0
TuMday. DM»mbM 22. 19tl-KINGS MOUNTAIN HtaULD-Pag* IB
Yes, Virginia, He’s Real
>d Mrre
ing the
• 4
0
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”
You have heard this quotation repeated often,
but do you know where it came from? The words
first appeared in an editorial by Francis P. Church,
which was printed Sept. 21, 1897, by the New York
Sun. In the years since, the piece has deservedly
become a classic.
We are reprinting that editorial today as a way of
wishing a joyful Christmas to our readers young
and old;
We take pleasure in answering at once and thus
prominently the communication below, expressing
at the same time our great gratification that its
faithful author is numbered among the friends of
The Sun:
“Dear Editor,
“1 am 8 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?
“V irginia O’Hanlon
“115 West Ninety-Fifth Street.”
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have
been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age.
They do not believe except what they see. They
think that nothing can be which is not comprehensi
ble by their little minds. All minds, Virginia,
whether they be men’s or children’s are little. In this
great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant,
in his intellect, as compared with the boundless
world about him, as measured by the intelligence
capable of grasping the whole of truth and
knowledge. ,
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as
certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist,
and you know that they abound and give to your
life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary
would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It
would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.
There would be no child4ife faith then, no poetry,
no romance to make tolerable this existence. We
should have no enjoyment, 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 well
not believe in fairies! You might get your papa 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 pro
ve? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign
that there is no Santclaus. The most real things in
the world are those that 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. Nobody can conceive 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 unseen world whichnot the strongest man, nor
even the united strength of all the strongest men
ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy,
poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain
and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory
beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world
there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he
lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia,
nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will
continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
'■Ski,, ••'
;:; .• •• ::...
• *••••« -•••• .*•
Allen's Flower Shop wishes to
thank everyone involved with our
Open House on December 6 for mak
ing it such a success. We will close
at 1:00 on Christmas Eve and
reopen on Monday, December 28.
We Wish Everyone A
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ALLEN’S FLOWER SHOP
Uames & Selma Crawford'^
tv ..
oS....
ree
0%!
ecks
e brushed
i. Purple,
and more
tg and
Is on back
. sizes
Misses
ilr
Scuffs
I terry scuffs
m's sizes.
>.99!
\ Or
Ihe way we figure, this
Christmas Is going to be
the best one yet! Hope It
adds up to lots of smilesi
In
FIRST FEDERAL
SAVINGS & LOAN
Bennett & John Masters & Staff Of
MASTER’S FUNERAL HOME
brings you all the joys of the
season, shared with friends
and loved ones... today and
always! Thank you ail
for your loyal patronage!
WADE FORD
& Staff