The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-12-19
A CHRISTMAS STORY

l wish you to regard this lit
tie Christmas story as a personal
letter.
It happened one cold, crisp Christ
mas Eve five years ago. was stand
ing in front of a brilliantly lighted
toy store in city not necessary to
name. Within was arranged in
splendid masses every type of toy to
gladden. the heart of childhood. Com
ing and going in eager anxious haste
were mothers and fathers clad in
stylish, as we'll as comfortable clothes,
their faces smiling because they knew
the JOY they were making ready for
the coming morrow. There were also
little ones in that throng who in their
childish cunning knew full well that
many of those self same toys would
hang on their Christmas trees,
placed there by mysterious Santa
Claus, and they were glad.
But all seemed to fail or refuse to
see a poor, thinly clad mother, whose
face showed that she had known
brighter and better days. Clinging' to
her hand was little girl Of six, whose
only Christmas joy would be the
view of the toys which tomorrow
would be the actual possession of
thousands of happy children. watch
ed her for a few minutes and realized
that this was only too true. Presently
a man attired in his everyday work
ing clothes modestly slipped into the
mothers hand crisp Five Dollar bill
with the request that she spend it for
the little ones happiness. I then and
there discovered that there is no elo-
quenee on earth to compare with a
tear drop glistening in mothers eye,
placed there because of gratitude.
Now, my dear friend, as this
Christmas Season approaches there
are two hundred and fifty thousand
hungry, homeless and helpless Or
phans, whose eyes are filled with
tears-not tears for Christmas toys,
but tears for bread to satisfy the
gnawings of hunger and to keep their
starved and cmaciated bodies from
falling by the wayside and becoming
dry bones to mingle with the thou
sands of others who have already
fallen. There is no father to hear
their cries because he has been killed
by the cruel Turk. Neither is there
any mother nor will there be to wipe
away their tears, for they have been
scattered into the mountains and de-
serts, in many cases never to see
their loved ones again. Fifty thou
sand of these mothers are unwilling
victims in Turl:i-h' harcz.5 where 9
brand has been burned into their
flesh and the threat of death placed
over their heads should they escape.
How many of these will ever see their
little on,s again, God only knows.
Now my friend, I call uponAyou TO
assist III bringing Christmas to these
little ones. call upon you in the
name of Him, who made Christmas
possible for US all and said, 'Inas-
much.as ye have done it unto one OF
the least of these ye have done it un-
to me-" call upon, you whether you
recognize Him as the Christ or not I
call upon you in the name of the
suffering humanity. You may not see
the tear drop of gratitude come into
their eyes as saw it come into that
mothers on that Christmas Eve, but
their gratitude to you will be far
greater and you will not lose your re-
ward.
Simply fill out your check for
whatever amount your heart may
prompt, and forward the same to w.
Banks Dove, State Chairman, No. 211
Liberty National Bank Building,
Columbia, s. G.
Yours very truly, .
W. Banks Dove .-
State Chairman.