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EVENING LEDGEB-PHIIiMJ'BLl'HIA', THURSDAY, DSOBMBEB 2, .101-C.
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CHRISTMAS DAY
IN THE CHURCHES;
BELLS RING EARLY
Special Services and Pro
grams of Music Planned
for Tomorrow Morning,
Afternoon and Night.
As dawn approaches tomorrow morn
ing nnd the morning star creeps to rest
In the rny shy, Christian Philadelphia
will arise with
thanks to God (or
the birth of the
Child Jesus UK
years ngo In the
little town of Both
lehem, nnd thou
sands will fro to
places of warship to
sing praises nnd to
hear sermons appro
prints to Christmas
Day.
From early In the
morning until lato
Into the night there wilt be special serv-
M Ices and sermons, Mubscs. musical pro-
in celebration of the birth of the Prince
of Peace. Even before the first gleam
of the morning sunshine sheds Its wel
come rays on the eastern horizon, the
chimes will gladden the hearts of Christ's
followers with their cheerful music, and
the great bells in tha belfries of edifices
of every Christian creed will reawaken
ID inq ncnris or. uou s cunurcn uicir grai
ltudo and love.
The earliest services, as usual, will be
In the Catholic and High Episcopal
churches. In nil of which there .will be
special Masses n( the break of day. In
most of the other churches thera will be
special musical programs nnd, sermons nt
10:30 or 11 o'clock: and In not a few the
Sunday schools will hold special exercises
nnd entertainments In the evening, when
the children will take part In songs, drills
end recitations.
Holly and nit kinds of evergreen havo
been used extensively In the decorations,
and the fragranco of pine, cedar and
hemlock will greet the worshipers. In
many churches large trees havo been put
Into piece, bearing gifts for the children,
and these will be brightly illuminated
"with electric lights of many colors.
AT THE CATHEDRAL.
In the Cathedral on Logan Square the
day's obscrvanco will be opened with a
ront Ideal Mass. Archbishop Prcndergast
Wilt celebrate the Mass, the Rev. Dr. Ed
mund J. FItzmaurlce, the chancellor, wilt
bo assistant priest, and the Revs. "Rich
ard Kelly nnd Joseph O'Hara. will bo
deacons of honor. The Rev. Doctor Oil
day, of the Catholic University, 'Wash
ington, will preach the sermon. There
wilt bo Masses every half hour following
tho 5 o'clock service, until 10.30 o'clock,
at which time the Rev. Henry Schuyler
will preach. In tho nfternoon at 3.30
o'clock Pontifical vespers will bo sung.
At St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 10th
'and Locust streets, there will bo pro
grama of music at tho C and 11 a. m.
Solemn High Mass. In the choir are 23
boy sopranos and altos and a chorus of
19 men. The soloists are Charles Slegler,
Samuel Carpenter, Frederick Rlemann
and Ftllx Addis. Miss Norn. M. Burke
la the director and organist.
The Christmas celebration In the Epis
copal Church of the Incarnation, Broad
and Jefferson streets, wilK open tonight
with n carol service by the Sunday school.
Tomorrow morning there will be Holy
Communion at 8, and again nt 10:30, when
there will be morning prayer and a ser
mon by the rector, the Rev. Norman V.
V. Levis.
Thera will be Holy Communion at the
Church of St. Judo and tha Nativity,
11th and Mt Vernon streets, nt 0:30
-o'clock tomorrow mernlng; at. 10:30 in Old
Kwedea' Church, Bwanson street below
Christian; at 8 and 10:20 In Grace Church,
qirard avenue, above 41st street: 6:30, 8
and 11 in Old St. Peter's Church, 3d and
Plrfa streets; at 10:30 o'clock In St. An
drew's, fth and Spruce streets; at 8:10
anrt 10:30 in St. Matthew's Church, 18th
and Qirard avenue.'
Elaborate arrangements have been
made for tha observance in BU James
Church, Sd and Walnut streets. There
wilt be Holy Communion at 6:30, 8 and
11 o'clock. At tha 11 o'clock services tha
Itlght Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Garland,
blehop suffragan of the Diocese of Penn
sylvania, will preach.
At BL SUpben's Church, 10th street
abovo Chestnut, there will be Holy Com
munion at 8 and 11 o'clock, and at the
last service a special program of music
will be given and there will be a sermon.
