Evening star., 1936-12-13

nessee and our citizens subscribed
so literally, they could not do for
the penny lunch, and Mrs. Roberts
soon found herself with hundreds of
hungry and sick people on her hands.
hungry stomachs to f1ll and little
means to do it with. In fact, for. a
year the place has been kept up by
few, who appreciated what was being
done and helped her with money and
goods. She says that had it not been
for Barbour & Hamilton, Reed Bros,
z. j. Neumyer, w. H. Hoover and
Willard Of the Ebbitt House she
should have been obliged to close.
All these helped her and said nothing
II the bills could not be met every
month. Mrs. Enges OF the Seventh
Street Market from the first day Of
! opening supplied the penny lunch
with vegetables free. 1t is now on
Tenth street, 529, near F, and any
one can stop in any time and see
the manner In which 1t is carried on.
| Roberts says she has no visiting
days, when the dirt is swept in COR
ners and the skeleton securely locked
in a closet for that day. but it is
always ready for inspection"
lONE thing we do not know, and
never will know, is the names of
those who contribute the most literally
to charity. for there are those among
us who do not believe in letting their
right hand know what their left hand
is doing. and who would feel en-
barraSSed TO have their charitable acts
made public. as was the case with a
certain washington resident. named
Samuel Kirby, many years ago.
This well known citizen was q cab
inetmaker and, according to the late
Mrs. JEANNE Tree Rives, was an ex.
ceedingly charitable man, but hated
to have his deeds publicly known.
and upon one occasion, when thanked
in open meeting for a liberal contri-
button he had made TO the church,
never attended there again.
Upon another occasion this same
man. so the story goes. began sending
a turkey every Christmas to the Wash.
ington City Orphan Asylum. then To-
Gated on H street, between Ninth and
Tenth streets, next to the Van Ness
mausoleum. "As the number of chill
dren increased, 50 did the number Of
turkeys, until at last a barrelful was
needed to supply the demand. Year
after year the barrel was sent Christ.
mas eve. One year no barrel came.
At the very last minute the matron
and manager had to hustle around to
get up Christmas dinner for the
children. When asked why he had
not sent the turkeys as usual, he said
that women never could keep q se.
cret; that some of the women with
their long tongues had told all about
the gift Of the turkeys. and he didn't
mean to send any more In this case
he was a little unjust to the women.
the secret having leaked out through
the market men. A barrel Of turkeys
is good deal for a private individual
to buy, and would be apt to cause
comment; but I never heard that he
sent any more turkeys at Christmas"
IOF COURSE, in later days, the Cen.
tral Union Mission, the Salvation
Army and other organizations have
aided materially in providing for the
distressed, and We must not fail to
mention the firm of Saks & Co., for
many years one Of Washington's fore-
most clothiers, who every Christmas
gave away 100 overcoats to needy boys.
and kept this up until the firm went
out Of business about eight years ago.
| OF the special charities before re-
ferred to, one Of the most worthy is
the Little Sisters Of the Poor. whose
home is on H street northeast, be-.
tween Second and Third streets. This
Is q home for the aged poor. and its
inmates are admitted regardless of
race. creed or color.
This organization came into exist.
ence in little room at st. Servan,
on the coast of Brittany, on October
IS. 1910. and the Washington branch
came here in 1871 at the request Of
Rev. Father J. A. Walter, pastor of
st. Patrick's Church. Its first home
was in old Carroll Hall, then on the
south side Of g street between Ninth
and Tenth streets. and was presided
over by Sister Gonzales Joseph.
From here 1t moved. In 1873, TO Its
present home on H street northeast,
having purchased the ground In 1879.
which then included nearly the entire
block. for $4,000. and the building
was commenced on May Of that
year. 1t being In the square to the
west Of the one where many years ago
was old st. Peters Cemetery. When
the home was first opened on @ street
1t had as inmates four old ladies. one
Of whom was blind. Today the guests
number 29S, there being liz white
men and 1872 white women, and %
colored men and 81 colored women.
One of the colored women is said to
be 124 years Of age. Sister Celestine
de st. Pierre Is the present head Of
the institution.
The knights OF Columbus of the
District Of Columbia takes Q great in
terest in this home for the aged, and
has for the past 10 years annually
given pound party for its benefit
the last one. under the general chair,
manship of DR.. George r. Ellis. have
ing been given on Sunday. November
40. Upon this occasion the knights
Of the Fourth Degree attended in uni.
form and acted as guides.
BY virtue Of the rules Of the order.
the Little Sisters do not receive any
benefits from such charitable collee.
tions as the Community Chest. which
IL annually conducted In this city and
heartily approved by the Little sisters
even though they are not beneficiaries..
Their funds come direct from private:
sources. The II sisters ut the home