BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 308, 29 December 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

THE STORY OF ST.. NICHOLAS

HOW HE COMMENCED HIS GOOD WORK.

My Dear Boys,—

With the festive season here again we turn our thoughts to that wonderful spirit—St. Nicholas. It is not everyone who knows how the good St. Nicholas was made our Patron Saint, and it is still fewer who know that Nicholas was a Saint of Russia. The story is a most fascinating one, and even though some of us have lifted ourselves a little above our childhood love of mysteries, we are not too big, and for that matter never will be, to forget the Santa Claus who filled our stockings with goodies on Christmas morning. The story originates in Russia. There, many hundreds of years ago, a rich young man was wandering through the streets when he came to the house of a nobleman, who had lost his fortune, and who, with his three daughters, was on the verge of starvation. "Father," the young man heard the daughters say, "Let us go into the streets and beg, for it is hard to starve." "Not just yet," the father replied with head bowed down with grief. "N/t to-night. Let us wait one more night. I will pray God again to save my children from such disgrace." The young man hurried home and returned that night with a bar of solid gold, which he thrust through the open window. Next night he came again to the house of the nobleman, and thrust another bar of gold through the window. The third night he came again, and this time was caught in the act by the nobleman, who knelt at his feet and thanked him for his gifts. Nicholas would not be thanked, and said, "Give thanks to God, for it was He who sent me to you." The young man went on his way, and continued doing good. He distributed presents in secret, and the little Russians believed that when they hung up their stockings on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus, as they christened this generous being, came and filled them up with good things. Nicholas, because of his goodness, was made a saint, and became the patron of children. The young man's good spirit soon spread to other lands, and nowadays almost every &f} Christian child in the world hangs / his or her stocking at the chimney f 1/ f on Christmas Eve to await the \MO/J^>^^ coming of ths good spirit the *Jj&\**^ spirit of Christmas.