The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-24
A D.A Y
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WIith i'm RING
Al CHRISTMAS STORY

X
in Santa Claus
DO you believe in santa
CIaus2. asked old Mr.. Hum
pflreys, half-turning In his com
Portable armchair TO face his
companion.
I'm afraid mot, Mr.. Atterbury
replied droWsily, sinking deeper
into the warm luxury Of ctish-
ions. He broke into little
laugh. II dropped that foolish
ness years ago: And 1t broke
my heart when I did.
The two men,, travelling sales
men, old friends, ware lounSing
in the lobby Of the Grand Hotel,
Kaboaha, Wis. They were far,
far indeed, from lSith and kin.
In KaDosha, one can be farther
from kith and kin than anywhere
else on earth.
It was Christmas Eve, and the
electric lights sllone yellow from
among the festive trappings Of
red and green paper and pine
twiga Through the frosty panea
the lonely men could discern
dim, dark figures, burdened with
! package, passing like silent ghosts
across the snow.
Brother Atterbury,' said old
Mr.. Humphreys, you're d fool,
I'm almost twice as old az you
and am glad to say still
believe In Santa CIaue!''
You are an old sap, Hump
retorted Mr.. Attel bury. I'm sur.
prised at you. Any sensible per.
son knows there amt no Santa
Claus. It's your father and
mother"
The older man smiled q beauti-
fiII smile 81 faith.
Ever since Il was q little boy
he said, "cynics have bean trying
TO convince me that there Is no
Santa Claus. / have had the sat
isfactionof seeing evel visited
upon each of these traducers. MY
belief has never been shaken. And
would advise you. Robert, to
watch your step.
x You're an old nanny-goat, Mr..
Atterbury snapped. It's ridicu-
lous for grown men to sit here
discussing the existence Of Santa
Claus That's all right for chill
dren. My own kids believe in
him. 1t would break their hearts.
as mine was once broken, should
they discover the truth. I'm Santa
Claus for my kids. just as, every
right-minded father is Santa for
his! Take away that, myth from
childhood at Christmas time. and
what remains-;for them r.
IF their faith is strong 4
began old Mr.. Humphreys.
''Rotv' exclaimed Mr.. Atterbury
pushing out of his chair with an
angry jerk, and walking across
the lobby.
''The old fellows going batty,"
he confided to the room clerk.
"Yuh don't tell me! BY the
way, / think there's letter here
fer you. near as / can make the
name out. .
He hunted among the pigeon-
holes and drew forth a soiled
and blotted envelope, with Mr.
Atterbury'S name and address
rudely printed thereon.
The traveller took it with q
chuclle. His irritation was fast
melting away.
TITS from one of the kids" he
laughed, and carefully tore off
an end, withdrawing the letter.
Yes. s!r-it's from Bobby"
Dear Papa the letter began.
'CrisInas is not far off now and
We are all well and happy but
we miss you and hope you are
telling well and yure cold is
better and what I am writing to
tell you is one of the boys at
scool a big boy told me yesterday
there amt no Sanity Claus Bobby
and you are just littel boy and
that's wy you beleev in Sanity
Claus but I sed that's a lie becaus
my Papa told me thare is so a
Sanity Claus and he sed aw he
sed your Papa and Mama is Sanity
Claus and sed no / sed will
write to my Papa and asst him
and tell him what you sed ind
he will write to me and then he
will cum and beet you up thare
is so a Sanity Claus amt thare
Papa.
II am glad Mama told me
WHARF to write to you but she
don't no what l am writing about.
Bobby"
1.-THE big stiff" said Mr. After
bury. in a very husky voice.
1.-THE big stiff! Hey, you, gimme
a telegraph blanks"
He scrubbed long message
and handed 1t to the clerk.
II want that to get out as soon
as possible" he ordered. You
see to it."
Then he walked hack to Mr..
Humphreys, who had not moved.
A little sheepishly, he handed
over the letter from Bobby, which
Mr.. Humphreys read through
without comment, until he came
to the end.
Robert" he said, II suppose
you've sent wire home.
Mr.. Atterbury nodded.
II had occasion to do that. ten
b