The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-12-22

Hldu was a uOIeu uiNHO!i. w uusO
name. because of his good deeds
and generous acts, became a sy
nonym for kindness aud gener-
osity. According to one story,
this good Old SAINT, clad in lurS
from top to toe, was IN the habit
of going around in sleigh
drawn hy fleet footed reindeers
From one Of his thoughtful acts
came the custom of hanging up
stockings OH Christmas Eve. 1t
is said that poor noblenan in
Russia, having no money with
which to provide marriage bowers
for his three daughters. was
about to force them to support
themselves by degrading life
Saint Nicholas learning the facts,
passed the nobleman'S house one
Christmas Eve. and threw a
purse of gold. shaped as slip,
per. through the window. On the
following night the con Il
daughter received a similar gift,
aud the third night the Youngest
daughter caught the good, old
saint throwing a stocking filed
with gold into her window. In
this way dover was provided
for each daughter, and from these
incidents is said to have grown
the custom of placing gifts in
shoes and stockings OH Christmas
Eve.
From these reputable ancestors
Santa Claus of today is de
SCended.
Don't let them fool You chill
dren. He is not my h.
the SO-cal4ed truth tellers to the
contrary, Notwithstanding. He
is a real being who acts; and so
strong is his personality, so in
spring are his characteristics,
that he SwayS the hearts of men
in every cline where the crucifix
is the emblem and Christ is the
Master.
Who would begrudge the world
the happiness it has obtained
from its conception of the gem
erous old messenger of Christ
mas Eve? Who would withhold
from men the inspiration Santa
Claus has given2 Who would
tear from the life book of "of
such is the kingdom Of heaven"
its best aud brightest chaptel9
Here's to Santa Claus! May
his shadow never grow less! lie
is the annual reminder that Il
am my brothers Keeper He is
the walking delegate of the
Brotherhood OF Man. He is the
living eXamplar Of the Sermon on
the Mount; the Declaration of In.
dependence might have been
written within his tool shop; and
the treaties declaring peace be
tween warning peoples might
have been framed upon his work
bench.
The duties Of Santa Claus are
not confined to the filling of chill
dren'S stockings. W here women
have fallen he gives words of
cheer and extends a helping
hand. Where hope is dead with
in the breasts of men, he revives
it. Where Gods creatures are
naked he provides clothes; where
they are hungry he gives food;
where they are disconSolate, he
gives Encouragement. And when
ever in the HORIZON of a life there
Is not to be seen a single star, he
touches the situation with his
magic wand and, 10 aud behold,
i'll that same horizon there is not
to be found single cloud.
In the life Of the adult he is a
strong and permanent force, ac-
cordlng to the alacrity with
which men turn from the Shad-
ows to the sunbeamS, and the
earnestness with which they cul
tivate those habits of thought
that lead men onward and up
ward.
In the life of the child-ah,
that is where the good old saint
is at his best! There he is at his
best not only for the happiness
he brings to the little ones, but
because that happiness is of the
contagious kind aud results i'll
the distribution of blessings and
sunshine and in the cultivation OF
love and JOY and Optlmlsm-even
sometimes among emmentlS prac-
teal men and women who, ming
ling with the little ones as they
empty their stockings on Christ
mas morning may learn thatNs46,
is not all of life to live, nor all OF
death TO dle.n
This New York new Svaper asks
how it would SeOm TO have placed
over the door of the liJtle shop at
the North Pole the sign:
...... ...... ...... 49,.
SANTA CLAUS