| It is Christmas Eve. Mrs. Martin, the poor widowed mother of a seven-year-old child, returns to her cheerless apartment, after a long day's tramp in search of work, and all in vain. The little one asks her mother if Santa Clans is coming, to which the poor, almost heartbroken woman is unable to answer. The baby then says, "I'll write him a letter to be sure to come." And so she writes on a scrap of paper, "Dear Santa, please don't forget little Margie. Me and mamma ain't got no food even. Little Margie, 114 Broome St., top floor." This she shows her mother who is unable to control her emotion. Baby then hangs up her stocking, putting the letter in it. When the little one is asleep, the mother takes the note, and reading it, is driven almost mad with helplessness. With the child's missive clutched in her hand, she takes up her cloak and hurries to the pawnshop, which is presided over by Mike McLaren, an Irish pawnbroker. Mike's reputation as a philanthropist is not very pronounced. On t |
