Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-12-21
Florence S. {. Notes
Santa Claus Writes That lilo Is On
His Way Hero.

His Way Here.
Mount Cradle. Tasmania, British
Possession in the far-away Indian
Ocean, midway between Moonlight
and Gray Dawn, on a Tuesday Morn
ing, December 8, 1918.
My Very Dear Children of the
United States of America: feel 1t
duty incumbent upon me at this
time to write you OF the state of my
mind, my robust health and where I
am. Yes, Pm in Mt. Cradle and have
been here since now moon in Septem-
Der. am 507O feet above sea level
--roosting high. I came here to
rest, but IL you could see my mail
you would wonder twice, first, where
is the rest; second, how came 1t that
! had time to write to you all.
l get mail various ways. Some
slcigh-riding, some air ship flying,
some vessel sailing, some by postman
some, by air pressure and some by
railroad. Yes, l am really stuck on
this entire vicinity. The weather is
always pleasant this Tina OF year,
neither too hot nor too cold-kind of
between the sap and bark.
l am planning to give you all
fine time this Christmas cause you
have your little bubbles. You have
many things to be thankful for, viz,
First place, you are real glad you
were not born sooner than you were,
else you might have had to burrow
under foreign soil. Secondly, you
are surc-cnough happy that some Of
your brothers were ignorant Of mil
itary tactics, so they would spend
much time drilling. Thirdly, you
are glad that you have become Il
stakeholder in your Uncle Sans
business.
Mind what you bout! Look in
them bureau drawers and count them
War Savings Stamps and ask papa
and mamma when is that interest due
on those Liberty Bonds.
Fourthly, you are some more glad
that our boys answered to their
names and crossed the briny deep,
bearded the lion in his den, made the
earth tromblc with their bravery,
whipped the crafty hun, planted Old
Glory on the banks Of tho Rhine and
are now returning home with palms
Of victory.
] thought as means OF recreation
| would take trip to Nowtown, q
IL" ulilcS U"ts, bul 10 MY SURPRISE
and regret there happened an awful
wreck Of our "rasmania Limited"
The cause Of the wreck was that
when tho train reached Bear Creek
bridge the engineer found that he
was running forty-iivc minutes late.
70 gain time ard catch up with the
schedule he increased tho speed up
to seventy miles per hour, twice as
fast as he promised to run when he
was 13iven the job.
4 through passenger who felt it
his bounding duty to know why tho
train was running at such break
neck speed, climbed on top Of tho
train and made his way to the Ell
Giuccr. Pccping underneath the cab
he said, "IIcllo, Mr.. Foreman, what
Is the matter with your family-sick
at homo, or what Is tho matter?"
TO him the engineer said, 81 am
running late and l don't know what
will happen If | remain late"
But | guess after he saw that
wreck--Such n sight. fruit, vcgeta-
blcs, milk, butter, Christmas toys,
piled up on tho right OF way and Il
score or more of injured persons,
then it was that tho engineer knew
what had happened. The injury to
me was slight. The third joint Of
my middle finger WAS displaced and
the use Of it was misplaced and up
to this time it has not been found.
| am planning TO put in 4 bill Of
rights and privilege for external in
jury.
Onhandod at long range | beg to
advise your entire crow to have cv-
orything ready against my arrival.
The smaller the kid tho larger the
stocking. Clean out your chimneys
and write your name plain so that
it can be easily read by candle light.
Prepare yourselves for he'd as mover
before sleep sound and dream of what
is expected to be.
| am planning to leave here by
the light Of the moon on Saturday,
December Z, 1918. I have tho sit
uation we'll in hand and feel sure
that it will be all smiles in the sweet
bye and bye.
felt exceedingly finc last evening
Having had my darple gray rugged
up went a shopping. Suddenly,
without warming | struck Main Street
and after passing several screen
doors | stopped at Il store with these
words engraved away up Sin the sun
light, "A bargain house. Cheap for
cash and low-down at that"
walked in and very polite and
anxious looking gentleman advanced
towards me saying, "Can l do, any
thing for you, old MANI" To him I
said, 4 don't know whether you
can or not. You may not have the
proper use Of your limbs. What say
you?" said I. "Im at your SERVICE"
said he.
No sooner than said I had him on
tho roof Of that building packing up
stuffed elephants, tin horns, toy plan
os, arplnnes, machine guns, gatling
guns, dolls suitable for the different
races, submarines, pullman sleeping
cars ready for immediate use, tanks
in case Of war, household furniture,
fruits, candies and jumping jacks.
After he and 200 clerks for five
days had packed them up, said to
him, "What is your bill, Mister "
''Your BILL" said he, 'is $5S3,024.-
16." I was some surprised. l did
not have but $5S3,000 and for n