Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-12-24
The Suns Famous
Santa Claus Editorial.


Nearly twenty years ago a little
tgirl, Virginia O'Hanlon, eight years
old, evinced some doubt OF the ex-
istence of the Santa Claus, who makes
all children so happy on Christmas
day.
Virginia was so skeptical that she
wrote the New York Sun to find out
II there was any truth in the Santa
Claus story. The Sun answered her.
The Sun then was in charge of Mr..
Charles A. Dana, and Mr.. Frank P.
Church was the author of the Sun 8
reply. which was printed ON Septem-
Der 81, 1897. Following is the editor
ial:
I'VE take pleasure in answering
at once and thus prominently the
communication below, expressing at
the same time our great qualification
that it's faithful author is numbered
among the friends of The Sun:
"'Dear Editor: 1 am eight
years old. Some of my little
friends say there is no Santa
Claus. Papa says "If you see
it in The Sun, it's So" Please
tell me the truth !! If there is
Santa Claus?
6 VIRGINIA O'HANLON,
"'1l5 West Ninety fifth st. ;"
Virginia, your little friends are
wrong. They have been affected by
the scepticism of a sceptical age
They do not believe except they see.
They think that nothing can be which
Is not comprehensive by their little
minds. All minds, Virginia. whether
they be mems or children's are little.
In this great universe of ours man i .
mere insect, an ant, in his intellect,
as compared with the boundless world
about him. as measured by the intelli-
gence capable of grasping the whole
of truth and knowledge.
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 its highest beauty of
JOY. Alas. how dreary would be the
world if there was no Santa Claus
There would be no children-like faith
then, no poetry, no romance to make
tolerable this existence. We should
have no enjoyment. except liz sense
and sight. The eternal light with
which childhood filled the world
would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa ClausI You
might as well not believe in fairies!
You might get your paper to hire men
to watch all the chimneys on Christ
mas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but
even if they did not see Santa Claus
coming down, what would that prove?
Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is
no sign that there is no Santa Claus.
The most real things in the world are
those that neither children nor men
can see. Did you ever see fairies
dancing on the lawn? OF course not,
but that's no proof that they are not
there. Nobody can conceive or i'm
agine all the wonders there are un
seen and unseeable in the world.
You might tear apart the baby's
rattle and see what makes the noise
inside, but there is a veil GOVERN g |
The unseen world which not the
strongest man, nor even the united |
strength OF faith, fancy, poetry, love
'omance, can push aside that curtain
Md view and picture the superpal
beauty and glory beyond. Is it al
'eal? All, Virginia, in all this world |
here is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus. Thank Cod he
ives, and he lives forever. A thous- |
md years from now Virginia, nay
en- times ten thousand years from
low, he will continue to make glad
he heart of childhood.