Santa Claus at the Front

By Mrs. A. J. Wilder.

A Santa Claus went from San Francisco to the battle front in France carrying with him more than $600 worth of presents for the French soldiers. This Santa Claus was Alphonse Nicole. When the war began he was a waiter in one of San Francisco's restaurants. He went at once to Europe and has fought in the French army ever since. He has been wounded twice and wears a cross given him by the French government for bravery in battle.

Alphonse was in the battle of the Marne, the battle of the Somme and at Verdun. Once he was buried beneath the ground for 40 minutes and at another time he was hurled into the air and fell to the ground unconscious where he remained for some time apparently dead.

After three years of fighting he was given a 30 days furlough and permission to spend the time with his friends in San Francisco. During his stay in San Francisco, Alphonse was persuaded to tell in public of the life of the soldiers and of his experiences in the war. He made several speeches to large audiences and, because of the sympathy he aroused for the French soldiers and his habit of wishing they might enjoy the good things that were making his visit so pleasant, his friends decided they would supply him with some gifts to take back with him for the soldiers over there.

The idea was given a little publicity in the papers with the result that besides many donated gifts, $600 was raised for the purchase of other gifts. Alphonse went back to the battle front loaded with presents for his poorly paid, ill-fed comrades; happy because he can, in this way, share with them his visit home.

Alphonse says it is a different world over there, a world of kindness and friendship where people do things as a matter of course for each other, which would be thought very remarkable in any but a war world. He says, "My friend saves my life today and I save his life tomorrow and nothing is thought of it and always we share with each other." Friendship is not just a name over there. It means braving dangers for, suffering for, and sharing with one's friends. Alphonse could not have been happy with the good things showered upon him during his visit unless he had known he could share them with his soldier friends.

And so amid the awfulness of war we find the spirit of loving and giving, which three terrible years of fighting at the front has not killed but greatly strengthened. It certainly gives us cause to believe in the ultimate triumph of that spirit, if only we who stay at home can stand the test as well.

How will we be affected by the stress and strain, the anxiety and perhaps the grief which we must go thru together? Will the struggle brighten and strengthen our good qualities as it has those of Alphonse and his soldier friends of France? Will our feeling of comradeship grow until we cannot be happy unless others share the good things which we enjoy and until we will do the helpful things for friends and neighbor as a matter of course?

If when anyone is in difficulty we would all help instead of taking advantage of their situation; if when trouble comes to those we know, we would do our utmost to make it lighter instead of gossiping unkindly about it; and if we would not be satisfied until we had passed a share of our happiness on to other people, what a world we could make!

When our soldiers come home from that "war world" of which Alphonse has told, what a delightful surprise it would be for them if they should find themselves at home in a world of that kind—where the loving and sharing and good comradeship reached all the year around.

Mrs. A. J. Wilder. "Santa Claus at the Front." Missouri Ruralist,  (January 20, 1918): page 16.

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