The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-15
Is THERE A SANTA CLACs7

This is the season when the kiddies
are interested In writing their letters
to Santa Claus. making known their
desires as TO what shall be placed in
their stockings on the interesting
night OF the year to childhood. 1t Is u
beautiful custOm--a modern develop
ment OF the Santa Claus tradition that
means so much to children, old and
young
The first batch OF letters 10 Santa
Claus always to bring TO the minds Of
many what IL perhaps the most fam
GUS literary production ever elected
by such letter. Many answers"
there have been. but tho one which
was printed number of years ago in
the New York Sun. and widely credit
cd to the editor. Mr. Dana, has be-
come n classic. Mr. Dana was not.
however. the author OF this particu-
lar editorial. 1t was written by q COM
paratively obscure editorial writer for
The Sun. Mr.. Church, who died some
fve or six years ago. 1t should be
explained, rather, that the letter from
Virginia" was not addressed to
Santa Claus, but was rather an in
quiry OF the editor as To whether or
not there was and is-a Santa
Claus. The editorial reply was as fol-
lows:
"Yes. Virginia. there is Santa
Claus. He exists as certainly as love
and generosity and devotion exist; and
you know that they abound and give
to your life it's highest beauty and
10y. Alas! how dreary would be the
world X there were no Santa Claus.
1t would &c as dreary as II there
were no Virginias. There would be
no childlike faith then, no poetry. no
romance to make tolerable this world
except In sense and sight. The cter-
nal light with which childhood fills
the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You
might as we'll not believe In fairies.
fon might get your papa to hire men
to watch in all the chimneys on
Christmas Eve To catch Santa Claus.
but even II they did not see Santa
Ciaus coming down what would that
prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but
that Is no proof that there is no Santa
Claus. The most real things in the
world are those that neither child
ren nor men can see. Did you ever
see fairies dancing upon the lawn?
or course not; but that's no proof
that they are not there. Nobody can
conceive or imagine all the wonders
that are unaeen and unseeable in
the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle
to see what makes the noise inside.
but there Is n veil covering the un-
seen world which not the strongest
man, nor even the united strength of
all the strongest men that ever lived,
could tear aprrt. Only. faith, fancy,
poetry. love. romance can push aside
that curtain and View and picture the
supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is
It al! real? All! Virginia. in all this
worid there Is nothing else real and
abiding. The glorious frll mooa
would not be SO beautiful: the bright
ly sWlnki;ng stars would be cold and
dim. the grand old sun would not
Yield 80 much light and warmth: No.
no. II our beautiful world could be 80
greatly disillusfoned. 80 bereft of
childish fancy and allurement, then
all would be very. very sad.
Yes. Virginia. Santa Claus will CONC
this Christmas as usual to all the
hopeful, faithful loving children of
dear old New York: they must never
doubt his existence. but ever trust
and believe in MIN while their little
hearts are warm and young, tender
and true. He comes on this one special
visit to all faithful. conflding child
rem who regularly expect him once
each year. 1t takes Santa Claus nearly
all the year to collect these Christmas
presents before the we'll known happy
day they are given out to the hopeful
ana expecant. must ieii yuu anu re-
peat to you: I
1t ia an old. old story.
And yet 1t Is ever new,
The story of good Santa Claus
n Who will ever 1.-Two for you.
No. Santa Claus! Thank God! he
lives. and he lives forever. A thousand
years from now, Virginia, nay ten
times ten thousand years from now, he
will continue to make glad the heart
OF childhood.