And so, when the four hundred hungry children came streaming into the rooms, they found tables spread with such bounty as the eyes of many of them had never looked upon, and kind gentlemen and beautiful ladies already there to place them at these tables and serve them while eating.
It was curious and touching, and ludicrous sometimes, to see the many ways in which the children accepted this bountiful supply of food.

A few pounced upon it like hungry dogs, devouring whole platefuls in a few minutes, but most of them kept a decent restraint upon themselves in the presence of the ladies and gentlemen, for whom they could not but feel an instinctive respect.

Very few of them could use at fork except in the most awkward manner.

Some tried to cut their meat, but failing in the task, would seize it with their hands and eagerly convey it to their hungry mouths.

Here and there would be seen a mite of a boy sitting in a kind of maze before a heaped-up dinner-plate, his hands, strangers, no doubt, to knife or fork, lying in his lap, and his face wearing a kind of helpless look.