Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-28
NEEDY OF CITY
REM EMbERED
BY0TTUMWANS
Young and Old Are Given
Christmas Cheer; Many
Hearts Gladdened.
JUNIORS GIVE 1927
PAIRS OF STOCKINGS

(From Tuesdays Daily.)
| The poor and the needy, the little
! orphans and those on whom fortune
has not smiled this year as in other
times, were all REMEMBERED today in
Ottun;wa Despite the fact that the
! year passing has been one Of man!
, calls upon the purse strings and the
heart strings as well-largely pat
riotic call but also one of mercy and
consideration for the suffering and
less fortunate Christmas in Ottumwa
has never witnessed more thorough
effort to provide the needy with some
remembrance on the birthday OF the
Prince of Peace.
! The number Of individual Christmas
gifts for the poor and less fortunate
will never be known except by the
recording angel, but the organized Civ
ing has been most generous and
thorough.
GIVE THOUSAND STOCKINGS.
The Courier Juniors Christmas
Stocking club gave out more than
1000 pairs of warm stockings well
filled with the knick-knacks that de.
light the childish heart. Nor were all
these things that went with the stock
ings useless and mere play things. In.
stead there were many quite useful
gifts, the possession of which will en-.
able some youngsters to attend school
who for lack of some wearables have
had to remain away from classes.
OF course there was candy and nuts,
fruit and some toys in each OF the
stockings, for Courier Juniors have for
long time been giving Christmas
stockings and have systematized
method OF learning the needs of their
less fortunate little fellows and they
know how to supply them. Then too
it is surprising how many grown up
Courier Juniors have Joined the stock
ing club every year. All are children
again and 1t is the biggest joy in the
lives Of many of them to be able to
be kid" again for the day and help
to gladden. the lives Of some other lit
tie "kiddie" who may be in the same
circumstances some Of these grown
up Juniors" were some years ago.
"klDDiEsu WATCH FOR STOCKING
Despite calls for other things that
have been many and numerous this
year the response to these patriotic
and charitable calls has made Christ.
mas giving greater pleasure and the
stocking club was able to give out
1927 pairs Of we'll filled stockings to
as many youngsters in Ottumwa. The
last of these were delivered today al
though for the past several days It has
been a task to fill and assemble the
stockings and afterwards to deliver
them to the various homes where lit
tie expectant faces we're oftimes seen
glued against window pane await
ing and watching for their coming.
One of the prettiest although some
what pathetic Christmas events ever
carried out in Ottumwa was the tree
for the children of the American Or
phans' Home, Fourth and Cass streets,
given at Hotel Ottumwa last night.
Grownups were there in large mum
bers. Local people and hotel guests
and as many of the latter away from
home and their own little ones for the
Christmas time, entered into the
affair with parental affection FOR
the children bereft OF father and
mother who were guests OF honor:
Tears mingled with the smiles ana
memories of other days fought hard
for place in the minds and hearts OF
those who looked on. Only the par
ticipation in the festivities that were
to make the little hearts glad could
stem less happy thoughts of the elders
who realized their days OF childish en-
ioy1nent of the yuletides that were
gone.
SONG TOUCHES HEARTS.
Laughter of young and old made
tho nalatial walls of the handsome
large hostelry ring and none dared
think of retiring while the fun was
m For the moment smiles gave way
IN somber expression and laughter to
tears when the little ones in cheruolc
voices like the angel choirs on the
night twenty centuries ago singing
Gloria in Excelsio Deo," sang. Il Wish
7 Had a Home, Sweet Home The
angels sung in honor OF the birth OF
him who was given no room in the Inn
and found q manager for bed. Many
~ the little ones singing had formerly
known the joys Of a home with loving
narents and their song was an appeal
direct to the heart of the grownups.
From the tiniest to the largest the
voices of the children became strong
through the Christmas carols but In
this last song women and men alike
who witnessed this pathetic little
scene. bowed their heads and an occa-
sional tear was brushed from the
eyes.
TREE AWAITS THEIR COMING.
more delightful entertainment for
children has never been carried out In
Ottumwa. Thirty-five of the young
sters we're present and everything was
done to give them the merriest Christ
mas they have ever spent Santa Claus
was on hand to greet them when they
arrived in the hotel bus and large
tree ablaze with colored lights and
elistening with tinsel and colored
globes bewildered them when they
entered the lobby.
RECEIVE PRESENTS.
The children were placed in circle
about the big tree and ]. s. Ferguson.
who planned the party with the aid Of
Clerk Dan FrarkeL dressed as Santa
Claus was with them. Christmas
..a:&.t;on, hx bo Liddin-