The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-25
THE STORY OP SANTA CLAUS.

Facts of History Concerning n Saint Much
Mixed Up with "ChrIsISInckei."
From HarperI BG.Gr.
1t is little singular that We should
make connection between the observance
Of the day of St. Nicholas and that ofthe
Nativity, as we do in letting children
labor under the pretty delusion that the
gifts which come to them fully three
weeks later are the gifts OF Santa Clauc-a
contraction, of course, of st. Nicholas,
who has his own day in the first week OF
December, when he is honored by towns
and By nations and by peculiar classes
OF the population william honor MI his
own. 1t is not yet fifteen years since the
boys OF one OF the leading public schools
in England kept the eve OF st. Nicholas
With procession which levied from all
passers-by on certain spot contributions
Of money in return for gift OF salt,
which money was supposed to be applied
to the uses Of the captain Of the band
when in the university.
Another mode OF procedure in honor
OF tho saint, although different in form,
vet having much the same motif, was to
be seen until late in the Sixteenth Cen
tury, in the conservation OF u boy bishop
in the English cathedrais, who until In.
noCents' Day, some three weeks later,
was allowed toapeandmock the practices
OF the real bishop, at first in the serious
contrast OF childhood and innocence,
but at last in a burlesque that caused the
whole thing to be done away with. To-
day st. Nicholas is tne saint receiving
most honor ut the hands OF all the Rus.
SLAMS; and he is not only the patron saint
OF children, but OF young women, OF
scholars and OF sailors. Legend assigns
TO him many miraculous aud many ben
evolent deeds in behalf OF these young
women, and owing 10 them it early be-
came tho custom in G0HyentHal schools
on the European continent to recognize
and acknowledge his benignity, in return
Tor which homage he WAS supposed to
deposit in the shoes or the stockings Of
the young people candies, fruits aud
gifts OF more or less value-aa observance
which among ourselves has been trans
ierred to another and subsequent day
and date.
The same good st. Nicholas is often
pictured with three golden balls on nc
count OF his supposed gift ofthree purses
containing dowries for three mntdens;
and although the three balls have be-
come also the sign OF pawubroker, yet
the pawnbrokers came from under the
reign OF Medici, whose symbol it was,
and who had taken it for their own in
remembrance OF the generosity and the
wealth OF the saints. Nowhere, how
ever, is the festival OF st. Nicholas OBJ
served with such spIendor and earnest |
ness as in seaport OF the South OF Italy, |
where, in subterranean building OF
Saracenic architecture beneath the
superb Church OF st. Nicholas, the
saints bones are treasurod-a church |
where, ii the King OF Italy himself at
tends, he is a person OF less consequence
than the prior OF the church, who claims
to rank with archbishops and cardinals.
Pilgrims to the number OF many thou
sands attend the festival, all with slaves
bound with olive and pine, many Of
them barefooted; all Of them fed, il they
will, at the priory gates; all Of them clad
in their picturesque ancient costumes,
devoted, earnest, fiery and observing u
rite that has been known from time i'm
memorial.
a novel and interesting part Of the
is seen when the sailors OF
the port, in memory possibly OF some
old rites in honor OF Neptune, take the
saints image from the care otthe canons,
bear it through the streets and fur out to
sea, only returning with it at nightiall,
when, with bontires and rockets and
torches, the whole population intening
chants and litanies, they carry it about
from shrine to shrine, and at length re-
store it TO its keepers under the late
stars with solemn carnestness, and all
the wild but half.suppressed religious
excitement possible only to the high
Southern temperament. On
,he whole, St. Nicholas has all his shares
ofhonor, and We think he should scrupu-
Iousiy keep his hands of Of the obser-
vances and honors and ceremonies that
10 not belong to him.