On September 21st of 1897 an eight year old wrote to the editor of the New York periodical, "The Sun". She wondered, is Santa Claus real? The response she received
written by newsman Francis Pharcellus Church soon became famous all over the world. However, it wasn't until after his death in 1906 that he was credited with the authorship of the piece! His article is the most reprinted newspaper editorial in history, inspiring movies, books, songs, etc.
Here is my favorite part of that news article. *I think it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever read:
"You may 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 supernatural 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."
* If you want to hear it recited by actor Sam Elliot, watch the end of the 1989 movie "Prancer". Wow, that brought TEARS to my soul.
View the appraisal of the original "Sun" article, here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/199704A43.html
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