Show BOY PLAYS SANTA CLAUS STICKS lad hauled up bru sed and pen tent by mother neighbors and a clothesline philadelphia stuck in an old chim ney for nearly two hours while his mother and neighbors fished for him with clotheslines william matron a old lad of ont just they hauled him to safety above had the scare of his life while playing santa claus and was so badly scraped and shocked by his experience that he bad to be taken to a hospital for treatment matson with his brother andrew matthew conway joseph miller and harry thompson went to a vacant house in shawmont Shaw mont avenue near ridge avenue to play the boys are from nine to 14 years old and when it was suggested that the ored drama of santa and the chimney be enacted william matson clamored for the star part he got it and armed with an old satchel filled with straw mounted to the root of the old house which baa not been occupied for years his corn waited on the floor below by an open fireplace through which he was scheduled to make a triumphal entry matska lowered himself boldly into the chimney and began to slide down the ancient coat of soot with a joy ous thrill half way down he stuck and it became evident there was a bend n the chimney his compan ions instead of a joyous shout from the fireplace heard a dismal cry from the wall above and recognized their playmate calling wildly for assistance they ran to his home a few doors away and told his mother she thor hughly frightened got a ladder a clothesline and a stout boat hook getting on the roof she lowered the rope and managed to get the satchel but could not and the boy then some men came out of the big crowd which had gathered in the street and with several more ropes they managed to get a firm grip on young santa claus and haul him to safety when the soot begrimed bleeding little figure was brought to daylight no one laughed the youngster was so frightened that he almost tainted his clothes were torn his face and hands were bleeding and raw from his fran tic struggles to raise himself against the walls of the chimney he was taken to the hospital where his cuts were dressed he was then given a tonic a good wash and sent home |