In this Buzzfeed list, in number 27, letters to Santa from 1897, one kid wants some candy and cblige. “Cblige” is obviously a typo, but I haven’t been able to think up what it was supposed to be.
I’m thinking it might be oblige and it was a quick way of saying thanks.
“I want a target gun and some candy and oblige”
Some people did sign off requests with “Much obliged”
I looked at the type face and the c and o are pretty similar and part of the o might not have printed leaving it looking like an c.
Ah, that makes sense. I was stuck on it being a thing of some type.
It looks like “and oblige” might have been a common closing for a business letter at that time.
Sorted.
Interesting that all the kids spelled Santa Claus correctly while the headline writer did not.
I must note that Eli P. Evans, despite being a good boy, requested a coal bucket.
Presumably, in case he is a bad boy next year.
HA! I totally missed that.