Show Santa Claus Abroad It Is strange to contemplate the great variety of forms the Santa Claus custom assumes In different countries In Belgium the little ones fill their shoes with carrots and oats and hay for the white horse St Nicholas Is supposed to drive Very early In the morning they ran to the room In which their shoes have boon left and find that the provender has gono and In Its place candles and presents aro found Among the Carpathian mountains it Is St Peter who dressed as a bishop and accompanied by the dreadful Ru pre ht Is expected by tho children on Christmas eve The visitor first delivers de-livers a short sermon lays on tho tablo a rod whitened with chalk and takes his departure with his tinkling bells while Ruprecht follows close behind be-hind The children now hasten to pull off their shoes polish them and tie theta together and as soon as the last notes of Nlkloa bells have become lost In the distance they run Into the garden and secrete their shoes beneath be-neath a bush They spend the time until 10 oclock In relating stories then go to their shoos to find them filled with apples nuts and goodies |