The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-22
WHAT CAN BE UoSEs


 But a few more days are to pass before the glad Christmas morning viii dawn on our people; glad to those who have the means to make the day one Of joy and pleasure for them selves and others. The little ones win rise early and hurry toeths place where the stockings hang and with bright anticipations and delighted reaIIsstions will dive little hands into the receptHcies and haul out the pret- ty things good old santa Claus has brought them. It. will be . merry and Joyful time to them.
 But how about those. whose lives are cast in the cruel clutches Of grim and relentless poserty9 There win be many heart-bresking disappointments. many tear-dimmed eyes and many pained little soul. Their stockings will be. empty. for the santa Claus wiil pass them by because they are poor and helpless. Can any reSlly human heart think of them and their shat tered hopes and misplaced. faith and not feel pang of sorrow over their sad ease. and wish that some way ceuld be found to save them from sor- rowsa
 There should be no empty little stockings on Christmas morning. We know that many of the charitable and warm-hearted among us would gladly do something, but fear to give oirense by offering to help. They have feel ing of delicacy about making presents lest some should resent it and think them ofEicious, but we think this feel ing is wrong on both sides It ,is true that honest poverty is frequently more sensitive than wealth or competence is. but the parents who are not able to spend even . little to make their chill drsn happy for day ought not to let any feeling of false pride stand in the way of accepting presents for their offspring. The children, themselves cannot understand such sensitiveness. nor would they resent help from oth- CTS. To them Santa Claus Is looked on as the benefactor of tAe little ones and it win not lessen their icy. if the stockings are supplied with presents from other than their own parents.
 To those who will look closely it is q sad sight to pass along in front of the many gally ornamented windows Of the city. If they will watch them they will note. scores of poorly dressed boys and girls looking with longing eyes. sometimes with. tear stained checks. at the numerous toys. won- dering if any of the pretty things will come to them Probably many of them will have little hope and will turn away from the gay sights with that feeling Of sadness and longing that has come to them through bitter experience.
 And the watcher win also see moth CTS whose dress and appearance give every evidence of hard totl and hon. est poverty They. aisO. look with pathetic longing at the windows, | think how little it would take to buy enough to make their dear ones hap py if they could only spare that lit- tie. They. too. turn away with ach- ing hearts and sigh, over what might be but is not; of what pleasure just little help would bring cries of joy from those who will awake on Christ mas morning only to see the black pail of disappointment cover their hopes and longlngs
 Should such things be?, Can no way be found to help make the chil- dren happy for day? If the parents allow the honest pride which belongs to true Americanism to prevent them making their needs known, and to prevent them from accepting help, is it not possible to be helpful and char itable in secret, and at least do some thing for the children of the poor? # costs hNt little to make a child happy. and even if that little must be done in the dark It will not make the deed any the less a source of joy to the receivers. Surely, surely. there must be a way hy which Christmas charity can reach those who need 1t. Can we doubt that the Christ who loved little children will look with ten der approval on the acts of all who initiate Him in also loving them?
 SOME ELECTION FIGURES.