Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-10
TIe gnteIItaeufet.
the Legend OF Santa Claua,


This popular name eff the Saint who
presides over the Christmas and the TOW
gifts of that welcome season is derived
from Saint Nicholas. The legend Of. his
hrst appearance is an Italian one. Accord.
ing to this. shoemaker named Giraldi
who lived 10 FerTari, was so miserablV
psor that his labor from day 10 day barely
kept bis family from starvation. and he
was unable TO give even a 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 adj
mlrerr were compelled 70 remain single
Their father, however, went every mora
ing to the shrine to pray to his patron
saint, st. Nicholas that ne would work a
miracle to relieve him from his distress.
One of his nearest neighbors, rich
merchant, who CHANGED one day to hear
his simple petition, ridiculed the idea of
expecting the saint to take care of his
daughters, and recommended him to choose
patron saint who would be able 10 do
something for him. "Mine," he said, mis
the Jew Buonsjute: he lends money at two
per cent. month; aud if you know how TO
manage you may make four with it. He
is NOT so deaf as st. Nicholas."
The poor man was shocked at this impi.
GUS speech, and assured the merchant that
his religious faith could not be shaken. lie
went every day to church, notwHthstand-
ing the others mockery.
Il was now Christmas Day; when the
merchant and the Jew settled MP their
yearly accounts; Buonsi1te found he owed
his friend three hundred dueats, and wish
ing to give him an agreeable surprise, he
ordered one of the ducks he had carefully
fsttened, to be killed aud roasted, and then
with his own hands introduced the thres
hundred gold pieces into the inside, and
sewed them up. He then sent the dnck to
the merchant as a Christmas present,
The merchants wife, who shared the
common Prejudices against Jews, declared
she would not touch the duck, and the
rich man resolved to sell It. When Oiral.
di passed on his way from church: bis
ueIghbor, as usual, bautered him on his de-
Votion, showed him the Christmas gift his
patron Saint had SEMI him, and tauuted
him with the ssOIidity Of Saint Nicholas,
who could not even send him q piece of
bread. Finally, he offered TO sell the duck
for dollur, aud to await the payment, as
be knew Giraldi to be strictly honest. The
shoemaker carried the duck home. and
when he carved it for his Christmas dinner
and the three hundred duOats fell out, his
frat exclamation was-"Praise to Saint
NIch0lAa!"
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 it was rightfully his own. He
therefore divided the sum between the Two
suitors for his two eIIset daughtere.
Tho merchant, after some DAYS. discoy-
cred his loss OF the three hundred ducats.
and went to the shoemaker to demand the
money. which was refused. The cause
came before the magistrate, who was a
Pious man, and heard with indignation how
cruelty the poor maa had been ridiculed
about his religion. His sentence WAS that
Giraldi should keep the money, and thattbe
merchant and the Jew should, beside. pay
fine, Tor their usurious dealings, of one
hundred and fifty ducats, 10 be given as
dowry for the shoemaker's youngest
daughter.
The meaning of this legend is, that a
benehcient Providence watches over and
takes care of the poor, who are honest, re-
lIgiou7. aud truthful. The tradition rms
that since that time st. Nicholas paws a
VISIT every Christmas night, to ali whom
he thinks worthy Of his favors. He ia
known altogether by the name-Santa
Claus.