New-York tribune., 1911-12-24


the nice. red coated. white whskered Santa
claus stood on tho street corner rediatins
happiness
.uo the children believe IN me-" he
cir,cLled s0Vhv. sure. Aw, the little dar-
uprs They think I'm real all right. They
laugh and wave their hands to me and
Put YOU lust stand over there and watch
them
sure enough Above the roar Of the elc-
waited came joyful shout.
sandy Caus! Sandy Caus!"
He was only a tiny boy, delighted be
yond all power TO keep silent. and his
beautiful little face was filled with won
derful JOY.
Sandy Caus, Sandy Caus," he shouted
again. when the white whiskered man
smiled and bowed and iingled his bell more
merrily than ever. The black velvet gowned
woman didn't stop however, and the child
trotted away looking backward every step
or two and still beaming at Santa.
Next came ragged little chap of per-
haps eight years. carefully leading two
young (and homelier) children.
shake hands with Santa Claus" he
advised. and two shy little hands were put
out 70 the biz man, who stopped over and
took them gently. oh. very gently.
Poor little buffers he murmured.
Then as they passed on the boy looked
back and winked. as much rs 70 say
Pretty good. the way we did that where
upon Santa ratified his jolly little bell some
more. He never speaks. Children put their
arms around his neck and whisper in his
ear for him 10 bring them a nice horsie
and doll for my sister," but Santa only
mods his head knowingly.
You'll get them" says The father or
mother and the child goes off smiling
Now is this wrong?
Lies, Lies" saws the Critical one. NO
wonder we're nation OF fools. when chill
dren's minds are fed on nonsense Ike
that"
The Tribune reporter sought tho advice
of experts. ami in all the length and
breadth of the city not an authority was
found who would say word against Santa
Claus There was the Christmas Lady,
Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin, author Of The
Birds Christmas Carol and creator Of
adorable babies.
Did Peter believe in Santa Claus she
was asked.
Most certainly" said she. Mother
Carey was a woman who would tell that
story in the right way. and all the Carey
children. even though they had outgrown
their belief themselves. would keep up a
merry. clever. elusive joking about Il, just
because they loved it so.
But II takes the right kind of person
10 tell children about Santa Claus. The
stupid. unimaginatve people who insist on
the cold facts, spoil It all. On, yes they
say, he comes right down this very chin
ney.' And the clever child finds out that
the lue IS too small. Then he knows his
parents lied TO him. one must be gay and
mysterious about il: You just wait and
see on Christmas II Santa hasn't been
here or We'll, I wonder now. Let's all
keep still and wonder about 1t. You know
it's always the prince who wonders in the
fairy stories who finds the magic door in
the mountain and learns the secrets of the
castles
There is a great difference, according TO
Mrs. Wiggin, between telling children
lies and cultivating their imaginadons'
= difference which the realists, the Grad
erinds" do cot understand. Santa Ciaus
belongs with the fairy stories, of which
she says in her book. "The Story Hour:
When the fairy tale carries US into an
exquisite, ideal world where the fancy may
roam at will. creating new images and
seeing truth ever In new forms, then II
has a pure and lovely influence over chill
dren. who are natural poets. and live more
in the spirit and less in the body than we
Everything is real 10 the happy child. Life
is a sort of fairy garden, where he wan
ders as In a dream"
Up at Teachers College, where theories
N of the child blossom early in the season.
{long before the masses Of mothers get
them. they still cling 10 Santa Claus.
Certainly let the children believe in