Life — December 2, 1920 — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Gxtrait, Gau de Doilelte, javon, Soudre, Sachet, ake, rillantine. WILL YOU NOT MAKE THIS FRAGRANCE YOUR OWN? ROGER & GALLET 25 WEST $2"? STREET NEW YORK Creators of Rare Ferfimes - CHRISTMAS LIFE - _ Is There a Santa Claus? For the delight and satisfaction of those who have not read it (and even if they have, they will derive a renewed pleasure from the rereading), Lire reproduces herewith one of the most celebrated editorials from the cclumns of the distinguished New York Sun, published December 21, 1897. E 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 Tue Sun: “ Dear Epitor—I am 8 years old. “Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Cravs. “Papa says ‘If you see it in Tue Sux it’s so.” “Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Cravs? Virctnta O'HaNton, “trg West Ninety-fifth Street.” Virctxta, your little friends are wrong. they have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds, All minds, Virctxta, whether they be men’s or children’s, are littl. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellecs, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Vircinta, there is a Santa Cravs. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they chound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Cavs! It would be as dreary 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 enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Craus! 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 Craus, but even if they did not sec Santa Ctavs, coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Ctaus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Craus. 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 which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that 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, Vircinta, in all this world there is nothing else real and abidin; No Santa Cravs! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever, A thousand years from now, Vircinta, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood. The Oriental Store Fifth Avenue and 30th Street difficult question, “Wha shall I give him?” with theg gifts—gifts that bestow plea through their utility as well through their beauty. In addition to the three gifts pictu there are countless Oriental Novelt that will serve as Holiday sugges for men, women, children and home. Mail Orders given prompt and satisfactory attention Antimony Perpetual Calendar. Bi finish, Fujiyama and dragon d Just the thing for writing desks. ameter, 3}4 inches. Japanese Inlaid Wood Trick Cigar Cigarette Box. Landscape design i laid with wood; made in Hakon Japan. Size, 24x4'4x7inches. $3. Japanese Glazed Porcelain Ash R ceiver. Covered with heavy mottl and mirror black glaze. Has a heav! nickel top with a revolving disk tha automatically drops ashes into the fr ceiver. Size, 4x414 inches. comicbooks.com