Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-12-16
A PLEA FOR SANTA CLAUS.
Captain Jack Crawford Writes q Let
ter to the Postmaster General.

| POSTMASTER General Hitchcock ant
Captain Jack Crawford, the poet scout
are old friends, having come together q
Woolhurst, the home Of Thomas F
Walsh, the Colorado miner and many
times millionaire, who was one of Cap
tain Jacks Scouts and Indian fighters
as pioneers of the Black Hills, when the
poet scout was chief of the rangers, and
all three were together at the notiHca,
tion of Mr.. Taft after his nomination for
the Presidency, when Captain Jack gave
an evening at the Pen and Pencil club
at Cincinnati. The following is copy
of letter and poem which Captain
Jack is sending to his friend, Frank
Hitchcock, because of his action regard
ing letters sent by children to Santa
Claus, and it will be appreciated by all
lovers of children and of Santa Claus. ]
Omaha Bee.
To Postmaster General Hitchcock
My Dear Friend: One of the greatest
compliments 1 ever had paid me was
when little child said to its mother,
"Oh, mamma, see! That's Santa Claus"
This was on a train few days ago, and
soon after hearing this remark, 1 came
down the aisle of the car as if talking to
everybody, saying There is little boy
who wanted a choo-choo engine last
Christmas-I want to find him." and
the little fellow who was just behind
me, spoke up and said, That's me,
Santa Claus"
l picked him up in my arms, hugged
and kissed him and said, $50 it is.
Well, well, you did not get your choo-
choo engine did your"
"No," said he, "but papa said be would
try and get you to send me one next
Christmas"
"Indeed, he won't have to ask me-
why should he, when you are here to
ask for yourself; and by the way dear,
what else would you like to have next
Christmas"
The boys dsddy's eyes opened, but he
said not word, and the little blue eyes
danced as he replied, Il want sure
enough engine that choo-choos and q
train of cars, and company of soldiers
and gun and new sled, and"
But l stopped him saying, Hold on.
Don't you want any other boys to get
anytbingw
"Oh, yes, do. l want you to send
my cousin Willie little sister like l
have got and"
"But I stopped him again, saying,
"Now, listen, you have asked for lot
of expensive things for yourself, but you
must remember that our poor little boys
and girls must have some things, too,
and you must give some of your old
playthings to some little boy that may
see on my rounds. You know it is an
awfully busy time for me at Christmas
Now, l will send you the engine, the
train, the soldiers and the new sled, but
you must wait till you are little older
oCuu yOu q kuus
And the little fellow threw his arms
around my neck and said, Dear Santa
Claus, will do just what you tell me
and will be good"
"Then," said l, 'you must do as your
papa and mamma tell you, and if you do
that, then Santa Claus will know you
are good boy"
And later, when his father accompa-
MED me into the smoking apartment,
he said, "Well, Captain Jack, you have
bankrupted me and that boy must have
everything you promised him."
And said, "Why not? Would you
have him lose confidence in Santa Claus
for IS or $lO"
"No," said he; mot for $1,000. Have
cigar?"
"No, thank you," 1 said, 81 cut thai
out seven years ago. You see that
have had wonderful experience with
boys who smoked cigarettes and have
had to put good many of them behind
prison bars, and when talked to news
boys and thousands of boys in the re-
formatories, have felt that could moi
do it consciously and smoke, and Will,
talking to bunch of boys one day,
agreed to quit smoking cigars or pip,
if could get a half dozen of them tc
promise to never smoke any more cigar
cites, and one little red-headed, freckle
faced kid, with patches on his pants
and barefooted, jumped up and said
Gee, Pard, I'll 60 you for starter.
Then seven boys there and then CAV,
me their promises. took two cigar
out of my pocket, rolled them in m,
hands in dust and threw them on tn
floor. That's seven years ago and
have never taken puff since. I hav
the same desire today that had when
swore of, but Ive got the nerve to let i
alone, and 1 am richer by about /
pounds, and my voice is so per cen
better than when l smoked to excess
and had bad case of tobacco heart"
Now, my dear Hitchcock, you are re
sponsible for this letter and this story
for in the papers the other day, rea
an editorial about what my friend, tn
postmaster general, said regarding lei
ters from the children to Santa Claus
and as I remember reading a story abou
how President Lincoln when youn
man, acted as a substitute for SAINT
Claus, and distributed the present
among about fifty children in the rurs
district, and one man named Hutchir
SON sfill nresaruaa the irsf nair nf raf