Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-01-07
MISC Ell L A n Y j..
The Legend of Santa Claus.

This popular name of the saint who presides
over Christmas aud the toy gifts of that welcome
season, is derived from St. Nicholas. The legend
of his first appearance is an Italian one. Accord
ing to this (: q shoemaker named Graldi, who
lived in Ferrara, was so miserably poor that his
labor from day to day barely kept his family
from starvation, and he was unable to give even
small dowry to his three pretty daughters. 1t
was not thought proper to marry without dow
ry; and thus the young girls, though each had
an admirer, were compelled to remain single
Their father, however, went every morning to
the shrine to pray to his patron saint, st. Nicho-
las. that he would work miracle to relieve him
from his distress.
One of his nearest neighbors, a rich merchant,
who CHANGED one day to overhear his simple pc
titiop, ridiculed the idea of his expecting the
saint to take care of his daughters, and recon-
mend him to choose patron saint who would
be able to do something for him. "Mine," he
said, sis the Jew -Buonajuto; he lends money at
two per cent. month and if you know how
to manage, you may make four with it. He is
not so deaf as Saint Nicholas.
The poor man was shocked at his impious
speech, and assured the merchant that his reli-
gious faith could never be shaken. lie went
every day to church, notwithstanding the 9TH
er's mockery.
1t was now Christmas day, when the merchant
and the Jew settled up their yearly accounts
Buonajuto found he owed his friend three hun
dred ducats and wishing to give him an agree
able surprise, he ordered one of the ducks ne
had carefully fattened to be killed and roasted,
aud then with his own hands introduced the
three hundred gold pieces into the inside, and
sewed them up. He then sent the duck to the
merchant as q Christmas present.
The merchants wife, who shared the common
prejudiees against Jews, declared she would not
touch the duck, and the rich man resolved to
sell it. When Giradi passed on his way from
church, his neighbor, rs usual, bantered him on
his devotion, showed him the Christmas gift his
patron Saint had sent him, and taunted him
with the stolidity of Saint Nicholas, who could
not even send him q piece of bread. Finally, he
offered to sell the duck for dollar, and to wait
for payment, as he knew Giraldi to be strictly
honest The shoemaker carried the duck home,
and when he carved it for his family's Christ
mas dinner, and the hundred ducats fell out, his
first exclamation was-"Praise to Saint Nicho
las"
When he recovered from his surprise, he would
have taken the money back, but his wife per-
suaded him that, as he had bought the duck, il
was rightfully his own. He therefore divided
the sum between the two suitors for his two
eldest daughters.
The merchant, after some days, discovered the
loss of the three hundred ducats, and went to
the shoemaker to demand the money, which
was refused The cause came before the mag
istrate, who was pious man, and heard with
indignation how cruelty the poor man had been
ridiculed about his religion. His sentence was
that Girald should keep the money, and that
the merchant and the Jew should, besides, pay
fine for their usurious dealings, of one hundred
and fifty ducats, to be given as dowry for the
shoemaker's youngest daughter
The meaning of this legend is, that beneh-
cent Providence watches over and takes care of
the poor who are honest, religious and truthful.
The tradition runs that since that time st. Mich
olas pays visit every Christmas night to all
whom he thinks worthy of his favors. He is
known altogether by the name-Santa Claus
n. I. Express.