Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-21
VETERAN ATHLE1ES|FR|END ACTED SANTA
MISUNDERSTANDING Reporter
Finds Good Substitute.
BUYS BICYCLE FOR BOY
Identity Of Writer Of One Unsigned
Letter Puzzles Old Boys
Detectives.

A man with a wad Of money as large as
portuguese chest met q Star reporter
out hunting for an interview with Santa
Claus:
why, hook who's here. you old mutt,
you. What are you doing in this burg?"
Hello. old scout! Why. I'm working a
manicure for an armless wonder
And In these facetious terms they
cloaked their Joy at seeing each other
Asut to make 1t short the man with a wad
OF money said he was just aching to have
a decent Christmas, and couldn't find any
one to help him.
Look here" said the reporter, Eve
got to get an interview with Santa Claus.
and the nearest I've come to it is hand
full Of Santa Claus letters. And some of
them are fine >
One of them was worth reading. 1t was
worth bicycle for. a. pdor little boy, who
scrawled his wants on a piece of scrap
paper s pc tho i bV want bicycle and my mother
WelEthat wad is still as big as a Por-
tuguese chest, but it's minus the price of
bicycle. And that was SO near to an in
terview with Santa Claus the reporter
went to the post Office and collected some
more Santa Claus mail. Here is one of
the letters:
Santa's Detectives Puzzled.
? Dear Santa: Will you please bring me
fairy-tale book and set of blocks like
little France has? Please stop at the
Sherwood Inn and see If my mother has
a doll for me. II she has will you please
bring it with you when you come up?'
In the bottom of the bag was a little
dirty envelope with enough thumb marks
made of jam and butter and perhaps
nursery floor dust to set the marvellous
criminologists of the Mickle Murder -4ys-
And hist! Here's a clue. There was no
name signed to this letter at all. But
what cares Santa Claus? All he has to
do is to reach into his library and bring
to life any of the really great detectives
of the books which he has stored away
for Christmas. He will touch Sherlock
Holmes. and he and DR.. Watson will be
deducting all sorts Of things from those
finger prints:
This child is fond Of sweets, Watson. :"
'Ma-a-a-rvelous!'
That for yours. Sherlock!
And here's another finger print expert.
Why. howdydo, old Pudd nhead Wilson?
Listen to what he says after Santa Claus
asks him to tell who sent the jam mark
ed thumb prints:
"We-e-e-e-ll. eff yo' hope to trace any
thing by finger mark of jam guess I
won't stay. There's. more children eat
jam tnan there Is kentucky cOlOnelS VINO
drink co'hn liquor, sah.''
One Letter Quite Chatty.
Also Lecocq, cad Eye Dick. Old Sleuth
and King Brady. all well known de-
tee tives, could get shot at 1t. but let us
suppose for the moment that all of them
fail. Here is the letter; try 1t for your
selves:
Dear Santa-I want a bicycle I want a
engine l want a cars too I want a train
1 want a horn I want story book
want a horse 1 want a wagon I want some
picture books want candy cane wani
reins l want a ball.
Another letter was quite chatty:
Dear Santa Claus-I takes my pen In
hand to let you know that you will hear
from me, and / hope that you are well
this year I am and hope you are the
same. Santa Claus / am not writing to
you for many things but 1 would like to
have a toy piano a doll and please put
some things in my stocking and dress my
christmas tree as l am poor and Is seven
years old and goes to the Cardozo School
which Is on first st. between H and
. streets s.w. Please do not forget me II
very much and here is XXX x x X
seven long kisses for you goodbye
There were many other requests, but a
most remarkable letter came from Ben
ming:
Dear Santa-Please don't send Emily
anything but twenty-four by eight bed. >