The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-12-26

give the sai1t u cup of gold. Time went by. and u
beautiful b,{AwaS born. Immediately me rather
had q cup nffde OF pure gold. 1t 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 a 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 a 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 and 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 it on the altar.
but every time II 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 him! Full Of JOY
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
it 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
vi NNtll A't hiA w. WIN W wa
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 Holland!
HOllanders celebrate Christmas most heartily.
The Star of Bethlehem, as seen i'm Holland. Is
the harbinger Of Christmas-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 Il 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 tire
good of those whom fortune has not befriended
they betake them to the head burgomaster Of the
town, who Is bound to set down the youths who
form the star company to a very comfortable
meal. IT'S a great institution, the Star Of Bethle-
hem. in many Dutch towns and cities.
Christmas is celebrated in Holland as a time
for sugar pIums and candies and gifts. Toward
dusk, the story goes, a white sheet Is spread in
side the door. and the. family, attired In their best
and bravesi. await the saint. Presently he ar
rIyes. clad IN embroidered robes, with gems, jew.
eled gloves and golden miter-and in hs arms
either gifts or sweets or the dreaded birch rod for
the children according TO their various deserts.
And these, with a little speech of scolding or ap-
prevail, 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 i'm name and
costume-rlike all the rest of the immigrants.