Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-05-09
VISIT OF SAINT NICHOLAS.
ny II BLLBTT!

hVed III t%errhTa, with his wife and thres
daughters. These were nil handsome. and
had no lack Of admirers but 10 extreme
was the poverty Of the father, notwithstand.
ing his incessant toll, that hs could piys
them no dowry. 1t was not thought bro.
per IN those days 10 marry without one .
md thus the poor man, already old and fee.
bile, had nothing 10 look forward 10 for his
larnlly but degtitution, in case ofhis death,
In his extremity, he had recourse 10 his
patron, Saint Nicholas, to whom he prav.
cd every day, that he would work a mira.
Gle to relieve him from his distresses. Ey.
cry morning found him Oh his knees before
the holy altar.
One ofhis nearest neighbors was n rich
and avariciou amcrcbant, who noticed him
going every day &c church. On one ocea.
sion he followed him, and standing near os
he knelt, overheard tho feryent PRAYER he
uttered aloud, in the ardour Of his emotion.
When the poor men arose, the merchant
questioned him, and learned what were his
troubles.
"You will have 10 pray n pood wbileu
said he, snceringly, "if you wait for tho
saints to take care Of your daughters. The
age OF miracles Is gone by. Heaven does
not concern itself nowadays with what
happens on earth. You must choose a Do.
tron saint, such as have-who can do
something for YOU"
"What is his name ~ asked the simple
shoemaker, eagerly.
ut Is the Jew--Buonainfo. lie leuda
money at two per cent d month /. and N
you know how to manage, you may make
Tour with II. Only try him-he Is not deaf
as old Saint Nicholas"
The poor man shuddcred al this impi-
Gus speech, and assured the merchant bia
religious faith could never be- shaken. Tbe
other laughed, and persisted In his elForts
10 persuade him 10 leave off p~rayino. and
apply to the Jew. But Giraldi perseyered.
and went every day 10 church as before.
1t was now Christmas.day-the time
when the merchant and the Jew were ac.
customed to settle up their accounts for the
year. The latter foundihe owed his friend
arrears to the amount Of three hundred du-
cats and it occurred TO him to paw il in.
such a manner as should give him an agree.
able surprise.
Buonajuto understood the art Of G,t,en-
ing ducks to perfection, and had a great
variety Of them. lie caused an unusually
line one to be killed and roasted and then
with his hands, introduced the three
hundred gold pieces in the inside, and sew.
ed them up. He then sent the dick TO his
rich friend as a Christmas present.
The wife Of the merchant. an uprigbf
honorable woman, had never been pIeased
with the business Of uyury her husband
carried on with the Jew. She shared the
common prejudice, too, against all thai ma.
ton. 80 when the present came, she dc.
ciared she would not, for the world, be in
duced to touch a bit oft.
The merchant was not displeased AT her
refusal. "Ihe duck is worth a dollar
said he "and really it is a pity 20 spend
so much for a Christmas dinner. win
rather try to sell it,"
Just then Giraldi, the shoemaker. pass.
ed on his way from church. His neidbbor
began to banter him, as usual, ON bis De.
~votion.
"Has Saint Nicholas heard your pcti.
ton, ut last n he asked.
Il have patience I" answered the poor
man. ut will not always be night"
"See here" said the other-sRoeef,,a H.
duck-"the Christmas gift my patron Saint
has sent me Yours, I will venture. cam.
not afford you even a piece Of bread p
After a little more talk, the merchant Of
Tered to sell the duck to his poor neiehbor.
Giraldl had nothing to pay ; but said, If
he could be trusted for the price, he would
pay whenever he was able. His neiob-
bour knew him TO be strictly honest and
thus the bargain was closed. The shoe.
maker carried the duck home.
When he sat down with his family IN
their Christmast dinner, and the duck was
carved, what was the establishment of all
to find in il three hundred ducats - Praise
to saint Nicholas | he has heard nv pray.
erI" was the first exclamation Of the &.
Their.
When he had recovered from his arr,
prise, his first thought was to 90 and re-
return the money. But his wife Convinced
him that, as he had purchased the duck. II
was rightfIlly his own. He therefore di-
yided the sum between the two suitors for
his two eldest daughters, and the wedding
day was fixed.
Some days after, the Jew went TO tbg
merchant. "How did you relish the duck?''
he asked.
ut was excellent" was the reply. II
never saw one fine. or ~fatter." He was
ashamed to own that he had sold il.
"And you found therein the sbree hun-
bred dacats | owed you p enquired Boon
auto.
The merchants surprise at this question
and his horror when he learned the truth,
may be imagined. He confessed hayipg
disposed ofthe duck, and they both went 10,
the shoemaker.
Grahi owned that he had found the mon.
ey, but refused TO return It, inasmuch a. Lo
had bought the duck. The cause came no
fore the magistrate. When the poor man's
story was told, and it was known how orn.
ely he had been ridiculed about his rali-
gion, much Indignation was excited. The
Judge was a pious mar. His sentence vas.
that the shoemaker should keen the three
hundred ducats, and that the merchant and
Jew should, besides, pay a fine, 6g their
usurious exertions, Of one hundred and ffy
ducats, to be given to Giradi, as a dowrv
tor his youngest daughter.
Thus il was cen that q Providence does
indeed watch over, and take care Of the
poor. Since that time, it is said, the GOOD
Saint Nicholas pays a visit, every Christ.
mas night, to all those whom he thinks
! worthy of his ~favours. He is known ~