Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Christmas Heart
CONTINUED From First Page.)
Mrs. George Anderson. w. A. Rob-
ertS and Robert A McCIee

Mrs George Anderson. w. A. Rob-
erts and Robert A. MCGEE.
Interested to see into what homes
the money will go and how it will
be spent, a reporter accompanied
a P. A. D. worker on her rounds
yesterday. Here's what was found:
The first home was cold and
damp. The wood, supplied by the
w. P. A. woodward, was gone and
there was no way of knowing when
the supply would be replenished.
Here the father, suffering from a
recurrence of the infantile paraly-
sis he had had in childhood, was
temporarily unable to work but was
learning a new trade to support
his family Two of the children
were just getting over chicken pox.
When the worker arrived, the
mother was ironing a little dolls
dress. 1t wasn't new but she
planned to dress up an old doll as
a Christmas present for her smallest
girl.
Warmth, a Tree, Some Toys.
What will this family do with
their Christmas check? The
mothers eyes lighted up as she
started to plan. Well, she will buy
a little wood so her home will be
warm at least for one day Then,
she will get Christmas tree,
little one, to be sure, but it will
be enough to bring Christmas into
the house and she will buy some
toys to put under it. With wood
in the stove. she will be able to
cook a hot Christmas dinner. She
was still planning the menu for the
feast" when the worker left.
Sickness hung over the next
home, too. For six months the
father had been in the hospital
and there was no chance of his
getting out for Christmas. The
latest catastrophe had occurred
when the youngest child, the g.
year-old, had taken a tumble and
broken his arm. The other chill
dren, to cheer up their mother
and perhaps themselves too-had
hung bits of pine needles through
out the house
Here the children helped their
mother decide what the Christmas
check would buy. All OF them
thought first of the 3-year-old. He
must have the rubber toy soldiers
he had talked so much about. And
one CT the boys wanted a printing
set. costing SO cents. They had
already scraped up enough to buy
little tree, but they had no dec
orations for it. A few cents must
go for bright balls and tinsel. All
the children needed gloves. The
rest of the money would go for car
fare so they could all visit their
daddy on Christmas Day.
Mother and Children Deserted.
The third home was a second
floor room. Here a mother and her
three children, two girls and boy,
live. Her husband deserted her
four years ago. Frail and hard
working. the mother had the room
neat as a pin when the worker
dropped in. The little girls dresses
hung in the open closet door.
Freshly washed and 1roned, the
small dresses still couldn't hide the
faded look of many launderings.
What she wanted most were new
dresses for her girls. The younger
one has never had new dress, Just
hand-me-downs from the older girl.
who, in turn, has a wardrobe of
cut-down dresses from her mother.
The boy will get warm sweater
and cap and his hearts desire,
q football. And on Christmas Day,
such an aroma Of good food will
fill that little room as hasn't been
there for many a day.
To get to the fourth home, the
worker and the reporter had to 60
up an alley to q sagging door and
thence to the second floor by way of
boards balanced treacherously on
ancient framework. Crowded into
two rooms live a mother and five
children. The father disappeared
months ago. The mother conflded
to the worker that she had to buy
shoes for all but the two smallest
ones so they could 60 to school.
That money part Of the relief check,
was supposed to go for food. Now
the Christmas check can help carry
the family through to the end Of
the month. But it will also buy
q blanket to wrap the baby In and