The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-09
BELGIAN KIDDIES AWAIT COMING
 OF THEIR OLD FRIEND ST. NICK

The horrors ana desolation of war have afflicted every adult Belgian heart. but. happily. the great major ity Of the children have as yet been spared a full realization of the dis aater which has befa1len their eoun- try. Some of them mourn for a father who has ssgone very far away. Many have already felt the pinch of hunger. the sting of Winters blasts. But the spirit of youth rises superior to grief for the vanished and to ma terial discomforts. The tragedies of childhood are made of different stuff.
 Today the kiddies of Belgium are face to face with one of those traged- ies which must darken their days and sadden their spirits. For last Sunday, the sixth of December. was the festi- val of St Nicholas, the great fete day of BeIgian youth. when gifts were distributed among all good children, and goodies are devbured. And St. Nick did not ride on his white horse through stricken Flanders this year
 The children of the Belgian refu- gees in Holland and England may fare better than, those who have remained in their native land; but even for thes . there will be little money for the purchase of those toys and sweet meats which are the necessary ac- 1-S-7=~ Of the festival of the childrens patron saint.
 The good, people of America who have csntribnted to provide Christ mas cheer for the unhappy Beigians have overlooked the important fact that in Belgium Christmas is purely a religious festival, and that the kid dies have q holiday all their own in St. Niclx's Day
 A year ago at this season the shops of every Belgian city and village of Belgium were filled with toys h Brussels the royal children, the precious Jewels of the crown. z as their fon5 T1ofher Queen Elizabeth called them. were taken on frequent visits to the toy shops. The royal young sters-Prince Leopold. Duke of Bra ba11t. and heir to the throne. who was thirteen last, month; Prince c harles' aged eleven. and little Princess Marie Jose. now going on nine ere very much interested in the poor children 8 # Fsp1el,ration on St r1icho1as Day, and contributed literally to the func. Their contribution was accompanied by a note written by Prince Leopold < .sT.fais is what we have saved from our pocket money for a long time for ta1e children who have no mothers or fathers to think of them on St. Nicho- las Day.
 Placing ..rnothers first was signi-
 
 Acant, for the three precious jevels Of the Belgian royal family are r.nanama's children. and, while they love their father, they passiorateiy adore their mother. who is Their ciaurn and playmate
 According to the tradition which obtains among Belgian children St. Nich0laa makes his rounds mounted on q snow white horse. He does not 1ase reindeer and a sleigh St. Nick also diners from Santa Claus in that he doesn't make his journey alone, h,,4 has a companion in the person Of one 4Pete,s' a rollicking and roister- ina fellosv who is quite as joYiaa as old St. Nick hfnself etesss rides 2. black mule, and carries two packs ! One of these sacks contains gifts and goodies for good children, but the other bag is filled with switches. which are given to parents with the advice that the whips be applied thoroughly to bad and disc bedient youngsters .sPete's leaves few whips.