Bisbee daily review., 1914-12-08
ST. NICHOLAS DAY
 IN HOLLAND A GALA
 TIME FOR CHILDREN
Celebration of the Feast This Year With Its Observance of Old Traditions Had It's Path etic Side Because of War.

GllG 0iuE pGV duoS " Wdls
 AMSTERDAM, Dec. 7.--No festival tn Holland exercises a more enchant- ing spell over both young and old than the Dutchman's Feast of st. Nicholas" The jolly old Patron Saint of children corresponds in Holland to out Father Christmas, though coming three weeks earlier. on the birthday of the old Spanish Bishop, which falls on December G.
 The feast of St. Nicholas had its 1 pathetic side this year, for. while the children gathered to sing the old songs and welcome the coming of | Santa, their elders prayed that the et- forts of the good Queen Wilhelmina Co induce the warning nations to ac- | cept peace may result in the restora- tion of happiness throughout stricken | Europe The Queen has sent a mes sage by the American minister to ! President Wilson at Washington. and the good people of Holland are hoping that something can be done
 The original custom was for the children to place their little wooden shoes upon the hearth on the eve Of St Nicholas Day, the legend being that on that night the holy man rode over the housetops on 8 snow-white steed accompanied by his little black servant. a Moorish negro.
 "Sinta Klass" was supposed to car ry with hi ma large bag, full Of toys and sweets of all kinds for the good children, and riding over the roofs he threw the presents in passing down the chimueys into the shoes below. After him came the little black boy carrying a birch rod as a souvenir for the very naughty ones
 In the early days, the Eve of St Nicholas was given over to the child. ren entirely. but by degrees the grown ups have come more and more to share in it until now in Holland it is great gathering for big and little ones alike. People send presents one to another. and good deal of teasing people about their pet weaknesses is
 ndulged in
 st. Nicholas Day is for all Dutch
 children a day ftremendous excite mcnt falternste hopes and fears
 (the latter for the naughty boys with
 wholesome dread fthe rod). and
 all that day they can talk and think oi
 nothing else but "Sinta Kaas" AS a
 rule dinner is taken an hour earlier
 than unsusl, and after the meal i;
 eaten cosy red cover is spread oyei
 the table, the biggest children beiRs ? supplied with scissors to cut th' strings for the parcels.
 ,, The father then says: Children,
 think st. Nicholas may be here now r. st any moment; let us sing him {
 little song that he may hear you ar, @ all good children and are expectini .f him. Whereupou. all lights are turned
 lown and in the fever of expectation d the little ones chant some quaint ol' l- song. While these songs are beiul L. sung, one hears a ring at the doc | bell and a shufning of feet onth' threshold outside announces that a O asst the great moment has arrived snD r. 1 old Father Nicholas and his litt y black boy are here Steps are hearD
 along the passage and then in walk
 the good old Saint himself a vener m able. white-bearded man, clad in r. long flowing robe of red or purple am
 leaning heavily upon his golden staff t His mantle is trimmer with goldel
 embroideries. and he wears a gOldel e mitre Silence falls upon every one r, even the children are too overwhe!me
 by the solemnity of the moment | 1T. chatter
 10 As he enters. he holds out han
 first 10 mother and then to fathe h. and clasps them both then he ask n, them if an the children have bee
 good throuhout the year, and call ." eachchild by name to come and shak o. hands with him And it is indeed
 marvellous thing how st. Nichoia
 seems to know an their little fault n and failings, and very often it has
 very good effect on the children whe A. he tells them how it grieves him whe lu they are naughty. The blac kboy col
 cesls his birch rod and open the ba
 and the presents are handed round n. each and all, but not tin St. Nichola
 has gone away are the lights turned O Q and the presents examined.
 Then the children are hurried off bed, tired and happy, after which tt elders gather for their own celobr ton