Year: 1876

The popular name of the saint who
presides over Christmas, and the toy
gifts of that welcome season, is derived
from Saint Nicholas. The legend of his
first appearance is an Italian one. Ac-
cording TO this, shoemaker named Gil
raldi, who lived in Ferrara, was so mis-
erably poor that hiH labor from day to
day barely kept his family from starva-
ton, and he was unable to give even a
small dowry to his pretty daughters. 1t
was not thought proper to marry without
dowry, and thus the young girls,
though each had an admirer, were COM
PEELED to remain single. Their father,
however, went every morning to the
shrine to pray to his patron saint, Saint
Nicholas, that he would work miracle
to relieve him from his distress.


One of his nearest neighbors, rich
merchant, who chanced one day to over
hear his simple petition, ridiculed the
idea of his expecting the saint to take
care of his daughters, and recommended
him to choose patron saint who would
be able to do something for him.
"Mine," he said, "is the Jew, Buona-
juto he lends money at two per cent.
month; and if you know how to manage
you may make four with it. He is not
so deaf as Saint Nicholas.


The poor man was shocked at this i'm
pious speech, and assured the merchant
that his religious faith could never be
shaken. He went every day to church,
Notwithstanding the others mockery.


1t was now Christmas Day, when the
merchant and the Jew settled up their
yearly accounts; Buonaiuto found ne
owed his friend three hundred ducats
and wishing to give him an agreeable
surprise, he ordered one of the ducks he
had carefully fattened to be killed and
roasted, and then with his own hands
introduced the three hundred gold
pieces into the inside, and sewed them
up. He then sent the duck to the mer-
chant as Christmas present.


The merchants wife, who shared the
common prejudices against Jews, de-
clared she would not touch the duck,
and the rich man resolved to sell It.
When Giraldi passed on his way from
church, his neighbor as usual bantered
him on his devotion, showed him the
Christmas gift his patron saint had sent
him, and taunted him with the stolidity
of Saint Nicholas, who could not even
send him a piece of bread. Finally he
offered to sell the duck for dollar, and
to wait for payment, as he knew Giraldi
to be strictly honest. The shoemaker
carried the duck home, and when he
carved it for his Christmas dinner, and
the three hundred ducats fell out his
first exclamation was, "Praise to Saint
Nicholas !"


When he recovered from his surprise
he would have taken the money back,
but his wife persuaded him that, as he
bought the duck, it was rightfully his
own. He therefore divided the sum be-
tween the two suitors for his two eldest
daughters.


The merchant, after some days, dis
covered his loss of three hundred ducats,
and went to the shoemaker to demand
the money, which was refused. The
cause came before the magistrate, who
was pious man, and heard with indig-
nation how cruelty the poor man had
been ridiculed about his religion. His
sentence was that Giraldi should keep
the money, and that the merchant and
the Jew should, besides, pay fine for
usurious dealings of one hundred and
fifty ducats, to be given as dowry for
the shoemaker's youngest daughter.


The meaning of this legend is that a
benefcent Providence watches over and
takes care of the poor who are honest,
religious, and truthful. The tradition
runs that since that time Saint Nicholas
pays visit, every Christmas night, to
all whom he thinks worthy of his favor.
He is known altogether by the name