The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-18

I have just been talking with Miss
Modest Harsis and Miss Leila Aber-
crombie. They have played the part
Of the st. Nicholas Girl for several
years, and they know, as few Of uB
realize, Of the dire want and poverty
Nat exists in some PensacolA homes.
1t requires q brave heart and
determined miHd to face Christmas
week without funds to buy clothes,
with the rent unpaid, and scarcely
enough food to prevent hunger, and
with little children hoping that Santa
Claus will not pass them by.
1t requires a brave heart, I say, yet
there are men and women in Pensa
cola. as hard as it is to realize, who
have such a fate staring them in the
face. The ST. Nicholas Girl will car
lry Santa Claus to them, provided
sufficient funds are received
And of course the funds will be
Forthcoming, for the men and women
Of Pensacola are not going to permit
| little boys and girls to go without the
| toys and fruits and candy and warm
stockings at Christmas.
Yesterday afternoon a lady called
upon Miss Hargis and told her of a
| home where the breadwinners have
| been unable to secure work for
months. Upon investigation she found
| a mother in a home where little chill
| dren were playing, totally unmindful
of the seriousness of their plight
Formerly the mother and father had
| plenty to provide for themselves and
children in a satisfactory manner. but
| for months the salary that formerly
was sufficient has not coMe in, ana
now want of food is staring this fam
| lily in the face.
; And the mother has been wonder
! ing what would happen when the
| little girl failed to get the doll she
has set her heart upon. The joy that
will come into the heart of this little
girl when she clasps TO her breast the
doll from the St. Nicholas Girl will
! be worth more than all of the sacri-
| flee and work that is necessary to
provide the st. Nicholas Girl Fund.
There is another family in Pensa-
cola. 1t is a good family, but it
| seems impossible for them to get
enough to provide for their daily
wants, and there will be no Santa
Claus unless the st. Nicholas Girl
takes his place as happened last year.
The girl of this family has written
| a letter to Santa Claus, addressed in
care of Miss Abercrombie, and it
says:
Il hope you will remember me at
Christmas. You were very good to
me last year You gave me a pref
ty doll and a pretty dress and took
good care of them and still have
them. Now 1 hope 1 will get a doll,
and if YOU don't mind Santa, new
dress again.
Il am eleven years old and have
crippled father and my mother has
to work. l am the only child and
have no brothers or sisters. Now
hope YOU will remember what /
want. Your loving friend.
"BETTY--.'
The above letter was written by
one who appreciates what the st.
Nicholas Girl did last year. 1t is not
2. case OF poverty, but when the ia
Their is crippled and the mother is
the one who has to make the hElng,
it is a place Santa Claus has nara
time to find.
There are always some VINO can
not see the fine part Of anything. l
was talking to one person about the
St. Nicholas Girl and the fine thing
it is for children who do not have
the things that I think God wants
them to have He was pesslmlst,
though, and said that some who did
not deserve them got gifts.
That is true. perhaps. but II TWO
undeservsme ones get gifts to every
worthy case. it is still very much
worth while.