The Washington herald., 1913-11-20
THE SANTA CLAUS
FREE MAIL GIRL
Wants Uncle Sam to Cooperate with
Her in Scheme to Open Parcel
Post Mails to Children.
BY FRANCES sHAFFER.

Il
There will be some glad little tads-
5000 or soon Christmas morning II tn
plans OF Miss Olive May Wilson, o.
Jenkintown. Pa. come TO fruition.
| She is called The Santa Claus Mail Girl
and The Free Mail Girr' because sh,
wants Uncle sam to cooperate with hel
IN a scheme to open the parcel post mail'
at Christmas time TO let through pack
ages destined for the poor little boys ant
girls who write mysterious letters to the
good old saint and seldom get a scrap oi
anything in reply.
She has worked early and late fol
the passage OF a bill through Congress
giving her the right to send free pack
ages of this sort. and while she does moi
expect any results until next year. the
presents Will go out just the same. fol-
she has been steadily at work raising
the money with which to buy and dis
tribute the gifts to the expectant little
letter writers. Her list Is made out, Tor
this year. all boys and girls in treeless,
stockingIess homes, all praying for a
special something from the bountiful
hand OF Santa Claus.
She says she does not like to think
OF the many. many sad little hearts II
her plan goes to pieces; but there she
pauses, for the confidently says il will
not fall; that the 5000 will be supplied
this year through generous contributions
OF toys and money and that in 1914 the
parcel post will help along. Quite likely
il will, for she spent a week in Wash
ington last September enIisting sympathy
and promises OF generous support for her
cherished legislation, and is planning to
start a nationwide organization to be
known as '-rne santa CIaus MAIL
Turn Never Came.
II was Valentine Day several years ago.
and Miss Wilson stood In a postoffice
with her mind intent upon a letter just
received. when she was startled by a
little voice piping up from somewhere:
Did you get any valentines?" Looking
up, she saw that the voice belonged to a
forlorn little chap of five years standing
at her side. overcoatless and wearing
suit that was old and ragged, his hands
bare and blue with the cold. With him
was his sister. two years younger, and
she learned that the little romance hunt
ers, poor as they were. had been hanging
around for hours, hoping that their turn
to be handed a valentine might come
pretty soon. But those who had any care
for the little strangers had no stray PEN
nies to invest that way, and nobody else
gave them a thought. So their turn never
came.
But as the young girl read their dis
appointment on their sorry little faces
and as she guessed some of the thoughts
chasing through their inexperienced
heads she fell to thinking. The spirit of
Christmas had not yet gotten out of the
air, and she wondered IL those two little
strays from somewhere, as futilely had
watched last December. and the Decem-
Der gone before. for a visible token that
the children's saint had passed their way.
For she knew very well that Christmas,
the happiest day in all the year in homes
of plenty, was a day for bitter tears in
Santa Claus at all.
The worn little clothes, bare hands. and
all drearily enough assured her that all
days were pretty much alike in that home
and IN many another OF its kind. and she
determined to do her best to play the
part of a real Santa Claus to all the little
presentless folk she possibly could man
age to help.
And ever since she has gotten toys and
money together, giving as much as she
could and drawing upon friends for the
rest, and each year there have been
fewer disappointed boys and girls, thanks
to the efforts Of the Santa Claus Mail
Girl"
Expects Success.
Miss Wilson is very optimistic OF the
success of her scheme to establish a long
chain of societies to supply dolls and toys |
to children who confide their hopes and
their dreams to Saint Nicholas And be-
cause Christmas, of all days in the year. |
Is the day when the child ought to come |
into his own and because there are so |
many boys and girls who must depend |
upon strangers TO carry out their dreams, |
II they are carried out at all. one is |
hoping that Congress will be In a very
frame Of mind when it votes |
upon the bill to permit her Christmas |
presents to slip through the parcel post |
mails. tagged "A gift from Santa Claus"
and with never a cent to pay.
Because when a wee child. with all the |
splendid faith and confidence OF child |
hood. pours out his heart in a prayer |
or scribbles a queer. fervent little plea |
TO dear Santa Claus there ought to be |
to listen and make |
Joyous answer.
For, after all. far as We wander away |
from II, what Is Christmas for but to |
the birth OF a little child. |
3prn centuries and centuries ago In the |
Fery midst Of poverty? And how better |
10 carry along the wonderful story than
by gladdening young lives that soon
forget how to be glad7