At St Clement's Church, th .and
Cberry streets, there will be Masses at
e, T, 8:16 and 11 o clock tomorrraw morn
Ins. St Mark's Church, lith and Wal
nut streets, the Rev. Elliott White, rec
tor, will have celebrations of the Holy
Communion at T, S and 9 o'clock, and at
M:S, following a procession, a Choral
KueharUt will be observed.
'-" miilOP RHINELANDBR AT SERVICES
Button Rhtnelander will officiate at tha
Gferlstmaa cervices in St Michael's EpU-
4al unuren, liermantown. tomorrow
worulnr. An elaborate program of music.
s.j.UrtudJng tho cantata, "Cradlo of Christ,"
:; -wm e given unatr Mia aireellon of
:- 3iinit& E. Corneal, the choirmaster.
t, tae LAimeran t--nuren oc the Holy
Communion, Sit and Chestnut streets,
there will be services tomorrow rawnins
at 11 o'clock. In tha Lutheran Cburah
Af St Mark, lMh and Seriwr Oarden
tracts; and St Matthew Cburoa, Broad
nad. Ht Vernon streets, Vkn wJU be
social aerrtcas, with aa aiaborato sausi
10,1 program, at Jwclocfc, and at Twnjrta
Ltfeui CfeurcH tha Rev Dr. A. Poht
mau, th pastor, iuuunces thera will be
. servles at il Ctofc- in tha morning.
Mr Calvary iitotriaa Churah, ISta
and Leeuat sttt. aad Ncrtegbistfr
ywrurl r.e. 9Hh and Baring
MtrwM, tsMtre wW 1 speetaj aerrteaa at
10 o'clock, nnd announcement has been
made of programs of muslo to be given
In St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. Mth
street nnd Baltimore avenue, and services
morning and evening. Miss May Porter
Is the director In chnrge.
The Rev. F. A. Tagllalatela will preach
In Italian In tho First Unitarian Church,
22d nnd Chestnut streets, at special serv
ices at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning .
Tlie "Billy" Sunday prayer meetings
will bo continued In tho evening In homes
throughout the city, and because oT tha
great Interest In blocks S, C nnd 18 of the
20th District, In tho southwestern part at
tho city, a meeting will bo held In the
evening nt '8 o'clock In a lnrgc storerqom
nt 67th street nnd Woodland avenue.
Ono of tho largest Christmas celebra
tions in tho city will be tho annual re
union of the A. J. Drcxcl Middle Blblo
Classes In the winter home, at 1917 Mt.
Vernon street, tomorrow afternoon. Ar
rangements hnvo been made to cntortaln
about i;,000 members.
DAY OF GREAT JOY
AWAITS NEEDY AT
MISSIONS OF CITY
Religious and Church Or
ganizations Have Provided
Christmas Dinners and En
tertainments. No person need to go through Christ
mas hungry In Philadelphia. True to her
name of tho City of Brotherly Love, tho
church and religious organizations have
prepared bountifully to feed tho poor and
unfortunate.
Scores of institutions and societies will
keep open house during tho day, and In
addition to providing tasteful dinners will
permit tho unfortunates the shelter and
warmth of their buildings and will seo
to it that there. Is plenty of entertainment
for them while they wait.
At the Inasmuch Mission, Superintend
ent and Mrs. George W. Long anticipate
tho greatest Christmas dinner they have
ever served. Dinners of turkey nnd all
the good things that go with It will be
prepared for 1300 guests, besides the hun
dreds that will be fed in the bread line in
tho early morning. The line will start nt
4 o'clock nnd nt 10 o'clock tho auditorium
will bo opened, so that all who linger
for their dinners may crowd Into" It nnd
keep warm.
An elaborate entertainment program has
been arranged. Bishop Rhtnelander will
bo present at 1 o'clock, and other speakers
will Include A. J". Drcxel BIddle and the
Rev. George S. Gassncr, of the Seamen's
Church Institute. A. II. uranger, one of
tho directors, will have as special guests
some of the soloists of the Orpheus So
ciety, yho will render musical selections.
