Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-08

Readers. whether sympathetic or
calloused in nature, when poverty
calls will be touched with the letters
of yesterday sent to The Herald show
ing the want that exists in some fam"
lilies where there are children.
These are isolated cases only, and IN
no sense indicative of any general dis
tress in Los Angeles. The Herald's
Christmas dinner entertainment is ar
ranged mainly to reach these isolated
cases-families without providers or
where sickness and i'll luck have made
II impossible for the parents this year
TO arrange for Christmas gifts.
Perusal of these letters, as one FRIEND
of the Santa Claus editor remarked,
ought to make individuals generally
stop grumbling and reflect that there
are other persons far worse OH IN the
battle with Fate.
Voice from InValid's Chair
Here is a letter from a mother ex-
planning a missive sent simultaneously
with her child's, the mother being a
helpless invalid:
Dear Santa Claus Editor.
INV little S-year-old girl wrote dear
Santa a letter, but she was not feeling
well and took sick that same day and
could not finish her letter. She wants
me to write for her. She goes to San
Pedro street school.
"She said please send her sister a
pair of shoes, No. 4 e last. Her only
sister is 16 years old. She has no BROTH
ers.
"I am their helpless mother, and
the 16-year-ol girl is my housekeep-
err. NV husband does not get steady
work these rainy days, and 1t is impos-
sible to get Christmas presents for the
girls.
81 close, wishing The Herald grand,
glorious and happy Christmas.
MRS. F. e. M,
EAST Seventeenth Street.
"P. ST have sat in wheel chair
for sixteen years"
And here is the little girls letter:
Dear Santa:
doll carriage and a Teddy bear. Please
send wood and coal to keep mamma
warm. Mamma cannot walk and papa
cannot get much work. Oh, yes. !
want a pair of rubbers to fit No. IL
shoes. I am years old. Love to dear
Santa Claus. Your little friend,
"a. NJ"
Seven, and No Papa There
Here is another letter indicating the
stuff that young Californians are made
of;
Dear santa Claus:
"I heard Santa Claus was coming IN
vonr office. Please tell Santa Claus in
our family there are seven small emil
dren. Papa is insane in Patton.
IT am II years old. l want NO,
shoes and a sewing basket.
my sister, IL, wants No. shoes and
rubbers and set of dishes.
''My brother, 8, wants pants and
shoes and a little train.
my brother of wants overdose,
pants and drum.
my brother aged wants pants,
overdose and little wheelbarrow
my brother, 8 years, wants jumper
suit and Teddy bear.
my baby brother, 9 months, wants
a rattle.
"PIease, 7 am thankful In advance
"P A., East Forty-ninth st.
Here are three other missives
showing chow the other half lives"
Youth Helps Age
Dear Santa Claus:
"Will you please remember us all
at Christmas? My papa is 90 years
old. He cannot work much. My old
est brother has to get up at in the
morning to work. My little brother
wants a tricycle. or express wagon. |
want pair of No. 4 shoes. L am 10
years old and go to the Thirty-seventh
street school. L. M
'rWest Thirty-seventh place"
Dear Santa:
"Will you kindly send presents to
four little children living at - Anne
liza street? Their papa has not worked
for months. 1t is sad not TO see all
children happy that great day. There
are three little girls and paby boy
from years down. We close, awaiting