Show r rt t Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus Back in 1897 1697 little Virginia wrote the following to the editor of ot the New York Sun I am 8 years old Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus Papa says If II you see bee it in tn the Sun its it's so Please tell me the truth is there a aSanta aSanta aSanta Santa Claus TilE THE EDITOR wrote a newspaper and literary classic in reply to tl this s childish plea It ItIs Itis Itis is reprinted here bere Yes indeed Virginia your little friends are wrong They have nave been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age they age they do not believe except what they hey see see see- they tl think that nothing can be wl which ch is not comprehensible by their little minds All minds Virginia wh whether ther they be mens men's mensor or cl childrens children's are little In this great universe of ours man is a mere Insect an anant anant anant ant in his intellect as compared com corn pared with the boundless world about him as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth and knowledge Yes Virginia there is a aSanta aSanta aSanta 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 b beauty auty and joy Alas I how dreary would be the world If It there were no Santa Claus t I It would be as dreary as if it there were no Virginias There would be no childlike faith then no no romance to ma makes make e tolerable this existence We should h have ve veno no enjoyment except In sense and sight The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished Not believe in Santa Claus I You might as well not believe in fairies I YOU MIGHT get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus but they did not see Santa Claus coming down what would that prove Nobody sees Santa Claus but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus the Claus the most real things in the world are those neither cl children nor normen normen normen 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 there there-n there nobody nobody body can conceive or imagine all al the wonders that tare I are unseen and in the world You tear apart a baby's rattle and see what makes the noise there is a a veil covering the unseen world wl which ch not the strongest man man manor Or or even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever ever lived could tear apart Only faith fancy poetry love romance can can push aside the curtain and view and picture the the supernatural beauty and glory beyond No Santa Claus Thank God he God he lives and he lives forever forever forever-a a thousand years from now Virginia nay ten thousand years from no now he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood |