The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-09

however, for just before St. Nick's Day the Belgian youngsters are Just as good as good can be,
 St. Nicholas of Bari is not only the patron saint of children, but he was long ago adopted as the patron of Russia, and his festival is generally celebrated by the su bjects of the Czar. who was named after the jolly saint The Russians consider St Nicholas the patron saint of the poor and ,oppress- ed, and for centuries the serfs of Rus sia. have considered him their special protector. Every year thousands of Russians make the pilgrimage to Bari, in Italy whose cathedral is said to contain the bones of the saint. Owing to the war, however, 1t is inn probable that many Russians will visit Bari to celebrate the festival this year. Russia. offered Bari 3,o00,0o0 rubles for the relics of the saint but the offer was indignantly refused. A church in Venice also claims to pos sess the true bones of St. Nicholas, but the Russians swear by the au-
 Russians and children now com prise the devotees of St. Nicholas but A1, former times he was considered the patron saint Of all under dogs Wandering rninstrels, 5vagabonds of all degrees, prisoners, sailors, fallen won- en, even thieves, claimed his special pr rotection- In France a thief was lone referred to a "a clerk of St. Nichclass's
 Pawnhrolxers and butchers also claimed the patronage of St Nick. One legend traces the origin of the three golden ba1ls as the sign of the. pawnbroker. to one of St. Nick's many Benevolent acts It is related that during a famine a poor man who had 4I,- to sell them into slavery. in order that he might support himself. This came to the attention of St. Nick. who threw three ba1Is of real gold through the window Of the home of the dis tressed father, and thus saved him daughters. The story of how St. Nick became the patron of butchers is 9. grisIy one. It is said that during a famine a poor butcher bought and sold children. When this came to the saints attention he restored the slaughtered youngsters eo lfre' and insfaad Of pIinishing the wicked 1Dutcher. gave him q purse of gold to relieve him from further need.
 St. Nicholas lived during the fourth cend1Ir-7 and was native of Eycia, in Asia Minor. As an infant in arms we are told, he refused to take nour- ishment On Fridays and other fast days appointed by the church. Grown to manhood, he became g monk, and subsequently, the archbishop of Myra- From his death until the eleventh cen ttlry his relics were pious1y preserved at Myra. Tn 1os7 a company of Ital- ian merchants Of Bari proceeded to Nyra. raided the church, and carried a,vvey the bones Of the saint. Ever girace the tomb Of NichoIas at Bari has been famous for it's pilgrims seA
 when f.irisffa115Ty triurnphed over pagantsnn St Nicholas succeeded Nep- tune as the protector of sailors. In those days the men who went down to the sea in ships were harslaly and cruelty treated and they might we'll claim to belong to the oppressed classes specially favored by St. Nich- olas. The choice was. however. prob ably due to the Iegend that the saint, on the occaeton of a voyage to the Holy Land. caused a terrible storm to cease, and so saved the mariners from what seemed certain q cath.