The Decatur County Journal
January 2, l908

Being an inmate at the county farm I would like to inform the people of Decatur County of our happy Christmas there. MR. and MRS. SHIRA spared no pains to make us all happy. MRS. PARALEE MOORE, who has charge of the ladies' department, with her kind heart, worked day and night with MRS. SHIRA to please the poor inmates of the house. Our dinner was good enough for a king and about 3 o'clock we were invited into the dining room, there was a nice evergreen bedecked with presents of all kinds, candy and nuts with many beautiful presents of various kinds with wax candles burning, which made it look grand. We had a few Christmas songs which was nice. MR. SHIRA was our Santa Claus and he made a good one. It was a beautiful scene, yet a sad one. Old gray haired men and women sitting there like little children waiting for their presents. Poor and helpless and afflicted in body an mind, cast away from home to the poor farm, no one to take care of us but God and our Government, but it cannot be helped.I thank God that I have as good a home as I have. I am treated kindly and respected.

--A.W. WALDO

Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"
August 29, 200l