The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-17
Mother iii of tuberculosis
Bakes Bread to Earn
Livelihood.
FATHER OUT OF WORK
CHILDREN SUFFERING
Need of Phthisis Hospital
Daily Becomes Apparent
to Charity Workers..

Letters to Santa Claus written by
two north end tots, pathetic appeals
for a share OF the universal Christ
mas joys. have been the means OF eX-
posing terrible conditions existing in
a home where eight persons live i'll
misery. sickness and destitution under
the shadow Of the grim white plague
The father of this North Thirteenth
street family is out Of work and out Of
snarls of the wolf of poverty on his
doorstep. The mother. who some time
ago contracted tuberculosis, has been
confined to her bed for the last two
weeks with pneumonia and one OF the
six children, all girls. has we'll devel-
oped symptoms of tuberculosis, a.
although she is only five years of age.
Sells Bread For Living.
And when this care-ridden, hopeless
and plaguestricken mother gets out
of her sick bed, if she ever does, she
will resume the baking of bread. which
she will sell to patrons about the city.
These letters to Santa written by
those pitiful little youngsters are the
most powerful pleas for a county tl-
berculosis hospital and visiting
nurse that | have ever read said a
Main street business man today after
he had been shown the scrawled epis-
ties to childhood's patron saint.
''To think that we who flatter our
selves as being enlightened and pro-
gressive have permitted such condi-
tions to exist and spread throughout
our community, while we have hag-
gled over the question of eXpending a
few thousand dollars for tuberculo-
sis colony site where this worst men
ace to the public health could be sue
cessfully Combated,"
For good reasons the name of this
unfortunate north end family is with
held from publication but necessary
information has been placed in the
hands of charItasie worker~ss~and the
name and address will be furnished to
those who desire to aid them. The two
letters written to Santa by younger
members of the family follow:
Two Letters To Santa.
| Dear Old Santa:
I am little girl II years old. I live
at No. - North Thirteenth street anC
Dear Santa=I would like for you tc
come and see US this year as my mama
has been very sick with pneumonia
! for weeks and is not able to work
| She does baking to help make livin,
when she is well.and | am sure Dea
Santa | would like to have and neet
badly but will be glad, and oh 81
thankful for anything you may brin:
now
Please don't forget little Alice, tn
one who has tuberculosis for sh
would be so disappointed if she get
nothing I will go to bed early and b
a good girl.
Your Little Friend
Ellen -.
Dear Old Santa:
am little girl years old. I liv
at No. - North Thirteenth street an
go to school every day can. l love m
teacher Miss Kate Morgan. dearly.
try to be a good girl and would like TO
you to bring us children all somethin
nice for Christmas as my papa an
|, oldest sister are out of work an
mama and little Alice are sick in bee
have five sisters. aged 16, 13, II.
and ?. | would like to have a pair {
overshoes, sized 81a, a suit Of unde
, wear, pair Of black mittens with som
candy and nuts, and little Eva woul
like some blocks, a little red WACO
and doll she can't break and a Te'
dy bear. Also little broom for he
) And Alice and I will go to bed earl
and be good girls. Ana Dear SAINT
bring what you can. I will thank yo
very much.
Your Little Girl
, Viola