The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-24
THE EVENING s7oRx
Her Letter to santa CLAUS.

On the morning of the twenty-third
of December Hubert Witherell stood
on the steps of The Gregory. where
he had recently taken apartments.
typical Christmas weather. he
thought, looking at the whirling,
white maelstrom in the air.
his elbow.
He looked down quizzically at the
little girl coming up the steps, and
| mistaken sto the size of that land.
You live here, don't you?" she as
serted. II know Miss Ulmer. who
used to live here. She moved away.
and now you live in her rooms
DO II" he asked.
Yes; the janitor told me. And r
wanted to ask you-you see, you have
And what do you want to do at
my fireplace? It's very lonely one.
Oh, / know, you want to hang up
your stocking?"
put letter to Santa Claus in it, and
| then he could come down the Chin
ney and get it,
That's a capital idea. You come
over here at 4 O'Clock this afternoon.
and We'll fix up letter for him. But
what is your name?"
IF you know me real well. it's
Bert" she answered.
We'll, then, Bert it is. but thought
that was a boys name"
mine"
ITS part mine, too" he replied.
Goodbye until this afternoon
=, N when 4, ne re-, returned to the apart
| little guest already at the door
Mother said 1 mustn't bother you.
Do you like little girls?''
| y like you,' he answered. take
OF your coat and hat. Can you
write ?''
Eyes. but you will have to spell
some words for me-
Santa Claus won't be critical" he
drawing up a little card table. "You
must write down everything you
want. you know"
| She shook her head sorrowfully.
| Mother said not to ask for much.
She thinks that Santa Claus is poorer
| this year than he was last"
Hubert's quick, critical eye had al
| ready appraised the garments of the
little girl They were neat, we'll kept
and in good taste. but faded and out
grown.
II am sure he will manage for lit
| tie girls" he assured her.
| DO you think he would give any
thing you ask for? 1t isn't exactly a
present what 1 want to ask for.'
HE will if he can What do you
| want the most?''
| II want a father. Mine went away
| to the wars when I was little'
1 And he didn't come back?' he asked
softly.
| Il don't know. Mother doesn't like
| to talk about it. Now I'll write my
letter. 1 guess I won't ask him for
| things first He might think that was
all I was writing for
After deep bordering, many moisten-
1ngs of the pencil and appeals to HUI
bert for spelling. she pronounced her
! letter finished.
st will read it to you." she said proud
| ly.
Dear Santa-I wish you would come
| tonight. Christmas is good day
Where are you now? Please give me
| two dollys and a cradel and a pole
/ for my flag to put on it, Don't bring
me any book. l have a nuf. Don't
bring me any more things excep 1 want
a father. Mebby you can't get me one
Goodby."
That's very nice letter." approved
Hubert. "and I know he will bring you
all you asked for and maybe sur
/ prise or two besides. So you have a
! flag? How large a one is it?''
It's little teeny one. Father sent
it to me in a letter when 1 was a
baby. Mother kept it for me. I wish
I could write Santa to bring mother a
present. She never gets one, but she
said he didn't bring to grown ups?"
He might" said Hubert hopefully.
Lets add 1t to your letter. What
does she want most?'
"Once when I was sick and all her
stories came back. she had to sell her
| ring. She cried afterward when she
| looked at her finger"
| what kind of q ring was it?'
cit had five big white stones all in
| a row.
"Then ask him to send her one just
like it,"
She wrote laboriously for few mo-
| ments.
Now I must ask for something for
your" she insisted. What do you
| want most?''
.'I've just found out today what 1
want most" he said gravely. Il want
a little girl like you"
''Ill put that in,'' she said. And now
I'll sign my name and seal it."
''And that makes a long enough let
ter. Now you must see what is in my
coat pocket-my overcoat there on the
davenport
She found box of candy and sat on
his lap while she nibbled chocolates and
told him all about herself and her
mother. Finally she said she must go.
He took her to the street. and she
pointed out the little white cottage she
lived around the corner. When he
returned to his rooms he read the let
ter through. He sat very quiet for d
long time.
so Bert is the nickname for Rober-
ta,'' he unused. at would be very
strange and very beautiful if three per-
sons would get all they asked for on
christmas morning. But I must go out
now and buy the dolls and cradle and
Flagstaff and anything 1 see that looks
good
The next morning he met his little
friend in the hail.
81 came to see if he took the letter.
she asked.
IT put it in the fireplace last night -
he said, smiling, "and this morning 1t
was not there, SO Santa Claus must
have got it,
An awed look came into the little
face.
"Oh-ohw she gasped.
"Of course. as he got the letter from
here he will leave the things here
argued Hubert. so you are going to
stay here all night and hang up your
stocking by the fireplace"
"Oh, I couldn't stay away from