Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-12-24
IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

referred to Francis +. Church,
a member of the editorial stat
of the Sun and the masterpiece
which we are reproducing be-
low was the result. On each
Christmas since it first appear
ed, it has found it's Way back
into print. If you have read it
previously. still another read
ing will be worth your While,
and if perchance it has escaped
your notice until now, we COM
mend it to you as a gera eX-
employing the true spirit of
Christmas" Here it is reprint
cd from the New York Sun Of
September 81, 1899:
1--WE take pleasure in answer
ing at once. and thus promin-
emily, the communication be-
low, expressing at the same time
our great qualification that its
author is numbered among the
friends of The Sun:
Dear Editor am years old.
Some of my little friends say
there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says IF you see it in the
Sun it's so.
please tell me the truth, is
there a Santa Claus?
VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
Ills West Ninety-fifth Street"
Virginia, your little friends
are wrong. They have been af-
fected by the skepticism of a
skeptical age. They do not be-
lieve except what they see.
They think that nothing can be
which is not comprehensive by
their little minds. All minds,
Virginia whether they be mems
or children's are little. In this
great universe of ours man is a
mere insect an ant, in his intel
lect, as compared with the
boundless world about him, as
measured by the intelligence
capable of grasping the whole
truth and knowledge.
Eyes. Virginia, there is a
Santa Claus. He exists as GER
tainly as love and generosity
and devotion exist, and you
know that they abound and give
to your life it's highest beauty
and joy. Alas! how dreary
would be the world if there were
40 Santa Claus. It would be as
dreary as if there were no Vir-
ginias. There would be no child
like faith then no poetry, no ro-
nance, to make tolerable this
existence. We should have no en-
joyment, except in sense and
sight. The eternal light with
which childhood fills the world
would be extinguished.
'Not believe in Santa Claus?
You might as we'll not believe N
fairies. You might get your
papa to hire men to watch in al
the chimneys on Christmas Eve
to catch Santa Claus, but even
if they did not see Santa Claus
coming down what would that
prove? Nobody sees Santa
Claus. but that is no sign chat
there is no Santa Claus. The
most real things in the world
are those neither children nor
men can see. Did you ever see
fairies dancing on the lawn? Of
course not, but that's no proof
that they are not there. No
body cen conceive or imagine
all the wonders that are unseen
and unseeable in the world.
"You may tear asunder the
baby's rattle and see what
makes the noise inside but there
is a veil covering the unseen
world which not the strongest
man no r even the united
strength of the strongest men
that ever lived, could tear apart.
Only faith, fancy, poetry, love
romance, can push aside that
curtain and view the picture
the supernatural beauty and
glory beyond. Is it all real: All
Virginia. in all this world there
is nothing else real and abiding.
"No Santa Claus? Thank
GOO! He lives forever. A thou
sand Years from now Virginia.
nay zen times ten thousand
years from nov, he will con-
tjnue to make glad the heart of
childhood"