Evening star., 1933-12-12

l. movement in the mountain of
letters that all but filled Santa
i Claus work shop.
A few letters near the top Of
the heap, which reached almost to the
ceiling, slid downward. followed by
others From somewhere near the bot
tom of the pile came q mufhed grunt-
the grunt of man tackling job that
calls for all the strength that he can
muster.
The mountain trembled for a mo-
ment, then broke into thousand
pieces as the letters began flying in all
directions There was another grunt-
a grunt so mighty that 1t sounded very
much like thunder-and the head and
shoulders Of Santa himself emerged
from the mass of letters, which had
spread out over the floor of the large
room like a sea of white-capped waves.
Showed under!" Santa cried, climb
ing to his feet and brushing aside let
ters that had clung to his long white
whiskers Completely showed under
by maili'
Surveys Letters in Shop.
He stood there for moment, survey
ing the shop. Letters everywhere
strewn across the work bench, piled
high in the seats Of chairs, even dan
Cling from the chandelier. He tried to
walk toward the door, but the letters
were jammed so tightly around his legs
that he couldn't take step.
We'll, I guess the only thing to do
is to read my way out" he decided. He
pulled handful from around the tops
of his boots. "Hm-m-m :"
There were all kinds of letter+let-
ters from worried parents, unable to
glimpse even tiny ray of hope for
providing anything resembling a real
| Christmas for their children; letters
from youngsters who, realizing their
parents were penniless, were relying on
| Santa to help them.
! The first letter that Santa tore open
was from widow with four children.
/ She wrote:
The two older ones can understand,
! but the two small ones cannot. They
think that If they see Santa and tell
| him to bring them something he will
do it, They do not think you have
to have the money.
| My little girl, -, she is 5 years
old She writes letter to Santa every
! night and puts it on the mantel for
| him. and it almost breaks my heart to
think I have no money to give them
Christmas with.
The little boy is 9 years old. He
| has just come out of the hospital, where
he has been for month. After Christ
mas, he has to go back again.
Il will appreciate any help whatSo-
ever that you can give me to give my
little ones happy and merry Christmas
| like other children will have"
Opens Another Envelope.
Santa blinked as he stuffed the letter
! into a pocket of his red pants. Giving
his head a determined shake, he tore
open another envelope and read:
IT am a girl, 13 years old, and there
| is nine of us children in our family.
have got five brothers. 6. 7, 9, II and IA
years old, and two sisters, one months
old and one years old.
I'VE would like very much to have
some toys and goodies for Christmas as
daddy is sick and not able to work, and
| he can't get us anything. My
| brother -, II years old, has wanted
| a wagon for a long time. AS for
myself. Santa can bring me what he
| thinks is best for me-"
Another:
II am writing to Sc If you won't give
us some little toys and; basket for
| Christmas, as my father is sick, and we
have no ore to help us-only my broth
er, 16 years old, stays home from school
to help what little he can -
Sometimes We go to bed without a
single meal, as rent has to be paid, as it
is bad enough and we don't want to be
| on the street. If all we get is
something to eat, we will be happy. MY
mother cries when she thinks of Christ
mas. She don't like for every one to
know, so that's why I am writing to
you
Still Another Request.
Still another:
II have been sick for five years or
more and unable to work out. I have
| four children. would be thankful
for anything you will send me to help
make the children happy for Christmas,
+ because I won't have any money to
spend to get them anything"
One letter after another-pitiful let
| tiers that got a grip son Santa's heart
and twisted it until he thought it would
break. But he continued reading them
| just the same, pauSing now and then
| to wag his head and run his fingers
nervously through his beard.
Every one of those letters can be
answered through the 'toy matinees" to
| De pT6S6UItQ OdtuIu Iudy IiOil llllle Wy Ae
Star and the Warner Bros. theaters.
Your reply can be in the form OF q
new toy or new coat. dress. sweater
or other article of wearing apparel. Nc
matter what your gift, it will serve as
your ticket" to one of the theaters
where you will see first-class show
happy in the knowledge that you've
done your bit toward alleviating suffer.
ing among Washington's thousands oi
destitute families this Christmas.
LIST of Theaters.
A complete list Of the theaters par
ticipating in this years "toy matinees'
the third presented by The Star and
Warner Bros.-follows:
Ambassador. Eighteenth street and
Columbia road. Harold Lloyd in Movie
Crazy"
Apollo, 624 H street northeast
Wheeler and Woolsey in Hold En-
Jail"
Avalon, 56l2 Connecticut avenue
Mitzi Green In Little Orphan Annie.
Avenue Grand. 645 Pennsylvania ave.
nue. southeast, Little Orphan Annie"