Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-24
MR.. CLAUS PAYS
VISIT TO AUGUSTA
COMMUNITY TREE
Honk! Honk!

Red Lights! Green ones!
And Santa Claus came down VIM
throp hill, a-standing right UP
straight in an automobile, with no
mittens on. with his red suit and his
whiskers and his peaked cap and
men walking on each side Of the au-
tomobile, carrying red lights and
everybody cheering. There!
Then they made all the folks stand
back so they could drive Santa Claus
automobile right up to the platform
where Clarence Quimby, the princi-
pal of Cony High school was waiting
to shake hands and tell him that all
the children and the grown-ups too,
were awfully glad to see him. After
Santa got right up into the middle
of the big crowd of anxious boys and
he spoke to everybody. Then every
body cheered him and he told every
body to keep as still as mouse
while he told them about his journey.
"While I was driving across Lake
Cobbosseecontee an airpiane came
swooping down and 1t frightened my
reindeer so that they ran away and
SiPPCu lazy 0iCA6A ONSAs AcoAAS pSOPiS
were coming to Augusta and so they
took me right into their automobile
and brought me to town." When he
got that far in his story Santa Claus
told the boys and girls he hoped that
they would not crowd and shove
when they went up to get their
presents, like they did last year. as
one little boy got hurt last year. He
said the boys and girls must be very
quiet and not push.
Right off the very first thing, be-
fore Santa Claus had any chance to
give out any presents Mr.. Quimby
stepped up to him and gave him a
tin horn and told him that was his
own Christmas present. Santa was
very pleased with his present and he
footed 1t good and hard just as soon
as Mr. DUMMY got through talking.
Santa Claus said, "All the year
have been watching you boys and
girls and I am very proud of you"
| (Then lot Of the older people. such
as parents. uncles. aunts and grand
| parents cheered at this). Tomorrow
night I am coming here again and I
am going to call at your houses. You
| have asked me for lot Of things and
know what they all are. And I
will try to give you all what you
want, but 1t may be that I may not
be able to give you everything that
you want. Sometimes I cannot give
you all that you ask for Now, Mr..
Quimby. the principal Of your High
school, asked me for a red headed
baby and didn't have any left and
so had to give him another kind"
After Santa Claus got through
talking Mr. Quimby said that every
body was glad to see him and then
Santa Claus told the boys and girls
to form in line and walk orderly be-
tween two posts and they would get
their Christmas presents. Officer
Haskell and Oficer Halpin were on
hand and. helped the boys and girls
get along the line and get their pres
ents from Santa Claus.
OF course the 200 or more boys and
girls, Of all sizes and ages. made a
big hustle and hustle but Santa Claus
hopes that everyone of them got a
box Of candy, an apple and an orange.
The Augusta Cadet Band was
present and played tunes, having a
position on the Opera House steps.
Then Henry Hall directed in COM
munity singing Of Christmas carols
That all happened before Santa Claus
arrived on the scene.
Santa Claus had a pretty big pack
and it held 1900 boxes of candy and
pop corn. $50 oranges and two bar
rels Of apples. The candy boxes came
from the Augusta Girls Community
club. the oranges came from Mrs
Caroline Moorhead, specialist in CT
trus fruits, from the educational de-
partment of the Florida Citrus ex-
change, Tampa. Florida, and the APP
pies were the gifts Of merchants.
1t was a grand. glorious event 70,
the little ones and their happy. smil-
ing faces their merry laughter and
their keen endowment was 100 pc,
cent. payment for 1t all.