these little pensioners of care-a tribute worthy of genuine manhood. Once we were all children. A happy childhood may have been ours. And whatever of earthly life or lot may come in later years, nothing can take from us the sweet legacy of a fair and fragrant childhood. But what of these little lives whom poverty withers, sickness fades, and upon whom the cold world frowns? Shall we not seek to put something of joy into them? There is no surer way of evoking blessing upon the children of our own homes, than by taking upon our own hearts the children of the poor. A glance at our list of Annual Subscribers and our Donation List, tells the story of wide-spread and growing interest. There are well-known and honored names that have been enrolled from the very first day of our work. Their gifts have ranged all the way from $120 to $3 per year. Many a devoted heart has made sacrifices in order to give, that would have evoked from the loving Master the old-time, immortal commendation: "She hath given more than ye all. She hath done what she could." We appreciate the smallest gift, where it represents self-sacrifice, equally with the largest benefaction. Our Heavenly Father can bless them all alike to the upbuilding of His Kingdom through the little child, and "His blessing maketh rich and addeth no sorrow." "For the heart grows rich in giving, All its wealth is living grain- CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND GIVERS. Our Christmas offerings, last year, amounted to $1,607.30. Many of them came, like angels' visits, unexpected and unannounced. These gifts made over seventeen hundred little hearts glad, and left a generous sum in the Treasury to meet the current expenses of an ever-increasing work. Our Christmas Festivals are scenes of unalloyed happiness. There is more genuine joy, to the square inch, than is to be found in any other Christmas groupings in the City. What a world of sunshine floods our Kindergartens on this festal holiday! We trust our generous helpers will not forget their gifts at the coming Christmas-time. Remember, dear friends, there are some to whom Christmas brings no joys; they must see other little faces, all about them, brim-full of happiness, while pinched, and hungry, and cold, and friendless, they turn again to the tedious monotony of the days and weeks and months of their spare and scanty lot! But for your generous provision, kind friends, these Christmas-times would never blossom into beauty for them, but would only be all the sadder, from the sharp contrast with the surrounding joys that others share. By and by, as the Eternal Christmas draws near, it will be full of radiance to those who have delighted in weaving bright glimpses of joy into the somber pattern of these poverty-worn little lives; there will be a store-house of sweet memories on which to feed; bright pictures of beautiful deeds, to make life's sunset glorious; and Faith, the silver-voiced Angel, will whisper continually: "Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these, ye did it unto me;" and so shall they enter, with rapture, into the full radiance of the Eternal Christmas on the Evergreen Shore. GLIMPSES FROM CHRISTMAS LETTERS. From among many joy-laden Christmas letters, we select the following. To say that they were like the song of birds, the fragrance of flowers, and the brightness of the dawn, is to feebly express the joy they brought to us at the Holiday season: December 16th, 1889. MRS. SARAH B. COOPER-Dear Madam: We beg to hand you herewith our check for $100, as a contribution to the Christmas Fund of the Golden Gate Kindergarten Association, to be applied in such manner as you may deem best. We are, yours very truly, POPE & TALBOT. Enclosed please find check on Bank of California for $100, for the Golden Gate Kindergarten Association, to be used as you think best. Please accept my special thanks for your kind and beneficent work on behalf of our poor little children. Yours faithfully, CHARLES HOLBROOK. Please find enclosed, check for $100 for use of the Kindergarten Schools that you have charge of. We send it early, so that it may be available for Christmas purposes. Yours respectfully, CHRISTY & WISE. Please find enclosed, check for $100, to be used in your excellent work as you see fit. With best wishes, I remain, Very truly yours, W. F. WHITTIER. Enclosed, please find check for $100. I trust it will make the little children of the Golden Gate Kindergarten happy, at the Christmas-time. Please find herewith my contribution of $50, towards the annual Christmas fund for the little children. At the request of Mrs. Henry Miller, we send herewith a check for $50, a Christmas contribution to the Golden Gate Kindergarten Association. I beg to hand you herewith my check on the Anglo-California Bank for $50. With best wishes for the success of the good work, believe me, I beg to enclose $25, with my best wishes, for your success in this work. I am, Respectfully yours, LEVI STRAUSS. # * Enclosed, please find my check for $50, to your order, upon the Pacific Bank. With best wishes for the success of the good work, * I am, Respectfully yours, DANIEL MEYER. In addition to the above there were other kind and generous gifts. Mrs. W. H. Crocker sent us $30; Mrs. Lux, $50; Mrs. Hearst, $50; Mrs. Louis Sloss, $25, and many others gave, with cheering words of sympathy for the good work. As we often say, the smaller gifts were no less welcome; and no doubt they represented an equal share of the heart's best treasure which is a true and fervent charity-the richest and the greatest of the heavenly graces. The following is taken from the Evening Bulletin, and gives a full detail of the many gracious remembrances received at the Christmas-time: GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. MONEY IN AID OF THE GOOD CAUSE GIVEN BY THE PATRONS OF THE GOLDEN GATE KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATION. Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, the President of the Golden Gate Kindergarten Association, desires to make very grateful acknowledgments for the large and generous holiday gifts so lavishly donated to the little children. The "mount received far exceeds that of any former year, making a total of $1,607.30. The following are the names of the kind donators: Messrs. Charles Holbrook, W. F. Whittier, George Crocker, Pope & Talbot, Christy & Wise, Daniel Meyer, Lewis Gerstle, Levi Strauss, G. A. Pope, A. P. Talbot, William Babcock, Thomas Magee, Henry F. Dutton, Talbot Cyrus 'Walker, G. B. Cook, Charles G. Norris, T. F. Shattuck, Mesdames W. C. Talbot, W. H. Crocker, Leland Stanford, C. B. Alexander, George Hearst, Henry Miller, L. Greenwald, Cyrus Walker, Ira Pierce, Henry Dutton, Jr., Charles Lux, D. W. Folger, A. J. Pope, Jesse Potter, J. Rosenberg, A. Y. Trask, W. C. Woodman, L. S. Spencer, Charles S. Tilton, T. H. Buckingham, E. T. Allen, G. M. Blake, F. A. Frank, M. D. Boruck, E. B. Cutler, Alvan Flanders, Alexander Montgomery, J. D. Gage, H. S. Hart, E. R Lilienthal, G. W. Dutton, B. F. Norris, J. I. Sabin, J Spruance, Leon Sloss, H. Barroilhet, R. S. Miller, E. S. Stevens, Justin Moore, Charles Clayton, Louis Sloss. Misses Jennie Blair, May Pope, Hattie Horn, Alice Greenwald, Minnie Taylor, Hazel Montgomery, M. E. Weygant, Mary Browne, Isabelle Knight, Ella Adams, Anna Stovall, Virginia Fitch, Mollie Dutton, Gertrude Dutton, Jessie Fillmore, Sophie G. Pierce, "A Lover of Little Children," Ida Carleton, Alice Good. ridge, Edith Feinberg, E. M. Domett, Irene Sabin, Pearl L. Sabin, Grace A. Sabin, Annie Harmon. In addition to generous gifts of money, there were also contributed many and various gifts of toys, confectioneries and other gracious benefactions. The Golden Rule Bazaar, Doane & Henshelwood, Roos Bros., George F. Roberts, F. M. L. Peters & Co., Bachman Bros., O'Connor, Moffatt & Co., and the White House, contributed valuable materials for garments and other acceptable gifts. At Stanford Kindergarten, No. 1, the Misses Lilienthal and Mrs. Sloss presented dolls to all the little girls, and Miss Sophia Pierce and Henry F. Dutton gave toys and confectioneries. At the Lester Norris, Produce Exchange, and Huntington Kindergartens, the gifts were largely supplied by Mesdames Norris, Clayton, Greenwald, Sabin and Boruck. Talbot Cyrus Walker gave a beautiful collection of toys. At the Pope and Hazel-Montgomery Kindergartens the children were bountifully remembered by the kind patronesses, Mesdames Pope and Montgomery, and Miss May Pope and Jennie Blair added lavish gifts. Mrs. F. A. Frank, also, gave delicious fruit to the little folks. At Stanford, No. 2, Miss Alice Greenwald made hundreds of little hearts glad with lovely toys, and Mrs. Bar roilhet sent an abundance of beautiful flowers from her country-seat. These were very greatly prized by the children. Mrs. Daniel Meyer sent a large supply of warm clothing for the children, as she has done at every Christmas-time for the past ten years. The Rincon Grammar School, through the Principal, Miss Cleveland, sent several boxes filled with nicely-made garments, which are of untold service at this cold season of the year. The Spring Valley Grammar School, through Miss J. B. Short, also sent a large and valuable supply of well-made garments. With over fifteen hundred little children, many of them from among the poorest families in the city, these timely supplies of clothing came like a veritable god-send, especially in the severe weather of the winter season. Mrs. Charles S. Tilton sent a handsome present of plants and other decora. tive gifts to the Mason-street Kindergarten. Many "Unknown Friends" have also sent welcome gifts. T. F. Shattuck, a warm friend of childhood, has kindly raised $356.00 in money, beside supplies of clothing, hats, shoes, and other needed comforts for destitute children. His earnest efforts are deeply appreciated by the Golden Gate Kindergarten Association. This has been the most prosperous and happy of all the Christmas seasons, and warmest thanks are extended to all kind friends of the children. VALUABLE HELP FROM THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT. From the beginning of our work, until the present time, we have been the constant recipients of manifold kindnesses from members of the different School Boards, and from many of the Teachers of the Public Schools. As we have said before, the fact will never be forgotten, that Professor John Swett, and Mrs. M. W. Kincaid of the High School and Normal Class, were the strong helpers of the Free Kindergartens, and the clear-eyed, sagacious friends and advocates of the New Education, from the earliest dawn of the work in San Francisco. We recall, also, with fervent gratitude the devoted labors of ex-Superintendent, John W. Taylor, Directors Wadham, Culver, and English in the first year of our Jackson-street work. And all along the years, we have had strong and timely encouragement from the representatives of our Public Schools. We are glad to give the meed of grateful recognition to the State Superintendent, Hon. Ira G. Hoitt, Superintendent Anderson, Deputy Superintendent Babcock, J. H. Culver, Hon. A. J. Moulder, Professor James Kennedy, Joseph O'Connor, A. L. Mann, S. |