The San Francisco call., 1909-12-19
SANTA TO PICK
PRFTT|fST BABY
Faint Hearted Judges Put Dif=
ficult Task on Good Old
Saint Nick
Each Exhibit" Entered in Mis-
sion Baby Show Will Be
Awarded Separate Prize

Dear cid good natured, overworked
Santa Claus, though having the biggest
Job of the year on his hands at this
particular season, has slyly been made
the recipient of an added task that
almost dwarfs his annual holiday duties
in magnitude and multiplicity of diff
culties.
1t is well known to all who have had
dealings with the jovial saint that the
old chap never could deny any request
at the Christmas season, and so, tax
ing a mean advantage of this weakness,
five of the most prominent citizens or
the Mission district, raised to posi-
ton of hig honor through the faith of
their fellows in their personal ability
and integrity, have deliberately slipped
one over" on Saint Nick.
Confronted by the simple little task
of choosing the prettiest baby out of
the mere handful of 400 smiling, crow
ing. dimpled Mission infants who made
the Mission baby show of Friday even
ing the most successful event ever held
in the district, these five men named
as Judges Of award yesterday threw
I'm their hands in despair. Those stern
judicial qualities with which they We're
supposed to be endowed deserted them
entirely. They admitted that the task
was beyond them.
DEVISE MEANS OF ESCAPE
Friday night these five judges, Oscar
Hooks. James Rolph Jr., William n.
Foley. Henry W. Burmeister and Joseph
Hole. spared for time. They demand
ed delay until yesterday to reach a
decision Yesterday they met in secret
session-not to decide upon an award.
nf
solemnly reached the conclusion that
no mortal lived who could pick one
particular baby out of that convention
of 400 for the honor of first prize.
1t was suggested that the problem
might. be solved by the award of 400
first prizes, but this presented OBJ
stacles that seemed insurmountable.
Then they thought of Santa Claus. No
sooner was his name mentioned than
the wrinkles of despair disappeared
from five foreheads. 1t was mean
thing to do, they admitted but then
some one had to decide those awards.
And so they heaped the responsibility
on st. Nick
Monday night the awards Will be
| made. and Santa Claus himself isn't
! worrying about it at all. Admitting
that every baby of the 400 who at
tracted crowds to three big halls in
the district Friday night was prize
baby worthy of first honors in an in
ternational baby show. Santa Claus has
devised a perfectly logical plan.
The number of every baby entered
in the show is to be written on a slip
and placed in the chimney in the Mis-
sion promotion association hall tomor-
row night Santa Claus has promised
TO come down the chimney while the
Christmas tree festival for the MEM
bers of the Mission promotion associa-
tion and their families is in progress
and will take all these slips. shake
them up and draw 6 from the box.
These are to be the winners of the 16
prizes provided by the committee.
SPECIAL PRIZES FOR BABIES
AS means for making amends for
it's cowardice however. the committee
has announced that special prizes will
be awarded to every baby which COM
peted in the show. The mothers of the
babies are invited to call at the Office
of the secretary of the Mission promo
ton association at SIS Valencia street
and will be given the prizes in eX-
change for the ribbons pinned to the
babies Friday night
So proud is the committee of the
several sets of twins who helped make
the show such a pronounced success
that special prizes are to be given the
mothers of each pair of twins as well
as the prizes awarded to the twins
themselves
The numbers of the 16 prize winning
babies to be drawn by lot Monday night
Tuesday morning and the prizes will
be held until called for by the mothers
at the Mission promotion association
hall