, 1863-01-01
Santa Claus.

This popular name Of tho saint who presides
oVcr Christmas, and the toy gifts to that welcome
seas W., Is derived frOm St Nicholas. The legend
Of his first appearance is an Italian one. Ac.
cOrding to this, shoemaker named Giraldi, who
lived ia Ferrera, was so niserably 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 pretty daughters. II was
not thought proper to marry without dOwry,
and thus the young girls, though each bad an
admirer, were compelled To remain single Their
father, however, went every morning to the
shrine to pray to his patron saint, St Nicholas,
that he would work a miracle TO relieve him from
his distress.
Que Of his nearest ncighbors, rich merchant,
who ehanccd one day to overhear his simple Pc
tition, ridcuicd che idea of his expecting the
saint to take care Of his daughters, and recon.
tAended him 10 choose patron saint who could
be able to do something for him. Mine,' be
said, "is the Jew BuonajutOi he lends money al
two per cent a month; and if you know how to
manage you may make four Of it. lie is not as
deaf as 81. Nicholas"
The poor man was shocked at this impious
speech, and assured the merchant that his reli'
gious faith could never be shaken. He went
every day to church, notwithstandingtho others
tnoekery.
Il was now Christmas day, when the merchant
Ind the Jew SGT led up their yearly accounts.
Buohajuto found he owed his friend three hun
Hred ducats; and, wishing to give him an agreea.
BE surprise; he ordered one Of the ducks he had
carefully Gattencd TO be killed and roasted, and
then With his own hands introduced the three
hundred gold pieces into the inside aud sewed
them up He then sent the duck to tho mer.
chant as Christmas present.
The merchants wife; Who shared the Common
pfejudices against Jews; declared she would not
touch the duck, and the rich man resolved to
sell Il. When Girald passed on his way from
church, hisneighbor, as usual, bantered him On
his devotion, showed him the Christmas gin bis
patron Saint had sent him, and tainted him with
the stoldty Of ST. Nicholas who could not even
send him apiece Of bread Finally; he offered
to sell the duck for dollar and to wait for pay.
ment, as he knew Giraldi to be strictly honest
The shoemaker carried the duck home, and when
he carved Il for the Christmas dinner, and the
three hundred ducats fe out his first exclamation
was, aPraise TO Saint Nicholas |"
When he recovered from his surprise, he
would have taken the money back, but his wife
persuaded him that, o. he bought tho duck, il
Wasrightfnlly bis. He therefore divided the sun
between the two suitors for his two eldest daugh
tera.
The merchant, after some days. discoyered biz
loss Of the three hundred ducats, and went tC
The shoemaker to domand the money, which was
refused The cause came before The magistrate
who uasa plous man, and heard with indigna
houhow crpolly the poor man had been Fidculet
about bic religion. ifs sentence was that 0i
raldi should keep the money, and that the mer
chant and the Jew should, besides, pay . hne
ior their uluFious dealing, Of one hundred ant
my ducata, 10 be given as doWTy for the shoe
m.teTs youngest daughter.
Tbs meaning Of this legend ls, that benea
cent Providenco watches over and takes care o
.as poor who are honest, religious and truthful
ne tradition runs that sinco that time st. Mich
e.as pay1 visit every Christmas night 70 ii
won !. thinks worthy Of bis tasoF9. He
AaoHn dtofctaeF By the name-SaniA Claus.