The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1912-12-19
Harry,
the Postnnan
How He Delivered a
Child's Letter to
Santa Claus -.
By RUTH GRAHAM

Mamma. will papa come home FOL
Christmas and bring us some nice
presents?"
The mother turned away to hide har
tears from her little girl and did not
reply for some time. Then she said:
"No, dear. Papa will not be home
for Christmas" She did not add, Papa
will never come home" 1t would have
been unnecessary, for by the time an
other Christmas came round his chill
dren, who were very young. would
have forgotten their father.
"Well, then," said Bob, boy Of five
81 suppose I'll have to write letter to
Santa Claus and tell him to bring me
twice as many toys, because my papa
isn't going to bring me any at ALL"
Him." said his sister Lucy. 'Po
like to know how you're going to do
that since you can't write"
"Mamma'll do it for me-"
Lucy, you'd better do it for him. :
said the mother.
So Lucy went for some writing mate
rials and brought them to the dining
room table, for, writing being no easy
matter with her, she required plenty of
room, and after much labor, including
the erasure Of blots and number OF
errors, completed the following letter:
Dere Santa CIaus-My papa went to sea
on his ship, the Penguin, long time ago
and can't come home fur Christmas. So l
won't get any presents from him this
yere. So l want you to bring 'em all.
Bring me a drum. trumpet, box OF
paints a jewsharp, some games and box
of ninepins. Your loving
BOB MARKHAM. !
P. S.-Don't forget the drum.
The letter having been finished, the
children waited the arrival Of Harry.
the postman, who had delivered let
ters at the house before the children
were born and who always had some
thing to say to them whenever he
handed them a letter-for Bob delight-
ed to receive the maitland as soon as
he came along Bob, handing him his
Tlissive, said:
"Harry, want you to be sure to
send it to Santa Claus. Will your
II certainly will" replied Harry. "I'll
put it with the other letters for Santa
Claus. There are ten bags full for
him, all from little children" -
And Harry tramped on, making
rounds day after day regularly. ar
sometimes it seemed endless as
journeys of the earth around the s.
But he didn't put Bob's letter wltf4
other letters to Santa Claus ~
1t in his pocket, intending to. End
what the boy especially wanted fOiV
Christmas and supply it himself. He
was very fond Of the child and had
been the recipient of many gifts from
his parents.
.I wish,' nlused the postman, that
I could take his mother q letter say
ing that Captain Markham would be-
home for Christmas. Bad business
the loss of his ship! l wouldn't like
to be master of a vessel to see when
she Is sinking, the crew saving them,
selves and having to go down under
the black water myself. Ugh! They.
can talk about bounding over the bill
lows all they like. It's different.
thing when the pillows bound over
you"
So unused the postman at the loss of
the Penguin, which he knew all about
and Of which Lucy and Bob had never
been told. Those Of the crew who had
saved themselves reported that their
ko;, hoI {o htc
and they had come away in the boats
without him. Some of them said that
they saw the stern of the slip rise
out Of the water and her bow plunge
down under wave, after which she
was never seen again. Others declared
that at that very moment the fog be-
came thicker and shut her off from
view.
The Penguin had struck an ice
berg and had never been seen again.
Since four months had elapsed with
no news of her no one doubted that
she had gone to the bottom.
1t was with a heavy heart that Mrs
Markham made her preparations for
Christmas which was to take place
without her husband Since their mar
riage Captain MARKHAM had not missed
a single Christmas at home, being in
command Of coaster which made
short trips, which enabled him to part
ly control his time. His widow would
have preferred to pass the day without
paticing it, but felt that it was due to
her children to throw off as much Of
her sorrow as possible. that they might
enjoy the little peoples favorite anni-
versary
One morning Harry. the postman. was
arranging his mail for delivery when
his eyes fell upon letter that made
them stand out in his head. That hand
writing he had seen on many a letter
before, but he had never delivered any
of them postmarked from so distant a
port, for the letter had been mailed
from South Africa. 1t was addressed
to Mrs Robert G. Markham and in her
husbands handwriting.
Suddenly the other men in the gen
eral delivery room saw Harry dance
about on the floor.
whats up?' he was asked
"Nothin', only there's likely to be "a
big Christmas gift to one Of the parties
on my route
Harry hurried through sorting the
balance of his letters and began his
round. 1t seemed longer than usual be