The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-12-20

give the saint a cup of gold. Time went by, and a |
beautiful boy was born. Immediately the father |
had q cup made of pure gold 1t was very heaV! |
and wrought all over with figures. In fact' the
cup was so elegant that when the goldsmith hau
finished il the father decided to keep It Tor Ilii-
SELF and have a silver one Made for the goou
saint
When the silver eup was finished, the father
took his little son, Who was old enough to walk
aud set out for the shrine of st. Nicholas. On
the way, feeling thirsty. he stopped near river
and giving the cup Ofsgold to the boy, told him 10
fetch some water. Thu child went to do so, but
STOPPING over, slipped or the bank and fell into
the river. And he seer no more
The father, weeping with GRIEF and repentance
fastened to the shrine and laid he silver cup
on the altts But the cup rolled to the floor. Once
twice, thrice, did the man place it on the altar.
but every time it fell to the ground. And while
all the people who stood by marveled to see this
wonder, suddenly the little boy himself stood m
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
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 tile traditions the legend of st. Nicho-
las or Santa Claus, straight from Holland!
Hollanders celebrate Christmas most heartily.
The Star of Bethlehem seen in Holland. Is
the harhinger of Christmas-a huge illuminated
star which is carried through the silent, dark.
Dutch streets shining upon the crowding people,
and tvpical of the star which guided the wise
men of the east.
The Young men of Dutch town carry this
star through the streets 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 the
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 great institution the Star of Bethle
hem in many Dutch towns and cities.
Christmas is celebrated in Holland as a tm'
for sugar plums and candies and gifts. Toward
dusk, the story goes. q white sheet is spread in
side the door, and the family attired in their hes
and bravest await the saint Presently he ar
riyes clad in embroidered robes, with gems jew
eled gloves and golden miter-and in his arm
either gifts or sweets or the dreaded birch rod 70
the children according to their various deserts
And these with little speech of scolding or aT
provaI he drops uponthe sheet before he vanishe
again into the nightf#
Such is the kindly saint who came to the islam
of Manhattan with the first Dutch settlers an
still lives among us changed only in name an
costume-like all the rest of the immigrants.