Each of the poor men will get a bag of
tobacco after his dinner, through the
kindness of Mrs. Hampton L. Carson. In
the evening tho Rev. John Grant Newman,
of the Chambers-wyllo Presbyterian
Church, will preach.
At the Galilee Mission, 823 Vine street,
Superintendent Hall plans to give dlnnei
to 400 to 500 men. Previous to the feast
there will be special music, speaking and
antertainment. Ttiero wilt also be exer
cises in the evening.
Superintendent John R. Mclntyre. of the
Whosoever Mission, 101 East Chelten ave
nue, Germantown. Is preparing a big feast
for 250 men. In the evening there will be
an elaborate Christmas entertainment.
The Rev. J. M. Bennetts will participate
In tha program.
Among other institutions that will serve
dinners and bring Christmas cheer to the
poor and needy are the Bethany Anchor
age, 9th street abovo Vine; the Episcopal
City Mission, the Cathedral Day Nursery.
Mth street above Cherry: Our Mother of
Sorrows Day Nursery, 471S Lancaster ave
nue; St Vincent's Homo and the auxiliary
of the Children's Homeopathic Hospital.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS" RULES
ON CHANGE, AS OF YORE
Brokers Celebrate Season With Zest
That Scorns. Business Depression.
.i0Ur ,","th' uspenIon, during which
time alt the money was going out and
nothing coming In, combined with the
general business depressslon of the last
year, did not stand in the way of the
annual Christmas celebration of the
members at the Philadelphia Stock Ex
change today.
Promptly at 13 o'clock business was
suspended, and until the regular closing
a.m!fct JLLd?cU ,h, afternoon thi spirit
of the Christmas season will reign su
preme, and business troubles and cares
will be forgotten, or at least nut aside
for the time.
Not a slngla feature Qf the celebration
i ?""5r ?ears WB" omitted. Tho floor
of the Exchange was decorated with sea.
aonablft greens, thera was a band to con-
)!. A.,1",."1' BeneraI wyety. and a
buffet luncheon was served in tho smok
ing room for the members and their
frlenda among the brokerage houses
throughout tha city.
Even employes, who received their full
pay during the entire time the Exchange
was closed, wera not forgotten, and they
have to divide among themselves con
siderable aum. whleb has aeoumulated
during several days past In a speoial box
hung fop the purpose In tha office of
Secretary Horace IL Lea
"Tnero was some Idea at first," said
T. C. Matthews, bead of tha Committee
on Arrangements, "that It would b bet
ter on aeaount of the bad year not to
have the celebration. But when tha
members wera appreaahed Individually
tt was found that a very large majority
were sot ealjr la favor of It, but felt it
would be a great mUUke If it wera not
held. So we got up a petition to the
beard of governors, and they gay the
Meuwy pernslwlon."
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CHRISTMAS JOYS l
WILL FILL THE CITY
Continued from Page One
It was hardly necessary, but neverthe
less the cumpolgn was carried on. Thou
sands of shoppers, the majority of whom
probably didn't have the necessary funds
earlier, left their shopping until today,
but there Is no doubt that tho shop-early
movement got results.
CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS.
Christmas for tho children at home this
year will bo moro enjcyable than ever,
anil there Is nlso the prospect, not defi
nite, of course, but something to hope
for, of a white Christmas, the joy of
young and old nllke. It will give more
fun to tho llttlo ones because that good
old quality, Yankee ingenuity, has been
called on to do more at this Christmas
time than for many years,
German toy makers heretofore have
sent their products to Philadelphia and
other ports of this country In fleets of
ships, starting often ns early as Octo
ber. The sign "Made in Germany" has
been everywhere in toyland. This year
It Is rarely seen. Germany has been
busy making war and the United States
has had to make its own toys, and it
has made them.
More than this. It has made n shipload
to send abroad to the little children of
Belgium, not to mention the toys that
went In various other shipments, suffi
cient perhaps to fill another vessel. And
the toys made by tha United States this
year surpass in every way hose of the
foreign makers. Prices are little or no
higher than in former years.
The toymakcrs have surprised the coun
try with some of the new inventions this
year. All the old Ideas have been Im
proved upon until they will stand the
battering by which childhood shows its
affection for Its playthings, and the new
ones will do all manner of curious stunts.
