Show 7 I IV Ii 4 5 1 J V 1 i i i s fill filly y r 4 I i p q S f fi V 4 k I 1 S i c i k an F 1 t 5 t k kh kc h c r rv v N ec sP t i tr I J c f a 3 I IL ILdi l k x di r h hI t 1 i I r I b t 5 e t r S n y d AR R In in tie co cold d northland v re Ie s Mad d mountains are perpetual a I rivers fed td from their vast catt ast glad rs f d their way wa to the sea where prec precipices fall full a thousand te feet tI iwa a leap ard ad young trees ly lean OTer over the thi brink k to watch the the depths hs below dwells i ia wonderful a old man so eo they hy th t y say I cannot tell you Just ju t how many of f years he ha 1 I Ihas has lived but th the world knows and loves love him Wei we t Some Come say he h Is le a great B at saint and nd wise wis and nd that noth nothing ing lac In h the world past present or future escapes escapee his hij eyes e es Some say ray be he lb to no saint at all but a J f good 1 natured old fellow with a round red face and kindly eyes and others other claim he in la a myth and that no one ever has seen him But no matter whether world could orld takes him earnestly or lightly his hili power poorer IK is the same and one is bound to adroit admit he be Is the most must wonderfully beloved belaYed character imaginable The more you hear about him the more you ou admire him The more he Is and criticised sed the more mysterious he appears Now can can you guess his name Why of course it is Santa Claus or r St Nicholas or Kris Kringle whichever ever you choose to call him hUnt hl n Any and all of ot these names mean the same to this delightful giver of happiness to the little 1 children Whether Ma his home Is really amid the snows of the tha i rock lad clad mountains with their bleak and melancholy sides where the waters pour downin In streams like Ine me fleecy wool Into seething caldrons where vapory I Iwhite white mists shoot up from ghostly foam below or j rl whether he dwells in the southland among the orange t trees tr es and the honeysuckle where the crepe cr pe myrtlo bloom and where the sweet acacia grows In yel yet yellow yellow low bunches b and where the birds sing a perpetual song t r Whichever really is his home h he lives forever to fn n tha the hearts of all generous minded people And I should like to tell you a legend about him hirn today which Im quite sure you yon never have heard Once upon a time a good and holy man dwelt upon the earth H He was young but wise and ao therefore ire he ho sought happiness In a simple life Ufe and doing good to others Little by little he won von on the respect of every efTY everyone one but gradually he drifted closer and closer loser to tJ thc children hildren up IlO that finally as they learned to love lova him him more and morel more or he was called call d the t e childrens friend J They clung clu g to him as if He belonged to them m alone I tJ 1 and they the came to him daily Jally for almost everything No Not t t matter what their troubles or their Joys he Tie comforted and welcomed them always ah aYI sending endIng them away re rf o cing and happy He HI was a veritable king in his humble dwelling and they his little subjects Time passed Years Tears slipped by but t his home wa waI was always open to his hi youthful friend friends He made them simple toys which he fashioned with hi his own hands and then at last because he had so many friends and I gave so bountifully y he 11 trained eight eleM beautiful prancing reindeer to draw his sleigh tn In this way he could dis distribute distribute tribute his toy toys m re easily and quickly Prom From house hou houto to house he went with presents j pres ata To poor p or and rich e gave alike without distinction until the children far anI an ant t near had learned to love him and await his coming Thus he lived for many many years At first he was a youth with golden hair and fine brown be rd art JJ eyes 19 that flashed like Uke stars But age ago hangs i han s al upon the earth and anc so in time his ha hair har harT hairl r Ec 7 T r a d l u i w i 1 ur white n rte Yd let t still tin his eyes glowed like fine line jewels Jewel and showed the purity of ot his bis soul At J s 4 st std t fir t I sR 4 N r E S St Se SI St t e I t s 1 f J tt i ti d ji F Fi x r f 4 i 11 t t i i ii f r R i fu Yli 4 R r H n fa 5 f 7 1 ran b f ft I 4 t It r i i 1 1 p of r rf rJ rj ri 1 e r f J j i t ten fl n heaven l b ale dad JId co coma loin join the them there mt earth Lad Lad been lived most beautifully sad aad n W ft be richly deserved de deserved served the golden crown W IW I ng g earned rest they felt would be moat mot to t Mm and so 10 the angels gladly came upon their to tell at Nicholas the jeweled streets street of heaven heaVeD and all its other glories awaited him St Nicholas received them as became their rank moss mos kindly and respectfully but with all his hla wrinkles end aid his whitened wl beard and hair bair he was not ready read yet to t tIt It the joys of heaven Old as he was