p knee. What excitement there was when
he made them all sign the letter. even
guiding the baby's hand over the sheet!
TT was touching little picture"
There are many such stories coming
rom France-and many without the
happy ending