The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-12-20

give the saint cup of gold. Time went by, and a
beautiful boy was born Immediately the father
had cup made Of pure gold. It was very heavy
and wrought all over with figures. In fact the
cup was so elegant that when the goldsmith had
finished It the father decided to keep It for him.
self, and have silver one made for the good
saint.
When the silver cup was finished, the father
took his little son, who was old enough to walk.
and set out for the shrine Of st. Nicholas. On
the way, feeling thirsty, he stopped near river.
and giving the cup Of gold to the boy, told him to
fetch some water. The child went to do So but
STOPPING over, slipped on the bank aud fell into
the river. And he was seen no more.
The father, weeping with grief and repentance.
fastened to the shrine and laid the silver cup
on the altar But the cup rolled to the floor Once.
twice. thrice. did the man place 1t on the altar,
but every time 1t fell to the ground And while
all the people who stood by marveled to see this
wonder. suddenly the little boy himself stood on
the altar steps, holding the cup of gold In his
hand. st. Nicholas had saved hint Full of ioy
the father took the cup of gold and placed It with
the silver one upon the altar. Then thanking st.
Nicholas, he took his son and carried him safely
home.
AS the Christmas legend came down the ages
1t gathered to Itself the myths of all the faiths:
and what more natural and right than that the
religion OF the brotherhood of man should contain
something Of every ideal and every form Of wor.
ship Of man, since the human race began?
AND last, but somehow most conspicuous now
among all the traditions, the legend of St. Nicho.
las, or Santa Claus straight from HOlandl
Hollanders celebrate Christmas most heartily.
Inc star or Bethehem, as seen in Holland Is
the narbinger OF Chrfstmas-a huge Illuminated
star which is carried through the silent, dark.
Dutch streets shining upon the crowding people.
and typical of the star which once guided the wise
men Of the east.
The young men of Dutch town carry this
star through the streets as the signal that Christ
mas has come again. They gather money for the
poor from the crowds who come out to welcome
the symbol Of peace, and having done this for tl,e
good OF those whom fortune has not befriended
they Detake them to the head burgomaster of the
Town, WHO Is bound to set down the youths who
lorm the star company to very comfortable
meal. lis great institution, the Star of Bethle
hem, in many Dutch towns and cities.
Christmas Is celebrated in Holland as n tina
Tor sugar plums and candies and gifts Toward
ausK, the story goes, white sheet is spread in
SIDE the door, and the family attired in their hest
and braveSt, await the saint. Presently no ar
rlves, clad in embroidered robes, with gems lew
eled gloves and golden miter-and in his arms
either gifts OR sweets the dreaded birch rod for
the children according to their various deserts
And these, with little speech of scoldng or an.
proya. he drops upon the sheet before he vanishes
again into the night
Such Is the kindly saint who came to the island
OF Manhattan with the first Dutch settlers and
Still lives among us changed only in name and
costume-like all the rest of the immigrants,