he be still was lolly aad young in head beast and as happy as the th day was waa long and though he fhe dW did not hold huld the joys of ot heaven bean n lightly hed he said 81 within himself What if I go and seek these great delights delight deli ht what shall I J be able to do for tor tha t e children Perhaps la heavens pleasures I 1 may ma forget forg t t my little earthly friends I cannot fashion there their toys tos and they would miss me if I went And so ao arguIng Ing ng thus the queer old man distinctly refused to accompany accompany pany the angels and accept acc t the joys joya they offered urging ahem them hem to leave him undisturbed upon the earth I Consternation prevailed among the holy throng at his bis determination Never before had hac they faced such a problem Always ere are this thia a saint had welcomed their coming O only too glad d to Uy lay down his burden of life and drop the many cares of the world and go to the de delights delights lights of heaven But this Mils queer little old ld man hat hal argued ar well upon the subject He did not wish to leave leae c until all the children had been gathered safe within the portals of those golden olden gates gatea and that would be the end of the world of course cour He wished to re remain rein j mat main in and aid make make mace the tiie children happy until then and nd 1 thI wag waa a thought ought The angels then ben alves ves could help but admire him for his hla great gre lov love 4 of the little e ones ones f Tie e predicament WU was waa truly awkward for tor the angels Angela el dt they theT laW at once the wisdom of his words They Ther knew be pew what wh t a t terrible commotion It would cause to take lit t Nicholas into Int heaven s ith the tle reindeer and also alao Whai lIa wafting and nd crying would wo ld come among amo the thach chi tren world at his departure So they d though tb gh it was most moat unusual to sea see what could be done dona f fat 6 r his case Bark Back they went to heaven to gain per permission mission for the holy man to remain upon the thee earth eth e th thI I After long and lengthy talk it was decided to 0 let Santa Claus Glaus have hOlve lit his way but once every year the th angels must come to offer oer him again his golden crown aad ad if he chooses at this time to change chane his mind he ha haway way may at return to hea heaven i with them However H wever he cou cou f not remain upon the earth that thatch t much H ch n was certain because b cause he would continue to grow rOW old and older and he heas was old enough enouCh already So it ryas was determined det that St Nicholas should be ba placed somewhere twixt twist heaven and arth where he h could cor cor get to the children and where he be would tl l ways gape remain the same sanle in lh age i IL neither growing gr older olde v ot or younger ger They gave him a kingdom Of his own be between tares tween heaven t tr and earth r Patiently upon the earth St Nicholas awaited the return of the angels ang Serene selene and r he was sure s re his hla reqUest to live always Would be granted and hs he h continued to fashion wonderful toys toya for tor the children MId this l ia is I Why this one great at saint is 18 laso so beloved he hethe refused the joys joya of heaven until all the children of the e be gathered there to share them with him Every year the angels angela come o 0 on Christmas eve to too offer o lm again the entrance to their golden colden gates gate gat but they amile Ue among themselves thin when the holy hoty man re fusee to be persuaded per and th they y In turn tum beg permission to helD beio him with mysterious his packages They fill nil tile the gh with bundles piling p it high with toys and them theft these laese holy angels accompany the Jolly lit little I IP saint sainta en en a rounds Always Alwa are they wit with It him on this happy journey w wIt C It Jt la u a wild race from north to south but with Lt and faces facea they lead ithe way The prance joyfully and follow they gOver g gOver gOve Over Ove savage v forest and wild countries must I they the th tra travel l Across oceans and scouring the coast they t y glide gUde over moss moa draped trees tre S and sweet scented jungles the angels lead the way wa For they the know and love the tha little children too tod to It was they r member who first announced amid a cloud of flame in brilliant skies sides 1 he tie of If the lafant Jesus It was waa w they who later latar guarded the sacred manger holding the divine baby by uel his holy mother and KJ In s it comes most naturally natu d pass pau that ever since that holy night n ht the Ute night cur Lord was born the angels come to help St Nicholas Nichol make snake the children of the earth happy for tor since the I h of ot the infant Jesus St Nicholas has chosen choen that d ite to te to f give away his toys to s beu the min of or Uie he holy hOl child waa was such a joy and blessing to the world 60 |