The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-22
SANTA CLAUS Is REAL


ptte % the fact that December was
chelaS' dag. thousands ~ people talk
ia Claus as INVITA- 81 Nicholas was
real perSonage. tie was archbishop
ia IA Ss2 and the uaue under which
l5oys an annual popularity in this
~ Is yfe German torms that came
he German custom IF tho Christmas
nj ala the rest II 20.
Nicholas Is "a great saint with al the
nGc ando scandinavian peoples. Ii
us preroEa rave. says yhe New York
der. Is manifest bis plety when at
others breast. TOR even then he Is
"a have tasted Wednesdays ana FRI
As i matter OF course. he soon be-
came famous in working miracles.
and here again be appeared to
seek favor with the young people.
An tnnNeeper having killed two
yuuuG gentlemen and pat them ia
a pickle TAO. intending 20 sell them
as picked pork. the saint. VINO, in
a vision. A4d seen the deed aene.
declared ne would put a stop to
the business, and thereup, he
transformers himself lrou .yct9
10 Athens and stoe6 before tae as
tonished innheeQer and said,
~ lat hast thou doneg"
The man tremhlod, confessed
and implore1 forgiveness. HaV-
ing pattea the mau on TIE hack
and said. Don't 10 IL any more,
the holy man turned 10 tGe pickle
tab. when tire imitation sides. legs
and. hands of pork began 90 stir,
and in quick sticks there came
forth NOS TWO boys merely. bat
three. as may be proved lay teter-
eage 10 the Salisbury missai of
la5t. wherein there Is picture or
iae event. and ome OF ITS pecUsiari-
ties is that, as the ,sree boys rise
complete oat az the pickle. the
hafaa rous butcher Is Suli busy
cutting enc ~ thcm up.
81. sSestahlshed yet an
other claim % bo regarded rs tho
fy.end of youth, for inc was partial
to boNins ausl7 employed his skill
In the manly art upon the heads
oi bishops. d
The guardianship of tie young
by Santa Claus was Of old Ieeog
r3e8 in England hy the custom az
choir boys in Cathedrais choosing
a boy bishop ON tbs day OF ST.
A!1Aolas. December t. THIS was a
very Important event. as may he
seen b Homes Every Day
Book, l.. l55a, where there is an
et'isy of boy bishop from Sails
t8iTy cathedral The custom was
ia lgN Observance from early
tines anil 1912. when IL was abol-
is1ed BY a proclama ton OF Henry
VIII.
AfsordlnG to che old North Ger
n7aAA custom. the happy time for
the children IS the vigil II At.
Nicholas, the night OF Deeer4 Der &.
Then II IS that he glides about.
putting good things into lucky
taEs and spying out the merits
an1 dement's OF boys and girls
ans so1e times uusparingly prais-
niger REBUILDING them.
The North German fashion re-
Qu'res the saint 10 pay a visit 10
The house where the young are as
sem blet IN iestivity on the night
o. hIs vigil. He speaks IN kindly
words TO the Juvenile thropg. re-
proving a9me, encouraging others.
on retiring % rest each member
8 OF the parry places an empty shoe
on the table. and the door ~ the
roome is at once locked. aud he
h9ldb swhens morning dawns and
the doors are opened In the pres
5enceeof all. tie shoes are found 10
bg 9lliedo With gifts for their own
ctrs aald tae table is covered with
Unkets and So eettneats.
We have simply incorpora ed st.
Nicholas day with Christmas day
asad made the night9of December
~ the iame Of the saints vista
= ZION. but ne is not myth now
any more than he ever was. lie In
. very zeal as Well as a very good
saint Indeed, and for the chn-
uren' sake may his shadow never
grow leRsi