Tes, Virginia, There Is a Santa dans' Was
Written 50 Years Ago; Remains Popular
The meat celebrated editorial that
has ever been published in an Amer
Jean- newapaper waa not about the
I . .,.1
atom bomb or aoaM other startling
headline event. Oddly enough, it had
to do with an eight year old girl
H? latter
sistant Editor Fltadi P.
who editorialised thusly:
"Yea, Virginia there is a
Clans. Hfc exists as certainly
and generosity and
and you know that tl
give to your life its highest
and Joy. Alas, how dreary would be
the world if there were ? no Santa
Claus! It would be as draary as if
there were no Virginias. There would
be no childlike faith then, no poetry,
no romance to make tolerable this
existence. We should have no en
joyment except in sense and sighi
The eternal light with which child
hood fills the wo rid would be ex
tinguished.
"Not believe in Santa Claus 1 You
might as well not believe m fairies!
You might get your paps to hire
men to watch in all 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 seea Santa Claus,
but that is no sign there is ne, Santa
Claus. The most real things in the
worli^are those that neither children
nor men can see. Did you ever see I
fairies dancing on the lawn? Of
course not, but that's no proof that
they are not there. Nobody can con
ceive or imagine all the wonders
there are unseen and unseeable in
the world.
'You tear apart the baby's rattle
and see what-makes the noise inside,
but there is a veil covering the un
seen world which not the strongest
men that ever lived, could tear
part. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love,
romance, can push aside that curtain
beauty and glory beyond. It is all
and view and picture the supernal
real. Ah, Virginip, ir all this world
there is nothing else real and.abid
ing.
"No Santa Claus! Thank God! he
lives, and he lives forever. A thou
sand years from now, he will con
tinue to make glad the heart of child
hoed."
. Virginia O'Hanlon is now Mrs. Ed
ward Douglas, a widow of 68, and the
popular assistant principal of a New
York public school. When questioned
as to whether she still believes in
Santa Claus, Mrg. Douglas always
exclaims, "Oh, more than ever."
Fifty Christmases have come and
gone since the answer to Virginia's
childish question was penned snd ap
peared in the Sun. Hie editorial
will be published and republished,
in years to come, because it somehow
catches and defines die real meaning
of Santa Claus snd what be standi
for.
IN MEMORIAM
In memory of my wife and our moth
er, the late Ellen Pittard Welton,
who departed this life one year
agp, Dec. 16, 1946.
You suffered much, you murmured
not,
You gently bore your pain.
And though ve watched you day by
day
Our hopes were all in vain.
The dearest one in all the world,
Has gone away to stay;
A broken home i* all we have
Since yob have gone away.
Sadly missed by husband, G. T. Wel
ton, and children?George, Wood
row, Lois Welton, and Mrs. James
Joyber, Newport News, Va.
TRTfOSI-IMtt-nmmg
TABLETS
*??%??
LOANS
Ml nT
NEW YEAR RELIEF?
in the form of lowered Home Financing costs is available to
all home owners who wisely avail themselves of the help
fully modern Financing Plan this Association features.
Change over now from your old style mortgage?and bene
fit all through the New Year and thereafter by the savings
which our Home Loan Plan guarantees.
FIIST FEB
ASSOCIA
FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAR
TIM OF GREENVILLE
320 EVANS STREET
GREENVILLE, N. C.
Phone 3224 ?
A- C. TAD LOCK, Sec. and Treas.
The best way
to have heat later
is to...
Save Oil
Now
The race between fuel oil supply and demand is neck and
neck right now, even with the oil industry's record post-war
production. That's why we're coning right to you with this
appeal to conserve fuel this winter. There should be enough
fuel oil for everyone ... if the weather isn't too severe ....
and if home owners will cooperate by using less.
Start saving today. Don't waste heat in rooms not used
very often. . . . open fewer windows at night.
This winter you'll save more than money by saving fuel?
you'll be guarding your own comfort. You can help us ....
and help yourself by saving fuel oil NOW!
, THE* OIL YOU SAVE TODAY....
May keep YOU WARM this WINTER!
Briley Oil Co.
Dial 223-1 West Wilson Street
:
FAfiMVILLE, n. c.
Make His or Her Future Chrfetmaseg Secure
? WITH
" * ? ir" i?
HOME SECURITY EDUCATIONAL INSURANCE!
* # # ' * '* ' _
WisBing each and every one a
CHRISTMAS
*A?birT:??#
mm
9nb heartiest #ree
of tfje feeoefon to |*ou
Belk-Tyler Co.
FAKMVILLE'S SHOPPING CENTER
I
This is the merriest, gayest and moot joyful
Christmas we've had in'many years. And
we've -got a big Christmas package here for
you?just bursting with good wishes and
gootTcheer for the best of everything during
this Yuletide season and for all of 1948 . . .
And tucked into the corners of this surprise
package are "thank you" messages- from us
to you?for your appreciated friendship and
patronage over Jhe period of yearr we have
been in this community. We look tomarA to
serving you in the years to come.
We Always Wish You"
THE BEST OF
' EVERYTHING
To which at this time We add
a wilh that Che true Christ
mas spirit might reach the
depths of all men's hearts and
bring
PEACE, LOVE AND GOOD
FELLOWSHIP TO
EVERYONE.
WILLIAMS
Grocery & Market
*
- CHRISTMAS
COMES BUT ONCE A YEAK
May it be all brightness and
cheer for yon, is our
? .sincere wish ^
?? ACCEPT THESE
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
? and ?
NEW YEAR WISHES
in the spirit in which they are
heartily offered!
A' - V - '? v- '?
always wish for our
A t this time we add a
m
migrht reach all
.rfw-.r- '"