Not only the children are Impatient to
day for tha dawn of tho morrow. The
adults also are counting on the thrill of
pleasure' that iv)ll be theirs In the morning
when the patter of little feet dawn the
stairway is followed by shouts of happi
ness over stockings bulging with good
things and toys piled in neat array
about the decorated fir or cedar.
DAY OP JOY FOR ALL.
There Ij another class or citizens in
Philadelphia, men and women who go
forth on the day of days to bring cheer
to others, visiting the sick and tho crip
pled In hospitals and homes, with flowers
and small gifts, that mean a- world of
pleasure to the recipients. No one will
be forgotten today In the general effort
to make the city happier, Oruanlted plans
have been made, to provide a special
Christmas dinner to the Inmates of Insti
tutions, and In nearly ertry Instanee there
will be musical entertainments.
vEvsn In the jails the rigid discipline of
confinement wUl relax somewhat In Its
severity. Prisoners will get something
better than the usual plain prison, fare
at noon today, and the usual special
service and cntertalnmenta will be given
at tha Saatera Penitentiary At Christ
mas time tha always popular Warden.
"Bob" McKenty. of the penitentiary, se
cure a stronger bold upon the affections
of the men he U appointed to govern.
At Christmas time more than ever, by
that subtle democracy of whleh b,e Is toas
ter, he mans bis convfet charges feel
that thy are geod sen, and aseordlngly
they aat as attab.
PORT'S CHRISTMAS
JOY IS MELLOWED
BY WAR'S SHADOW
Crews of Interned Ships Be
set by Fears for Loved
Ones Engaged in Titanic
Conflict.
Christmas will not be superlatively joy
ous on tho steamships and sailing vessels
in port tomorrow. An effort will be made
to make the day a
happy one. But
among the 200 odd
followers of the sea
Interned on board
the various German
and Austrian craft
there will be a thin
thread of sorrow to
moderate the. Joy.
Their families and
friends are engaged
n the titanic strug
gle involving the 10
nations of Europe.
Some of them have not heard from
their loved ones since the beginning of
hostilities in August. Thoy know not
whether they are living or dead. This
dread uncertainty has produced an air
of gloom, which It will be difficult to
dispel. The greatest Christmas gift these
exiles could receive would be good
news from those near and dear to them
at home.
There are four steamships Interned
here. They are the Prlnz Oskar and
Rhaetla, of the Hamburg-American
Line, flying the red, white and black of
Germany; the tank steamship Ems, under
the same colors, and the Austrian steam
ship Fronconla.
The two Hamburg-American vessels
are docked at the new city pier at the
foot of Catharine street, the Ems la at
Point Breeze, on the Schuylkill River,
and the Franconia Is at Port Riohmond.
The skeleton erews these vessels are
compelled ta carry number In the aggre
gate about 200 men. The German and
Austrian Consul and German and Aus
trian societies and. citizens are going to
see that the proper Christmas spirit is
diffused through the vessels to cheer up
the prisoners ot hope.
Captain Maas, pf the Prlnz Oskar, has
a 19-year-old son, a prisoner of' war In
England. For many months the veteran
master was In doubts as to the treatment
accorded to- the boy, but ha recently re
ceived a letter which has reassured him.
Other vessels In port will be gaily
decorated and the master of the galley
will use every effort to give the crews
a meal that they will remember for weeks.
Vessels which left here during the last
few days put an unusual amount pf good
thing la the pantries to be dispensed at
sea. Qther tft are hastening here with
all speed p5lbla to stock the larder
for the Christmas feast
Christmas carol will be sung by various
religious and charitable organisations
early tomorrow morutflg alsna the
wharves, awl presents, eMWMtlng.of w.
ig rag sua useiui hkmtm, win be
given.-
CHRISTMAS SPORTS WILL
COVER A WIDE RANGE
Basketball, Soccer, Pugilism and
Cross-country Buns on Program.
Tha Phlldelphla athletic world will cele
brate Christmas Day by Indulging in all
forms' of printer sports. On tho day's
program are four boxing contests, a host
of basketball games, soccer nnd cross
country runs. Most of these events come
under the well-known heading of "Indoor
sports." Consequently they will be well
attended, no matter what vintage of
weather Mr. Bliss uncorks on the glad
some, expectant public.
