The Washington times., 1915-12-22

from the little side streets off this
water front; from the houses of tie
poor where the, Stork flies in Al the
window more often than Santa ClaIs
chambers down the chimney. con-
tinues the cry OF tkc Christmas Dis
consolates.
The cry comes stronger and more
insistent as the natal day of the
Manger Babe approaches. 1t is like
another call which came to the early
disciples of the Christ out of Mace
donian darkness: Come thou over
and help us
For the little voices from the tene-
ments and shacks are urging: Make
His birthday a happy one for u.s.
Their letters to the patron saint
of Christmas are sits! pouring into
The Times office with every mail.
The show windows downtown are all
ablaze now o nights. Their thou -.
sands of electric lights play upon a
riot of toys. But the toys are sep
arated from the hungry eyes of the
inched-faced urchins who stand ana
gaze and desire, by a thick unsym-
pathetic barrier of plate glass, whicn
invites just as it repels. And PEI =
haps that is one reason why the let
ters from the disconsolate Riddles
have of late taken t.ne more tragic.
Anything. Anything"
Anything, anything" the little
voices from the letters plead-"Give
us anything Santa Claus. that you
can spare--but, o. don't forget u.s.
More of the little intimate details OF
family misfortune-lack of work and
illness. are beginning to creep into the
missives, together with the fear OF
penniless mothers-aye, and grand
mothers. too-who are watching the
keen desire in the eyes of their dis
consulate little ones. doomed to a toy
less Christmas, unless Santa Claus.
the Generous and the Powerful. bends
his imaginary ear to their needs.
All the devices of childhood to catch
the ear of the Christmas patron saint
have been rasorted to.
surely" the kiddies seem to have
argued. If Santa Claus won't listen
because Daddy is dead ana Mother is
poor, there must be some way to make
him come" And so almost every little
note is interlarded with protestations
OF obedience and all the other virtues
which parents from time out OF mind
have impressed upon their full-sprited
offspring. as being A necessary fore
runner to Iuletide remembrance.
A Little FIattcrer.
And-it the fattery of childhood could
produce presents. there is at least one
little girl who would not be overlooked
for she has written:
please bring me doll-baby car
riaGr. and a pair of shoes, Santa Claus.
! have been very, very good all tho
time. l do what my mother tells me.
Please bring me those things. Santa
Clause. Please keep your word Santa
Claus. | love you and | am always
talking nice things about you. From a
nice little girl"
Many and many arc the requests for
clothes in these eleventn-hour letters.
The little girls want raincoatS and tie
boys oLcrCoats. often letter will be-
gin with request for thc toys which
the end an appeal for garments. Then
as a sort of postscript comes he pc
-theuc appeal. born of shivcry davs IN
shabby arnarel: 'It ,roh cant hrins
clothes" Ard thore is orc lit:lc girl
who wants "a white dress TO wear IL
Sunday SCHOOL
Phonetic Spelling the Rule.
But there is lighter side to the
Christmas letters. If the shade of Noah
Webster could just take a peek inside
Of some OF the scraw'y envelopes. his
photographer soul wo1ld probably exc
cute an Indignant hornpipe. Phonetic
spelling is the rule, rather than. tho ey.
ception This is a fair sample.
"Dears Scantin: I will write Nou I
few words kindly asskin you to pleats
give me adolf fore Christmas as
have no farther and my mother is very
pore and nOtabel to by us any toys.
hope that you will give ne some and
with meny thanks 7 will close. Jose
phun."
Another little girl clipped from a
newspaper a picture OF the tor she
wants most 1t is a little bear mounted
on wheels. And although she has had
faith enough IN the edness >!
some Santa Claus who Is willing to
help her, she is afraid that through nc
fault of his own, her particular st
Nicholas nay not be able 10 Hni her
Her letter is we'll worth reading:
Borrows Pennies To Write.
"Dear Santa Claus: hope that you
are well and will come to see me this
year. as you did not come to see me
last year. and i did not get n thins
for Xmas. please santa claus come ia
see me this year. my mamma is aufull
poor and wont have eny money to give
to YOU. all that mamma has is three
dollars a week. she pays room rent and
byes two bushels of coal and the rest
she has to live on. please tell me il
YOU will como to sec me. If YOU find
that the door is locked. please knock
and lay the things down nv the side