Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

their hands in Anglo-saxon attitudes Re
mains Of such freezes, are found In
churches at Cotton and Tanworth IN stat
fordshire and at st. Cross, Winchester.
Because he did such honor TO clerks"
says Master WAGE, Henry lI.'a chaplain,
who tells the story, clerks hold has
festival to this day"
Patron of students.
As being the PROGRESSED friend OF all
scholars, for whom the generic name was
"clerk" the parish clerk In particular
thought himself justified by virtue of his
oflce, IN claiming st. Nicholas as his
patron. with better right the boys Of
Elton, as being both youths and scholars
placed themselves under the patronage OF
st. Nicholas, and used formerly to hold
their chief Gaudy day about the time OF
the festival, though afterward II was
transferred to whltsuntlde. The once IA
nous Elton Montem"-so called as involv-
ing an excursion ad rnontem to the neigh
boring mount Of Salt Hill-preserved many
features Of tho old boy bishop procession,
one lad masquerading IN the garb Of a
priest and another taking the role Of his
clerk. a peculiar rite essential to the
festivity was the distributing Of salt by
certain boys, called salt bearers" for the
nonce, in return for money gifts This Gus
tom has been traced TO the initiation Of
freshmen or newcomers 70 q school, who
were said 10 be "salted'' when compelled
70 undergo sundry sportive trials Of en-
durance. As the phrase went, they were
picked with salt to begin with We may
fairly suppose that It was really a faded
Renaissance Of the sailing in the pickle
tub which st. Nicholas's scholars had to
undergo in the legend before he came to
their rescue and sent them on their way
rejoicing The salt money collected was
to help the captain Of the school to pursue
his studies at the university. So conserva-
tive are boys games!
One of the golden legends Of Jacobus
de Voragtne relates how a certain man OF
good birth in st. Nicholass native city who
had three fair daughters was reduced 70
such dire straits OF poverty that he was
sorely tempted to sacrifice their honor and
surrender them to a life Of shame-St
Nicholas, who happily was as wealthy as
he was benevol mt coming to know Of this
resolved to save the poor family from the
impending degradation. Stealing forth by
night to avoid observation he approached
their dwelling with a purse well-flled with
gold CLEAN of moonlight revealed tC
him an open window. through which III
dexterously threw in his gift and fed away
1t fell at the very feet of the astonishet
father, who used the welcome godsend t
portion his eldest daughter in marriage
Again the kind-hearted saint sailed GU
on a similar nightly mission, and agaii
through the convenient window he cast II
a dowry for the second daughter. Whei
for the third time he essayed to DO goot
by staalth for the third girls behoof tn
grateful father was lying In wait, and
selling his benefactor, forced him to revea
himself st. Nicholas pledged him +
, secrecy and departed, having thus by thre
golden gifts enabled three deserving maid
r ems to be happily married.
: And all he did euer so priuely,
/ That none wist bot God Almighty.
, There is an obvious reason therefore, VIII
? marriageable maids and virgins Shout
recognize their guardian saint in good
= natured st. Nicholas. So Margaret Count
> ess of Richmond, as a girl, is said to hav
done when she prayed 10 him for a goo
= husband ''inasmuch as he was the patro
( and helper Of all true maidens." And s
. country girls In France still use the rhyme
> Patron des files, Saint Nicolas,
MarieE nous, ne tardez pas"
The above incident, Il Is equally evident
has suggested the custom, prevalent /
slavic countries, or chluren on 81 Nlcho
las day putting their shoes and stocking
in the window before going to bed in tn
e hope, which is seldom disappointed, tina
the kind bishop. as he goes about at nigh
will fill them with his presents. Trans
!, ferred now to Christmas eve the sam
Q child belief as is we'll known. exists /
d Teutonic lands, whence it has been n
troduced into England, that Santa Clau
3 bountiful but mysteriously invisible b,
> ing, delights in filing suspended stocking
e with bon-bons, toys, and other rewards
o juvenile virtue.
u .
Il Secrecy of His Gifts.
3, The secrecy with which he bestows h
L.. -. r..