The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-10
: Wonnan's Page Of The Tiimes-Dispatch
Approaching Festivities


windows arc full OF euticing toys
ana picture books for the children
and Impossible and costly gifts for
Erown-ups. Santa Clause--the real 1.-Two
,hing--besct behind and before with
u winding sheet OF scarlet cloth and
white cotton batting ana a wreath Of
pillows In their proper place, walks
Inc streets daily. The papers an
nouncc with dreadful and aggravat-
ing reality the number Of shcppinE
days from now on and your list has
been revised ten times already, anu
beyond the book somebody sent you
FOR your birthday that you didn't
want. you have nothing on hand, and
the length and breadth Of your inti-
mate friends and family have extend
cd far into space with q seeming end
lcssncas that IS appalling
There Is all kind OF talk about shop
ping rurly, giving less. giving sys-
lena ticully, and so on but one might
as well address the wind with charm
Ing ballads made to It's eyebrows.
Everybody has so many relatives and
everybody has SO many friends and
FAMILY and the happy season is on the
calendar, and all the bosh one talk,
about being bored and wishing IL was
over III not so in nine cases out Of
ten. We love 1t. The hustle and en-
citcment OF rushing around town with
Ssur arms fun of gifts and holly
stckiiiE your fingers and the turkeys
legs waving aimIessly at your friends
rom Il basket is Just lots of fun anu
we like II. OF course II somctirncs
happens that the pink pincushion you
TOD rnt ga.
mas returns TO you this senson, like
bread upon the waters, with a fresh
DO" On the side instead OF the mid
orc But It's all In the spirit OF the
tlItnS anyway and the friend would
he more than heart broken IL she
but knew Of her error. We arc not
Scroogcs to cry. out upon Merry
Christmas" the lesson has been learned
ana the happiness I'm ones heart is in
turn shed to ones friend
And let's turn for ninutc-a very
snort one---to the empty stocking.
Inc charity people tell us that last
year such thing did not exist People
seemed Ia lend their hearts and pence
with Il sympathy and a bigncss more
man ever 10 the giving of happiness
10 others, and all was brightness here
mat day, so far as could be learned
i'ut we dent want TO be lax; sc ncv.
CT want homes to be Swallowed with
'inhappincS that we might lightsn 4
t"il is Il mighty small thInl, to bright
cn a thin little face TINT has watched
80 Iorg for "Santn Claus.' DO YOU
know That IL really happened? A 1T
tie girl who. with all "a childish soul
ana longing mulhcr- heart had wanted
doll--iust very little onc-and
very night had said her little prayer
MAT the good God would send her one
same home to nnd one laid on her
mothers bed. She threw herself down
Town with agony OF sobbing RELIEF
and cried: Dear God Santa Clause
fias COME II was only Il doll that
her another WAS dressing for some
BODY who could have a doll and the
pennies must be made somehow aud
away IN the corner Of that sinai,
rhiid's hear was beginning to grow
doubt, shc had asked, she had be-
lieveJ. what did il all mean anyway?
TIC cni of the story Is that somebody
sent ncr u doll on u Christmas tree
given Ivy come girls WHOSE lives were
very full of the good things OF life,
bur not 80 fun that they could not re-
member the little hearts where the
sunshine comes in siuntins, feeble rays.
ma the burdens their childish
shoulders arc more than they should
larry FAR beyond their years.
really IL is Il nice happy. good
world ana the circle OF kind hearts
beats entirely around H. Carry a bit
oil your Christmas to some one else.