The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-21
EXPLORERAT POLE
 SEE SANTA CLAUS
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l FIom rage One.I cago, now Dallas. Texas. now Prince mothers and find out how their chill dren behave" That is how Santa finds out so many things about us and why he Is so content to live way up here, for he can listen to all the world and can hear people talking and beau tiful music from Europe, Canada United States and even far-away Hawaii.
 i Santa used to be lonesome but he isn't any more. When Santa was thoroughly warmed with hot choco- late and filled with pumpkin pie and with other good things we have aboard, he declared. it was getting late and he must start back at once and insisted on my going home with him.
 Just think what treat 1t was for me to go right to the snowy palace where Santa lives and see the won derful things that he Is going to carry down to you next week. The six reindeer were getting hungry now and were stamping their hoofs and wondering what in the world their master could be doing on board the little ship
 There were two small Eskimo boys | standing by their heads when we came out of the cabin. Santa reached down into the pocket of his big fur u popcorn ball and bag of candy, and then we were off, around the point of our harbor and up the Greenland coast
 At Santa Claus Home.
 wondered if Santa would go straight out over the ice of the polar sea to the North Pole, but no, when we were far beyond Anoritoc which means, place of winds" he told me to shut my. eyes and keep them closed until he told me to open them. l suppose he did not really want to see where his home was fair, if we all knew. he would have so many visitors that he would not have tim to make presents for all of his little friends down In America.
 I kept my eyes closed so long that l began to think that Santa had forgotten all about me. Then he said, now you may open them" We were In a magnificent snow covered valley bordered by towering black cliffs over thousand feet high above our heads. They glittered like diamonds and apparently were so near that we could almost pluck them out of the sky.
 At the head of the valley a great | white ice cap shone in the moon- light like a bed of molten silver. At It's foot were many twinkling lights. l was filled with wonder but Santa said nothing. He simply surprise. The reindeer were now doing their best. for they knew that they were nearly home and would soon have good supper.
 I could see now that each light was really a window of clear ice in great Greenland ice cap and that dear old father Christmas lived in real ice palace. When it seemed that we must bump right into it a big floppy curtain made of snow flakes rolled back. showing a beau tiful hall, and in dashed Starbright and Starlight. Snowflake and Snow | Crystal and North Star and Aurora them in their ice stalls all padded with warm grass gathered in sum- mertime when the sun Is high and bright. Sounding through the pal ace were all kinds of music and all kinds of strange noises. for Santa's house is the biggest and the busiest in the world.
 Meets Mrs. Santa Claus.
 First he took me into the library where there were hundreds and hun dreds of big books containing thou sands and thousands of names Of children. And here for the first time I met Mrs. Santa Claus-a dear old lady with snowy white hair who loves all children. In front of her was a little radio set and she was | listening and asking mothers what their boys and girls would like most for Christmas.
 Beyond the library there were rooms and rooms. In fact Santa doesn't know how many there are. Which room would you like to see first?" he inquired. The doll room ,.x-f.A me to the end of long hall to 8 door marke dolls. Inside I could hear children laughing and, do you believe it, talking Eskimos Yes the room was filled ~with Eskimo Riddles all busily dressing dolls and putting wheels on doll carriages. When they saw Santa's bright Hello. Father Christmas. Come in we want to ask you how to dress these dolls for the little American and Canadian girls" There were dolls everywhere. Big dolls and and light hair; black eyes and blue eyes. pink dresses and no dresses at all.
 One little girl was reading out of a big book on dolls that Alice Brown of Boston wants a doll that goes to sleep and cries mama. We went iHlo OtHel to lHe SleuS and l skates and snow shoes and skis and mufflers and mittens and sweaters and caps and other Christmas pres | ents.
 In other rooms there were apples, | oranges and popcorn and heaps and heaps of candy. There were pianos and diamond rings for mother ci- gars and neckties for father. My what a busy man Santa will be the | night before Christmas. trying to deliver all those wonderful presents. And after we had seen the toys, drums, tin whistles, little puppies, bunny rabbits. and all the rest. Santa harnessed a fresh team of reindeers and we went galloping up through the valley and down the coast to | Bowdoin.
 Santa has gone back to his ice palace to get ready for his long trip | south next full moon. He has re- ! quested me to tell you all three things: first. don't forget to hang up your stockings; second. be sure to go to bed early, and third. don't, above all things, peek when he comes down the chimney. Merry Christi mas to you all!