Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-15
Women Ask Argus to. Furnish
Addresses of Some of Poor
Children of City.
TO BUY DOLLS FOR GIRLS
Business Man Says He Is Glad He
Was Stirred Up as to His Duty
Towards the Poor.


little girls, and the other asking the
privilege of playing Santa Claus to
the children of the unfortunate fam
lily whose condition was described in
these columns last evening A business
man wrote and said he would like to
have the names of five youngsters who
faced the prospect Of a cheerless
Christmas.
Il want to congratulate The Argus
for showing some of we fellows how
we can make these poor youngsters
happy at this joyous season, a time
that means so much to childhood, rs
we elders have lived to realize writes
another well known man of the city.
We fellows get hardened, it seems,
and without knowing it, as We grow
into the set ways of life. We think
of nothing but ourselves and our bust
ness. I'm glad you stirred us up. We
needed it. l haven't very much Of
these worlds goods but l have never
been in want. l do know, though, that
there are others who are not as well
situated as my children are. And I
want to do my share in spreading hap
piness among these poor kids this
Christmas. l haven't got time to buy
the presents and deliver them. You
do that for me. l enclose you the mon
ey to do the business with"
Number Would Surprise You.
You might be surprised if you were
told the number of poor children in
Rock Island who have never known
/ the real meaning of Christmas. It is
+ true that they have never faced starva-
ton, and you may think when one has
enough to eat and wear that he ought
to be contented. Ordinarily, that is a
! good argument. But you were a child
once. Remember how your little heart
/ throbbed at the approach of that cold
morning when you were TO arise and
tip-toe down to the fireplace and reach
for that long stockink that you hung
there the night prevft usly just before
he knelt down before your trundle bed
and offered up little prayer in which /
you called on Santa Claus not to for
get you; that you had been a good boy, /
and if you had done anything wrong
you were sorry for it?
You were never disappointed, either I
were you
Don't DisappoInt Them.
Well, there are hundreds of little !
ones about the size you were at that (
time who will be disappointed next |
Christmas morning unless you and /
your fellows-men and Monochrome !
to the rescue. These little folks are !
as pure of heart as you We're They |
have the same thought of Christmas.
They have seen the pictures of old
Kris Kringle riding along the roof in
his big sleigh filled with toys and good,
les to eat. And they are doomed 20
watch for him in vain unless you do
what you are well able to do. These
little ones can't understand why Santa
Claus should be so good to other chill
dren and forget them entirely. Don't
let that thought be realized by these
youngsters.
Little WIN Help.
You can give what you like A dol
lar will go a long way. If you don't
wish to bother with the formalities per
sonalIy all you have to do is to send
your contribution to The Argus and It
will be applied to the Santa Claus fund.
The Argus Santa Claus Fund com
mittee does not want any child to be
forgotten You are asked in the name
of the poor children to come forward.
There is still more money needed, al
though the response has exceeded anti
cipations, every mail bringing checks
from over the city.
How Teacher Was Touched
teacher in one of the grade
schools of the city overheard a con-
versation recently between two chill
dren, and it has taken much of the
joy out of her Christmas, as it has
made her realize that what is pleas
ure for some means many heartaches
for others The conversation refer
red to took place one morning. 1t
was a cold morning and the doors or
the school had been opened to allow I
the children to come into the warm '
room as soon as they arrived at the
school. Two little boys had taken {
advantage of this fact and they were c
in their seats amusing themselves by
talking in a low tone. They did not
suspect that the teacher could hear {
them and they spoke without re- 6
straint and from their very hearts. I
One of the boys, well dressed and
healthy looking, was busy telling the
other what he was to get for Christ
mas The other little lad, ragged and
clad and his face
pinched and white as though from
hunger and cold, was listening.
An Affecting Contrast.
The expressions on the faces of the
two little chaps presented quite
contrast, the one bright and shining
in anticipation of the fun he would
get from his Christmas presents and
the other dull, uninterested and I'M
happy. The bright-faced one caught
the attention of the teacher by the
rather uncautious statement that he
knew what he was going to get for
Christmas He said his mama had
old him to write a letter to Santa |