The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-12-21
81. NICHOLAS.

St Nicholas. as all the world knows, is
the patron of children, with whom he is the
most popular saint IN the calendar. Bish-
Dp of Myra, in I.yca, in the time of Con- = :,
stantine the Great according to the Roma nnore
breviary, he supplied three Gesti nte ma :, more
ems with doWries by secretly leaving r,ner 81 n
Iiage portion for each at their wiIhnsn then
Heucc the popular fiction that he obtaining :
veyor of presents to children ON ChI hse t ai"ai.
Eve. He usually makes his appearar,5in the soul
an old man with a venerable bead; thence nor
dressed a bishop, either riding - 49,, Inn
horse or an ass, and carrying large,s TO a hircl
on his arm, and a bundle of rods renee south
hand. In some parts of Bohemia he ss o, 10 !,
pears dressed up in sheet instead of .-~ulto
surplice, with a crushed pillow on his head
instead OF mitIe. On his calling ont,
''Wilt thou pray p all the chidren fall
upon their knees. whercupon he lets fall
some fruit upon the floor aud disappears.
In this manner he goes from house to
house, sometimes ringing bellto announce
his arrival, visits the nurseries, luquie es
into the conduct of the children, praises or
admonshes them, as the case may be, dis
tTibuting Sweetmeats or rods accordingly.
St. Nicholas is the Santa Claus of Hol-
land and the Smklaus Of Swift zrrland, and
the Sonnor Klas of Heligoland. In the
NoTarlberg be Is known Zemmiklas, who
threatens to put naughty children into his
n ay sack in Neither Austria as Niklo or
Niglo, who is followed by masked servant
called krampus while in the Iyrol he
shares the patronage of his office with st.
Luco who distributes gifts among the girls,
he among the boys. Sometimes he is
accompanied by the Chrst-child.
In many parts of Switzerland, Germany,
and the Netherlands St. Nicholas still dis
tributes his presents on St. Nicholas Eve
the 9Th of December-instead of on Christ
mas Eve. In the Neither lauus and adjuin-
ing provinces he is especially popular and
is perhaps the only saint who has main
tanned his full credit, among the Pro-
testants. For days previous - his ex-
pected advent busy housewives have been
secretly conspiing With the bakers iu gild-
ing nuts cakes and ginger bread, ahd .or-
turing pastry, prepared with flour, sugar,
honey, spices and sweermeats, into the
most fantasitcal forms, from which the
good saint may from time to time replenish
his supplies. As to The children, st. Mich
olas or Sunder X lass is the burden of their
prayers, the staple of their dreams, and the
inspiration of their song. As they impor-
tune him to let fall from the chimuey-tOp
some pretty gift into their little aprons,
they 60 on singing with childish fervor:
BrenE mi Moot an Zuckerbrod,
Smiet in mine Schorten in -
In Belgium on the eve Of the good bish-
ops serial voyage in his pastoral visitation
of his bishoprics of chimney tops, the chill
dTen polish tbei. shoes, and after filling
them with hay, oats or caIrO's for the
saints white horse, they put them ON
table, o. set them IN the fireplace. The
room is then carefully closed aud the door
locked. Next morning IL Is opened in the
presence of the assembled household. when
mirijilc di,tu the furniture is found 10 be
turned topsy furry, while the little shoes,
instead of horses forage, filed with
sweetmeats and toys FOR the good children,
aud with rods for the bad ones. In some
places wooden or China shoes, stockings,
baskets, rups and saucels apd even bundles
of hay, are placed in the chimney or by
the side of the bed, OF IN corner OF the
room, the favoUIte receptacle of st.
Nicholas's present.