The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-03-08
A Heavenly Deputation.


almost surrounded by forests. l was
astonished at many OF the quaint Gus
toms, but the one that pleased me
most was the way IF keeping Saint
Nicholas Eve (the 9th of December)
1--WE must get ready for Saint Mich
olas," l heard them saying every little
while. But l did not know exactly
how they intended to do so.
A few days before the sixth, my
eldest cousin, Anton, rode to the neAt
town, and came back with large
bundle of sheets of colored paper. and
a lew brushes, also packages OF candy
and dried fruits, and we all three set
to work in an upper room where the
younger children never came.
had never seen such preparations,
and 1 watched them atentlvely. First
they took some sheets OF very large
brown wrapping paper and glued
them together with mixture OF rye
flour and starch cooked in boiling Wa
ter. They pasted the TWO sheets to-
gether at one end, and let it dry; when
it was dry, they folded it over and
cLtout a hole for the neck in the mid,
die, and rounded the edges so as to
make a long chaSuble, such as priests
of he Roman church wear. Then they
spread the paper on the floor and past
ed large gold cross in the middle,
and rounu it ornaments OF different
colors. When twas finished, they cut
out of cardboard high mitre, and
covered it with reu paer, also paStinS
ornaments round the edge; last tloy
covered long brOom-hanule with blue
paper. fastened a crook at the end of
cardboard covered with god paper,
and left the things to ury.
Then they manufactured wig and
long beard out of white wool sewed
onto coarse cloth.
But the most difficult part was max
ing the headdress for the devil. They
had got hold ow an old black skullcap
with ears, and on this they fastened a
pair of deerS horns. The horns were
heavy and would not be securely fas-
tened, topping over every lite while;
but with much cOntriving, and the
help Of wire an0 string and infinite
patience, we at last contrived to fas-
ten them.
Then began the agreeable task of
making theangels' wings. These were
long, and made after the approved
pattrn, of picture of a guardian an
gel, futtering over a sleeping child,
that we possessed. One of my cousins
was of an ingenious turn of mind, and
hehad prepared the frame, if frame it
can he called IT was cOntriVa nee
of wire and bits of very thin bamboo
sticks, over which we pasted ST.
white muslin on boz sides, with a
few goose feathers stuck here and
there at the top to give it an air. When
all was finished to our satisfaction
we were tired but triumphant, and
went to bed.
All day, during the sixth, the small
er children Wer continually wondering
if Saint Nicholas would visit them,
and we kept telling them, that they
had all been far too naughty during
the year to think Ofsuch thing New
ertheless Loe Leo had prepared il,
secret a tail for the devil out of q
thick rope covered with tar, with a tas-
sci at the end. He had also been in
the village, and borrowed from Pro
kop, the shoemaker. his old fur coat
that he had turned outside, so that the
black sleeps VOL could be seen. It's.
with beautiful red annel tongue. and
birchrOd. was the get-up of the devil
With the help of our parents and
servants everything was ready before
evening and after an early supper. we