The Washington times., 1909-12-06
By SELENE ARMSTRONG,
The St. Nicholas Girl.
.rrv Christmas. sh-sh-shr

Merry Christmas Sh-sh-shr'
All the Srown-ups in The Times office
sat up. winked their eyes three times.
and asked If il really could be true
There was heard the faint tinkle OF
sleigh bells. which we hadn't heard
since We were little boys and girls and
then santa Claus, whom We hadn't seen
for many a long day. peered very eau
tiously I'm the door and said in me same
old jolly way. Merry Christmas. Sh-
sh-sh,"
Then the city editor asked Mr.. St
Nicholas II he would grant an inter-
view TO The Times. giving out valuable
Information about all The little unknown
mOtherless. fatheTlCss. unfed, uubathed
urdressed, and toylese little children in
the city or Washington. And Mr.. St.
/ Nicholas laughed very merrily Che al
ways laughs, you know, and said he
/ would talk to The Times St Nicholas
/ Girl hfteen minutes every day until all
the little empty stockings were filed
To Play Santa
Now. my dear said Santa Claus,
/ IN his most deliciously confidential way.
! "Our little secret IS this: The WASH
/ ington Times IS going to play Santa
/ Claus for me. not only in all the poor
| homes OF the city, but r the hospitals,
I where the little darl lie so white
and still. and In the orphan asyIums
over which the mother saints VIII be
watching on Christmas morning.
] But neither ] nor The Times intends
20 keep the fun all 20 ourselves IN this
matter. We want every man. woman.
/ and child. who has a toy, a flower. 2
I bright silver quarter or dollar. or any
| thing alse that Will make happy the
I heart OF a child, 90 send Il 10 the St
| Nicholas Girl. at the Washington Times
| Office"
There Will be provided at The Times
! office a large Santa Claus room. where
/ may be stored all the gifts sent. on
/ Christmas Eve these viii be distributed
i by automobile 20 homes, hospitals. and
| asylumE. according 10 tho directors OF
/ Santa Claus.
More the Merrier.
/ OF course, there are lots and lots OF
/ children TO be supplied but the more
] the merrier shall we all be at the task.
And. then, cf6 you every stop TO think
/ that for every little waif there is really
| a strong. re heart In this very city, and
/ that the only thing 20 do Is 20 let them
/ hrd each Other2 For the mother who
/ has lost a little boy OF girl, there is one
I waiting In the poor districts OF the city.
For every little stocking that has been
/ folded and laid away there hangs an
1 other by another chimney piece. and
! the little tin soldier Is lonesome for an
! other Bog Blue.
The old folks whose grandchildren will
I hang up their stockings in another
/ state may, by reading the daily inter-
! views which Santa. Claus viii give out
/ 90 the st. Nicholas Girl, find some little
/ boys and girls who could be comfort
' ably adopted for the Christmas stock
The crusty old bachelor will be want
/ ing 20 get on his dignity for once Then
I let HIN send his Christmas Offering 90
the Office OF The Washington Times.
! and step around on Christmas Eve %
see what becomes OF IT, And if there be-
/ any spinsters iu Washington. let them
Fu the mission of the chiidless woman
by motherinR the motherlesa, and MAX
I ing glad the heart OF some particular
little 10y or girl
To Get Acquainted
Do we know anything about them
really, these poor little boys an dEirIs.
Well. n IS time we should learn. foi
they. TOO. are our brothers and sisters
and whether we know lt or not. what
hapDens to them. happens 20 us." They
live in houses. not homes. Their bod
les are covered, but could hardly Ii,
said 10 be clothed fed. but not nour
ished. This is their life through IN,
three hundred and siXty-fOurth day, aul
! about that other Day many OF then
have never heard. II seems sort ID,
crowning tragedy that they do not know
Santa Claus. So long rs one Of then
is aforementioned on Christmas Dav
there must be q shadow on the hearti
OF the hsppiest Of us.
TLen read The letters which they vii
write 70 The Times. and bring YOU
Offering to the Santa Claus room iu tn
Munsey Building