The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-01-31
SANTA CLAUS WAS BARRED.
The Saint Was Not in the Spanish
 Censor's Calendar.

Censor's Calendar.
 This is story of how poor dear, old
 Santa Claus, whom the correspon- dent used to love in his childhood days,
 stopped an important cabegram from going to a newspaper office. After reading this sad but true tale the public will know why the correspondent hates Santa Claus with a hatred that is deep and terrible, and it will also explain to the editorial staff of the paper which pays the correspondent his money why 1 that man down in Havana did not get 1 his story into the office the Saturday night before Christmas.
 | There were the usual preliminary de- 1 lays. The interpreter, in gladsome joy over the coming of Yule-tide and the departure of the Spanish soldiery, could not be coaxed away from his insdlous I connections of panales and cognac short of half an hour and insisted upon shout ing Cuba Libre" after every word he translated. After the translation was | finished, no cab could be found The | correspondent, with the interpreter in | tow, vigorously protesting in choice | Castilian against walking to the palace, | fled across the Prado and down Obispo 1 street on foot A cab was finally found in which were two Americans, so full of | Christmas cheer that they were persua- ded to go into cafe, where, they were assured. they might have mother l drink"
 | The correspondent bribed the driver, | bundled the interpreter into the cab, and set off to the palace, pursued by the two Americans, who had discovered that they were the victims of treachery, ard who pursued on foot, yelling, Stop 'em! Thieves! Murder! Perfect" | The cab escaped and the palacio was i eventually reached. The correspondent and the interpreter dashed up stairs and ! burst unheralded and unushered into | the presence of the censor The censor started up as though his sacred person were ab ut to be seized and carried away for ransom. The secretary ew rale at the sacrilege cf the American, and trembled at the wrath of his mas | ter. The copy was laid down and the censor, after dramatic pause, in which he glared and the clock ticked away three precious minutes, picked up the copy.
 Suddenly his whiskers stuck straight out. Cara mba" The corr SD ndent fell almost fainting into a chair. The censor pointed excitedly at the second line of the Spanish translation of the correspondents story. The interpreter grinned feebly and said something in Spanish. The censor grew more exci- ted. He raised the sheet of paper up and held it before the light, as if looking to see tracings on the paper between the lines. Then he launched into violent argument
 The correspondent could only catch the words "Soontey Cloose," repeated again and again. Finally the interpre- ter turned and said: "Signor Censor does not know who 'Soontey Cloose' is." The correspondent looked at the clock, and then. holding his hand over his heart, to still it's excited b ating, said: santa Claus is a good saint who every year fills the stockings of good children with candies and presents He hoped that would be sufficient He recalled that the first line of his story read. "The trc ops at Marianao will not receive visit from Santa Claus this year, as no mail has arrived in Havana since las: Wednesday,"
 The interpreter said sadly: "The cen-
 
 Neither do l." said the correspon- dent.
 Then Signor Censor wishes to know why you wrote it. said the interpreter. "Signor Censor says you should not write untruths.' The correspondent was almost beside himself.
 Tell him ttat Santo Claus is just supposed to come; that he really doesn't at DL1+ ie- 1l,iI o,. fathers and mothers that give them the presents"
 The interpreter and the censor went into executive session again. Then the inter pretor said: "Sgnor Censor wish es to know, then, why you do not say that the soldiers do not expect a visit from their fathers and mothers, as no mail has arrived at Havana since last Wednesday,"
 But" said the correspondent almost with tears in his eyes, that would not be the same. The soldiers did not ex- pect their fathers and mothers, and be- sides, fathers and mothers from Ameri- ca do not travel in mail sacks"
 The censor and the interpreter again retired for delibcration. The censor be- gan to pound on the desk with his fist and point excitedly at the letters while he spelled out: nt-a-Soontey C-l-a-u-s-Cloos. Cararba! Caramba! Caramba!!!' The correspondent shud- | dered.
 Santa Claus must mean something | horrible in Spanish" he thought. The l interpreter turned to him.
 Santa Censor he says that Soontey 1 Cloos is a code word. That it means l something you fear to write out. Some | thing about the Spaniards that ought | not to be sent out"
 The censor leaned across the table and | brandished the copy at the correspon- dent. His words rolled out in torrent |