The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1939-12-20
Merry Christmas?
By BEN BUCKLEY

| the year when we set aside all griey
ance, hate, prejudices and other sun
dry habits that aren't listed in tn
Ten Commandments. Or maybe w
| kid ourselves that we do. But any
way, Merry Christmas Here come
old Saint Nick to gladden. the hear
of young and old alike.
There are an almost unaccountablt
number of children waiting for tn,
25th of December so they can SEE
what that grand old man has lef
under the Christmas tree or put il
their stockings. They have been goot
little boys and girls for so many days
or at least it seems so to them, thai
it would never do if Santa Claus heard
about their getting cross or not mind
ing mother. If such a thing should
happen Santa might just crack old
Bitten on the ear with the long whip
that he carries and those old reindeer
would just jump right over the house
of any little boy that had been bad.
But am sure he won't. Such a lover
of children could hardly do that. |
am sure IL he should make a mistake
and forget just one little child, even
If he was very poor little boy and
was kind of hard to find on account
of being hid way back in some dark
alley in little old house that old
Santa might not even think was a
house, why old Santa would be morti
fled to death, and he wouldn't rest all
summer long.
But l have been thinking this Santa
h,xo
wondering. Now perhaps old Santa
can't remember as good as he used
to because he is getting pretty old.
know as rule that old age doesn't
help ones memory any. So | am go
ing to try and help old Santa a wee
bit if / can, as | am very fond of
little children and don't want to see
one of them missed. OF course |
haven't any money or even prestige
% help these children if Santa misses
hem SO l am going to write Santa
and tell him where he might find
some good little boys and girls.
Dear Old Santa Claus: expect you
will wonder why | am writing you
Ind butting into your affairs. | am
sure, Santa, that you do the best that
vou can under the conditions that you
lave to work and would like to re-
member them ALL But | guess some
lines you just run out of toys and
andy and good things to eat before
'ou get around to them ALL Excuse
ne; Santa, but do you always start |
toys and good things to eat I
yhere the houses are biggest and the |
10Th hr1pb
o it that way because you can't find |
hose little dark houses until almost |
aylight And of course it isn't your |
ault if your bag is just about empty |
y that time. With your kind heart |
nd all of those nice things you have |
/ your bag when you start out its a
smptation to you, Santa, | know
Then you stop at good little boys
ouse, even if it is a great big house,
trough your kindness of heart you
lst keep piling those toys up because
ley look so nice and shiny and you
eep thinking how happy that little
by is going to be that you just can't
OPP giving and the first thing you
now you have given everything
way.
Doesn't it happen that way some
mes, Santa? ! know you don't for
1t any little boys or girls on pur-
use. But there are so many little |
lacks away out of town where you !
ould never expect to find any It's !,
lrk there and the roads are bad | :
i'd | bet you do have a time finding :
me of them | can't tell you which :
rection to go but if. you look over !,
: the stockyard or down by the :
ctories and around the railroad :
acks you will probably find some :
wv you will have to look sharp as
lot of these little houses are made +
most anything-old railroad ties, .
/ boards or tin cans or most any /
ing that will keep some of the wind :
d cold out. And say, Santa, don't +
too high, as you might go right Il
them thinking it was just some old T
lff that had been hauled out there n
d thrown away, as there aren't any a
eet lights there. Oh, yes, there is :,
other place you are sure going to q
We time finding. I'll bet you will n
nix there isn't anybody there and q,
right on by. If you don't watch !,
4 | +
rehouses or old abandoned build m
IS. The roofs are bad and the doors
1T open and close very well, but Z
| go inside and take look and be
e to look on every floor and in i
Try room. You can't judge how
ny children might be there by the 4
ldows that you see on the outside I
some of the rooms haven't any
ldows, but when you look inside
are just liable to find lots of kids. u
W please don't forget these little Ia
ows as | know they are expecting 10
. Oh, yes, don't forget to look in le
basement as you are pretty sure 10
find some children there. al
know Of another place too. Gee, GU
ope you don't get mad at me for III
ing you about all of these, but | su
e got to tell you about this one ot
| used to live there when / was
title boy. 1t is way out in the 10
ntry and | know it is hard place III III
find. There were lots of things -
| didn't realize then that / do 81
Z, but of course / didn't know 10
ut all these big and little houses to
the lights and roads and what III,
oIossal task you have. | didn't
W at that time why you didn't IN
our house sometimes and | used IN
feel awfully bad. | guess some up
IS / used to cry little. On Christ co. y
whenever you came, you always ~
lght us new shoes. They were sp'
tys about two sizes too big but | loo
IS it was pretty hard for you to 20.
ember the size of so many boys spe
girls feet We were always glad lol
ret them and they were plenty cru
4 enough before the next Christ iioi
And say when you brought 20
s you always brought nice big WI WIZ
i. Ill Ii