All ot the fight bills are on the docket
for 2:30 o'clock In. the aftornoon. At the
Olympla Harry Edwards has arranged a
program of unusual merit. In the wind
up Kid Vagncr, of WIlkes-Barre, will
meet Buck Crouse, of Pittsburgh, Thera
will be four other bouts In the Droad arid
Balnbridgo streets ring.
Jack McGulgan has contracted with
enough fighters for Christmas to In
crease the number of performances to six
Instead of five, the number generally pre
scribed. The feature attraction will 'be a
six-round go between Ted Lewis, welter
weight champion of England, and Young
Jack O'Brien, of "West Philadelphia.
Tho Quaker City Boxlpg Club will enter
the. lighting field for the first time, stag
ing flvo fights. The final go will be p. bat
tle between Joe Borrell, of Kensington,
nnd Frank Mantell, o'f Pawtucket. At the
Nonpareil A. C. Tommy Coleman and
Ralph Erno will meet In the wlndup.
There will be four games In the Eastern
Basketball League. In the afternoon
Greystock will entertain Trenton at
Cooper Battalion Hall, loth and Christian
streets. This game is scheduled to begin
at 3 o'clock. In the evening Oreystock
will play the second half of the double
header, with Camden as the opponent.
This contest will be played at Alpha Hall.
De Nerl and Reading will meet twice.
Both nmes wilt be staged up State, the
first in the alternoon and the second In
the evening.
In scholastic circles the game of chief
Interest In the cage will be played by the
Camden High School quintet and the
alumni five of the same school. That 10
mlnute contest is to be played at the p.
R. R. Y. M. C. A., Sd and Mlckle streets,
Camden.
On Christmas morning, at 10:30 o'clock,
tho members of the Northwest Boys' Club
will hold a closed, handicap, cross-country
run. The runners w)i traverse the
3U mile course over Falrmount Park,
known as the scholastic route.
Several other clubs In Philadelphia will
hold close runs. The A. A. U recently
decided that only one open run could, be
pulled off In the same city.
KAHINO STATIONS OPEN XWAS
Parcel Post Deliveries WJH Be Made
All Day.
Postofflee stations throughout the city
will be open until It o'clock Christmas
morning for the sale of stamps, money
orders and registered mall business.
At the Central PosUfflee stamps wH
be sold retail from 1 a, m. until noon.
The money order department, the Inquiry
division and the tegistry sestlon will be
open from 1 a. m. untllH a. ra. The
postal savings department wltt be closed
aH day.
Throughout the city there will be. one
dsMvery o( tetters, Farcal Post deU?riea
wig be mads, ail dsy.
CHRISTMAS DINNER FOR POOR
KIDDIES AT HOTEL ADELPHIA
Boosters Club Finns to Entertain 113
Children.
Christmas Is so distinctly a home oc
cnslon that the day Is a rather dull ono
throughout tho hotels In tho city. Be
yond decorating tho lobbies and dining
rooms with Christmas greens, llttlo ef
fort will bo made by fho various manage
ments to Introduco special features to
morrow. For those, however, who cannot get
home for Christmas many of tho houses
will servo special tnblo d'hote dinners
nnd Yulctldo muslo will feature tho or
chestra programs. "
An exception will bo made nt the Hotel
Adelphla, There (he Boosters' Club, an
organization of the employes of tho house,
will entertain 112 poor children at a
Christmas dinner In tho Gold Room. , Tho
names of tho deserving youngsters havo
been obtained from Mrs. E. T. Stotesbury
through tho "Homo Relief Committee.
YULETIDE SPIRIT
FILLS CORRIDORS
OF CITY HALL
Many Employes Given" Spe
cial Christmas Vacation by
Mayor Officials Will
Spend Day at Home.
Tho spjrlt of Christmas pervades every
corridor and office at City Hall. From
tho evergreen nnd holly border that
fringes tho pavement of the big munici
pal building, where the merchants cry
their wares, to the rim of tho hat of
William Penn, whero new clusters of
.lights glow In honor or the Yuletlde,
thero Is evidence of Christmas.
MAYOR'S SPECIAL GIFT.
Mayor Blankenburg gave the holiday
spirit encouragement on Monday, when
he bestowed presents on several thousand
workers In the city's service. His re
membranco was an extra holiday to
every person that can possibly bo spared
from duty on Saturday. By tho Mayor's
orders tho Christmas holiday will begin
tonight and continue until Monday
morning.
