The Washington herald., 1911-09-22

1
the veil be lifted between them and that
mysterious gentleman?
There came to my desk this week over
800 answers to this great big question:
that was suggested as a contest debate
by the appearance of Bailey and Aldrich
| in THE Top O. tn Wc-'T' at the Column
bia Theater this week, acre Santa Claus
delights children and adults alike with
real exhibition, upon the stage, OF MS
love for the children Of men.
| From all these essays the judges select
ed some Is or 20 which seemed TO them TO
| hold the most sensible and most sincere
solution of the subject.
| From this number the winner OF the
first prize of s25 in gold was unanimously
selected.
This answer to the question was sub
mitted by Mrs Frank r. Riddleberger, 1888
Thirty-flrst street northwest, Washing
| ton.
Mrs. RiddIeberEer's Essay.
Il believe the Santa Claus myth should
be cherished because of the love, kind
ness and generosity it arouses.
Who can look upon even the pictures
of the Jolly old elf and not feel light
ening Of the heart? For he personihes
spirit Of Joy and love; of mirth and
gladness we can Ill afford 10 lose. In this
|
all need a little make-believe.
The child lives much of the time In
| an imaginary world. To him literally
things are not what they SEEM Thus
| prosaic broomstick becomes a fiery steed,
row of chair a rushing train. We de-
| prive him of his greatest source OF pleas
| ure and entertainment when we strip
away these illusions OF all the legends
and plays we tell and enact for out little
ones the one of Santa Claus is the
most cherished. for almost every child
has known his bounty and felt the thrill
of mystery that enshrouds his person.
IF we regard Kris Kringle the spir-
1t of love working for JOY and happiness
and expecting no reward it is no longer
myth but the recognition OF great
truth, for there is in human affairs just
such a spirit.
The child. If left alone, will gradually
realize this and will in time come TO
know that the dramatic legend of st. Nick
is a delightful game played by his par
ents TO give him happiness and he, too,
will be ready to enter into the play fCr
the benefit of others.
And so let us still read TO the little
ones The Night Before Christmas still
hang UP the stockings to receive the lar
CESS of the children's patron saint All
too soon they will lose the unalloyed Joy
only children know. Unlike Peter Pan.
they cannot keep forever the spirit OF
eternal youth"
Second Prise Winner.
Miss Virginia King Frye, 800 street
northeast, was awarded the second prize.
which consists Of box in the Columbia
Theater for the Saturday matinee per
formance Of The Top O. tn World"
Here is Miss Frye's answer to the
contest question:
"As regards good old Santa, I am a
progressive 'standpatter,' II that be not
a political anomaly. 1 stand pat for
the delightfully."- mysterious atmosphere
that has ever enveloped that chubby gen.
tleman as completely as his long coat of
fur; and yet. I believe heartily in the
progressive idea of telling the 'kiddles'
the real truth about him.
But what is the real truth? Is not
Santa a myth? Surely. But is not a
myth after ALL usually a truth yelled
in poesys iridescent mist-the violet haze
in the distance that really outlines the
rivers winding course?
The spring maiden, beneath whose
tripping footsteps the first sweet bios
SONS start-bluff King Boreas. who rides
abroad in the winter storm and shakes
his icy mantle with such stirring vigor-
are not these myths but truths as we'll
primer lessons from the book Of nature
told in the language of imagery, OF sim
pliCity of childhood?
who would wish to strip the mind
of the dainty tissues OF fancy or who
can conceive of a nation without its
poetry, myths and fables?
Let US, then, tell the children of dear
old Santa as long as the world is young
raWing his picture round and rosy, Jolly
and kind. bewiskered and befurred-let
the reindeers pranCe and the merry bells
jingle as we take them in fancy over
the housetops, click. clack, click; and
down through the chmneys with the
good Saint Nick-but let US tell the
tale as poetry and fable. not as deceit
And when they ask But is Santa real?
we can truly answer: Yes, dearie: as real
as the old woman who picks her geese
aloft during a snowstorm-as real as
Jack Frost who sketches silver land
scapes on your window pane-as real
as the love in your own heart and in the
hearts OF your parents-for Santa Claus
is but the personification of the real
spirit of loving and giving Uhe infinite
brought within reach of your under
standing). just as our Heavenly Father
is the embodiment of the living. loving.
growing force that pulses in every created
thing throughout the universe
Third Prize Winner.
The third prize of four seats for the Sat
urday~ matinee is awarded Miss Eudora
" Hallam, 326 Fifth street southeast,
whose essay on the Kris Kringle question
follows:
Replying to your question. Shall chill
dren he taught to believe in Kris Krin-
gle" l shall say, put yourself in the
child's place. Or, IL the door into your
own childhood Is not too tightly closed,
step back into the days when you lis