Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-12-24
THE LEGEND OF SANTA CLAUS.

This popular of the saint who presdes over Christ
mas and the toy gifts of that welcome season. is derived
IRON SAINT Nichols. The legend of his first appearance
Is Italian According TO this: a shoemaker named
Grsldi who lived in Ferrara, was so miserably poor
that his labor from day day barely kept his family from
starvation, and he unable to give even a small dowry
TO his three pretty daughters IL thought proper
~ marry without dowry; and thus the young girls
though each had an admirer, compelled remain
single Their father, however went every morning to
the shrine 10 pray 10 his patron sBnt ST. Nchoa that he
would work miracle 10 relieve him from his distress
One OF his nearest neighbors, n rich merchant who
CHANGED one day to ovethear his simple petition rdicued
the idea oil his expecting the saint take OF his
daughters and recommended him to choose patron saint
who would be able to do something for him. 'Mine" he
said sic the jew Buonajnlo he lends money two per
n month; and il Won know how To manage Won ma
make four with IT, Heis not deaf Saint Nicholas "
The poor man shocked this impious speech and
assured the merchant that his religious faith could never
be shaken lie went every day TO church. notwithstanding
the others mocktry
IL was nov Christmas day. when the merchant and the
jew settled their yearly accounts Buonsuto found he
owed his friend three hundred duca and wished to give
him an agreeable surprise he ordered Of the ducks
lac had carefully attened be killed and roasted and
then with his hands introduced the three hundred
gold pieces into the inside aud sewed them up He then
sent the duck to the merchant a Christmas present
The merchants wife, who shared the common preiu-
dces against Jews declared she would touch the duck
and the rich resolved sell it. When Grald pas
sed on his way FROM his neighbor usual bantered him
ON his DEVOTION showed him the Christmas gift his patron
STUNT had sent him. and tainted him with the stoidty of
Saint Nicholas, who could not even send him piece of
bread Finally, he offered TO cell the duck for dollar
and to wait for payment he knew Grald to be strictly
honest The shoemaker carried the duck home and when
he carved t for his family Christmas dinner and the hun
bred dueas fell out HE first exclamation was'Prase to
Saint Nicholas
When he recovered from his surprise he would have
taken the money back but his wife persuaded him that
as he had bought the duck, il rightluy his own
He therefore divided the between the two uitors for
hii two eldest daughters.
The merchant after days. discovered his loss Of
the three hundred ducas and the shoemaker 20
demand the money which refused. The cause came
before the magistrate who a pious man, and heard
with indignation how cruelty the poor had been rid
ouled about his religion His sentence that Grald
should keep the money and that the merchant aud the
jew should, besides pay fine for their usurous dealings
OF one hundred and fifty dueats TO be given doWry
Tor the shoemaker's youngest daughter.
The meaning OF this legend is that benifcent Pfovi
dence watches over and takes of poor who arc
honest religious aud truthful The tradition runs that
since that time ST. Nicholas pays visit every Christmas
night, TO all whom he thinks worthy Of his iavors He
Is known altogether by the name-Santa Claus-N y
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