Thero havo been all sorts of mysterious
whisperings and quiet conferences In the
City Hall offices during tho last few days.
It Is more certain than mere rumor that
In at least one or two departments 'there
havo been Christmas baskets packed
with turkeys and cranberry sauce and
other substantial, distributed among
families where otherwise stockings would
not have been tho only things empty
tomorrow,
CHRISTMAS AT HOME.
There will bo no difficulty In locating
tho head of any municipal department to
morrow, provided you know his homo ad
dress. To the question, "Where will you
Bpcnd Christmas?" every city official gave
tho same reply, "Home." '
Mayor Blankenburg will watch the Yule
log burn In his residence on West Logan
square.
Director Taylor, of the Department of
City Transit, Is hoping for n" white
Christmas, with 'snow to brighten the
brown, weather-beaten fields about -his
country placo at Wayne.
Director Cooke, of the Department ot
Public Works, and Director Porter, of the
Department ot public Safety, will ciarv
turkeys In their- respective residences In
Germantown,
Director Loeb. ot the Department -of
Supplies; Director Norrls, of the Depart
ment of Wharves, 'Docks and Ferries, and
Director Harte, of the Department ot
Health and Charities, will also "bo found
at their homes all day tomorrow.
POLITICAL LEADERS PLAN
"OLD-FASHIONED" XMAS
All Will Spend the Day With Their
Pamllles.
Governor-elect Brumbaugh and the po
litical leaders have planned to spend an
old-fashioned Christmas with their fami
lies. The Governor-elect will share his
Christmas turkey with his aged father,
the Rev, George M.. Brumbaugh, who Is
expected to come here from his Jiome In
Marklesburg, Huntingdon County, to
spend the day at Doctor Brumbaugh's
home, 351 West Walnut lane.
Senator Penrose will spend a quiet day
In Philadelphia. He expects to eat his
Christmas dinner at his home, 1331 Spruce
street and will, of course, visit the Union
League during the day.
Senator Edwin H. Vara will have a
Chrhtm&A trA nt hi Miintn. v...
Ambler, and will spend the day there
with his family. Representative William
S. Vare will probably visit his brother.
Senator James I McNIohol planned his
Christmas many weeks ago. He went to
St Lucie, Fla., last Friday, accompanied
by hi family. "Brother Dan" and the
letter's family. The Senator is never so
happy as when he Is taking gifts from a
Christmas tree or presiding over a Christ
mas dinner, with his entire family seated
around the table, and he has planned to
spend what he sailed before his departure
a "perfect day."
BO.UDA-x- HUSH AT T. M. 0. A.
The holiday rush Is a( Its height at tha
Central Y. M. C. A. today, where many
boys. Interested U oarpentry and cabinet
work, are completing Christmas gifts far
parents and friend.
The work Is under the direction of
lad la maklM bak-raeks, desks.
Me-U asS'raeSr"" WH'
NO SANTA? NOTHII
ELSE SO REAL AS
DEAR OLD SAN
Thank God! He Lives arU
Lives Forever, and Is Pip
of Beautiful Mystery;!
Life.
Disbelief In Santa Cln.ua by sutler!
Bkeptlcal persons who make bold to djay
the existence, of this deity of tho nurtSJ
can always ,'S!
counted on to sprGJ
up nt this season!?
the year.
Sometimes ehll.
dren are affected tl
it and their little
minds go, wanderini
off through a l&bjr:
rintu ot doubt &M
speculation, TtU
mental Journey gen:
orally ends exactly,
whero it began, and
the child Is no rvlierl
If anything thn youthful thinker cxoe-J
rlcnces n feeling akin to that accompany-
ing the loss or a treasured possession,
This Is very sad, for to loso one's
Santa Claus Is to' bo bereft of a irlowln
boiler of childhood that ranks far above
In value to the fairies which dance about.'!
ono s head at 'night and whisper sweetf""
things In a dream. -'
Ono day, a long while ngo, a llttlo girl
whoso name was Virginia, had been told
there wns no Santa Claus. The Informa
tion was furnished by her schoolmates,
who should havo known better. Perhaps ,
they spoke carelessly and later repented, i
What thoy said, however, alarmed Vir
ginia. She wanted to havo no doubts
about the spirit of Christmas. So she
wrote a letter to tho editor of the New 3
York Sun. and said: "PIcaso tell me,
Is thero n Santa Claus?"
