Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-25


thing. and that vas Santa Claas had ct least
made this . happy Christmas for thsa poor
family.
n LITTLE HAoorR's 1IDerDI
Away out On Florida avenue. in Aouss not
much moro pretsntious, three little colored girls
were waiting patiently for The arrival Of Santa
Claus One Of them opened the door. but ran
away shriekins - she behsld the reporter in
TIN . special messenger from Zeroland and
santa san =, Claus directed me to call at this house
Al fear banished and the trio gathered about
the scribe and questioned him about that
strange, good man who looks after the wants Of
the children each year.
for her, but the kind mother, after learning his
m,ssaou, pressed him to see her. In . small
room up pair of rickety steps he found her
wide awake. Approaching the bedside be took
seat and talked to the little stricken dove and
told her as best he could Of Santa Claus. And
how grateful she was! Not one word Of the
conversation did she lose, and when at length
1t was time for the messenger to 60 she looked
wfstfully at him and said: "Give my love to
Santa Claus and tell him / love him next to
mamma"
LIFT on TIE DooAsTHP.
There was q deathlike stiffness about the
next house visited. It was near the wharf and
looked out upon the Potomac. There were no
evidences OF life about the place, but Q sturdy
knock at the. door brought An aged color ed
man. He was one Of those regular "Ole vir-
glnny uncles, as innocent as q babe.
Good ebenin, sir. " said he.
Uncle, am . messenger from Santa Claus,
and come to bring MeIindy o few presents.'
ean confer d. hSre SG 1as HS o
man damned the door and beat . hasty re-
treat
A few moments later the old mans wife stuck
her head out the window and whispered, "Who
dar?"
Have you daughter named Melindy?"
Oats my granddaughter. Watcher want Wild
Once more the reporter explained his mis-
sion. After he had completed his little say she
said:
49,, .'!s: lses dem presents on de step, an I'll git
There was nothing else to do. SO the presents
The stars had gone in and heavy mist had
setted about the city, wrapping it as with q
Snroud, when the special messengers of Santa
Claus turned in.
THE LETTERS TO SANTA CLAUS
Santa Claus has sent a little note of thanks
to The STAR for its aid in conducting his cor
respondence with the children of Washington.
He says that he does not know what he would
have done without some such medium of COM
munication for he has always been bit shy
about going to the post Office in person. He
IL q modest fellow and does not Like to run
any risk of being recognized.
He adds that the letters that came were
ample payment for the work involved. They
were bright bits Of sunshine, as a rule, and
they helped him along in his task Of present
making and giving wonderfully. Here and
there, Of course, were some lines Of shadow
blue spots, as 1t were, and they were not
pleasant, but the work Of Frightening them
wiped away the sadness Of reading them.
There were fifteen hundred letters sent to
Santa Claus through The STAR and most Of
them were answered. There were some cases
where the addresses were either left out or SO
badly written that they could not be deciphered,
and 90 the writer's had to be disappointed.
There were some funny letters with uncon-
scious jokes, and there we're some very business
like notes. In very many instances the letters
came from tots SO small that their elder broth
ers or sisters or their mammas or papas had to
help them by either holding their hands or
writing all themselves. Santa Claus was not in
the least offended by this, for he knows how
hard it is for little ones to writo and he merely
hopes that by next year they will have i'm
proved 30 that they can write all alone.
The replies sent out by the good-natured fell
low went to all parts Of the country. Some
| were addressed to South Dakota and some to
| Arizona. One went away down to the region
| where the great Mississippi river spreads out
into hve little branches and another was sent
humming along the rail in the direction Of
Maine.
SANTA CLAUS REPLY.
| His letters were tender notes, and no doubt
they convinced many doubling little heart Of
the real existence Of Santa Claus. The STAR is
fortunate enough to get one of them. sent in
this morning by youthful reader. tiny girl
| Of seven, who has what is known in newspaper
way as . "nose for news"
The little one wanted the other children to
see what clever letter writer Santa Claus is.
The STAR today reproduces the letter Just as
Santa Claus wrote Il on his official letter paper.
30 that any one can sec that it is authentic
and in Santa Claus own handwriting