, 1858-12-24
The Legend Of santa Clans.

Auo Aobcnu VI onuta Oialo
This popular name Of the saint who
presides over Christmas and tie toy gifts
to that welcome season, is derived from
St. Nicholas. The legend Of his first ap-
pearance is an Italian one. According 10
this, a shoemaker named Giraldi, who
lived in Ferrera, was so miserably poor
that his labor from day to day barely kept
bis family from starvation, and be was IN
able to give even small dowry to his
pretty daughters 1t was not thought
proper to marry without a dowry, and thus
the young girls though each had an ads
mirer, were compelled 10 remain single.
Their father, however, went every morning
to the shrine to pray 10 his patron saint;
St. Nicholas, that he would work miraele
to relieve him from bis distress.
One Of bis nearest neighbors, a rich nef-
chant, who chanced one day to ogerhear
bis simple petition, ridiculed lbe idea Of his
expecting the saint to take care Of his
daughters, and Recommended him 70
choose patron saint who could be able 10
do something for him. "Mine,1 he said,
''is the Jew Baonajuto; be lends money AZ
two per cent, month; and II you know
how to manage, you may make four Of IL
He is not 50 deaf as St. Nicholas
The poor man was shocked at this i'm
pious speech, and assured the merchant
that his religioos faith could never be shas
ken. He went every day to church, not
withstanding the others mockery.
1t was now Christmas day, when tho
merchant and the jew settled up their
yearly accounts; Buonajut0 found be owed
bis friend three hundred ducats, and wish.
ing to give him an agreeable surprise, he
ordered one Of the ducks be bad carefully
fattened to be killed and roasted, and then
with bis own hands Introduced ne three
hundred gold pieces into the inside and
sewed them up He then sent the duck 70
the merchant as q Christmas present.
The merchants wife, who shared the
common preiudices agaiusi jews declared
she would not touch the duck and the rich
man resolved 10 sell H. When 0iraldi
passed on bis way from church, Bis neigh
Dor, as usual, bantered him on bis devotion,
showed him the Christmas gin his patron
Saint bad sent him, aud lauoted him with
lbe stolidify Of ST Nicholas, who could not
even send him piece Of bread Finally.
he offered to sell tue duck FOR adollar. aud
TO wait for payment, as he knew Giraldi to
be strictly honest The Shoemaker carried
the duck home, aud when be carved it for
the Christmas dinner, and ibo hundred
ducais fel ont bis first exclamation was,
Praise to Saint Nieholasr
When he recovered from bis surprise ho
would have taken TIE money back, but his
wife persuaded him that, as be bought lho
duck, II was righilully bis He therefore
divided the sum between the two suitors
for his two eldest daughters
The merchant, after some days, discor-
cred his loss Of the three hundred dncatg.
and went 10 the shoemaker to demand the
money, which was refused The cause
came before The magistrate. Who was pi-
ous man, and heard With Indignation bow
cruelty the poor man Ind been rdienled
abont his religion. His sentence was that
Giraldi should keep iho money. and ihnf
the merchant and The Jew should, besides.
pay q fne, for their nsiirious dealing. Of one
hundred and dfty dncnts. 70 be given as
dovry for the shoemaker's youngest daugh
ter.
( Tho mesning Of this legend IS, that a
benifcent Providence watches over and
takes care Of tso poor who aro honest.
religious and trnEhfal The tradition runs
that since that time s. Nicholas pays
visit, every Christmas night. to all whom
he thinks worthy Of his fssors He is
known altogether BY TIC name Santa
Claus. f.a
~ Bsrnoda was Visited Ei.h terrific