And the editor of that paper, because, 5
lie was a. kind man nnd believed nil hl'jj
llfo what Virginia had been told to doubt,
brushed awny all misgivings from the
mind of his little Inquirer.
What tha editor wrote has been man
times reprinted, but because It Is so fu!19
of that same spirit which told tho Wise
Men to follow the star and' tako their.
irlfts to a tiny Child lying In a manger,
1
It -wilt nrnhnhlv brt nuoted manv times
again. Ho said? "
"Virginia, your little friends aro wrong.
They have been affected by the skeptl- (
clsm of a skeptical oge. Thoy do not bo- .
llevo oxccpr they see. They think that,
nothing can bo which is not comprehen
sible by their little minds. All minds,
Virginia, whether they be men's or chll- .
dren's, are little. In this great universe
of ours man Is a mere Insect, an ant, lnj
his intellect, as compared with the bound-J
less world about him, ns measured by then
Intelligence capable of grasping the whole
truth and knowledge.
"Yes, Virginia, thero Is a Santa Claus.
He exists as certalntly ns love and gener
osity and devotion exist, and you know
that they abound and give to your life its
highest beauty and Joy. Alasl how dreary!
would be the world If there were no,
Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as It,
there were no, Virginias. There would
be no childlike faith then, no neotry. no
romance to make tolerable this existence
Wo should have no enjoyment, except lnj
sense ana signt, ine eternal ugnt wltnl
which, childhood fills the world would be
extinguished.
"Not believe In Santa Claus! You might!
ns well not believe In fairies. ' You mlghfi
get papa to hire men to Watch In all the
chimneys on Christmas Xve to catch
Santa Claus. but even If they did not see
Santa Claus coming down, what would
that prove? Nobody sees Santa ClauslJ
1.(1 41,at la nn ,1m. ,kn. t.-.. ( r. I.3B1
,,. Mt fiv o.ijii mat mcra in no oamtfcj
Claus. The most rest thlnira in the world
are those that neither children nor menfl
.., sw, 4i wu over och mines nancinsj
on the lawn? Of course not. hut thxt'a nol
proof that they arrf not there. Nobodai
b,aji wutwcivQ ir iiiiuisino an me wonaerss
there are unseen and unseeable In the
woria.
-- "You may tear apart the baby's rattj?
mm sea wnai maices wo noise inside, bu'
mere is a veil covering the unseen worl
wnicn not me strongest man. nor eve
the united strength of all the atronml
men that ever lived, could tear apart
Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance)
can pun aside mat curtain and vie
ana picture the supernal beauty and gto;
ueyona. is u Sll real? Ah, Virginia,
all this world thers Is nothing else n
ana aoiaing.
"No Santa Claus! Thank God! he llvei
ana ne lives forever. A thousand vj
from now. Virginia, mv. ten timu ui
thousand years from now, he will con
liiius iu mane giau me neart of catw
nooa. '
CHRISTMAS CHEER
f
AT THE NAVY YARj
Fifteen Hundred Marines to Vm
Well jind Hear Speeches.
Nearly 1500 elaborate Christmas, oj
nrs. consisting or turkey and the net
Sarv ftrlmmmr ' havA vaA n.ul.
by Uncle Sam for the marines at Less;
Already the Christmas spirit perv
ua.vy yara. rn oarraoks are I
deeoratod with hoiiv , &, wa
moored to the docks are being poili
ua me postman is overloaded with I
ems ior toe msripas and sailors- p
ubo iMuuaano, muners. under
reetlop pf Mess Sergeant James R. Pa
Will be fiarvfcl In h n,4n .o sk
Colonel L. W. T, Waller, ooremandaat
uib ui ang&ae, win make tne cow
uiu& utiir inuKArn & ,a 1.10111a
Colonel Char!a (1 T-nnir or , lit '
, uuu i4meuant-cotonei w.
..w,,., wt iBB ju nsguneut- rie
dred marin tlu. ,vfin uriit eat
dtanars to tee stamen's barracks.