Show BESTOWING GIFTS IN SECRET Practice of Putting Out Shoes and Stockings Resu Resulted ted From Plan of St St. St Nicholas Christmas stockings hive hare come comedown comedown comedown down to us from the good St St. Nicholas who was a saint of the fourth century of the Christian era and was born December December De De- cember 0 6 In Lycia Asia Minor 1 He was wag regarded as especially the patron patron pa pa- tron troD saint of children young girls and sailors The Christmas stocking custom custom cus cus- tom arose as follows It seems that St. St Nicholas who was the archbishop of Myra lived In the same town with an Impoverished nobleman nobleman no no- bleman who who because he had no portions portions por por- to to give his daughters dau and indeed indeed in in- deed no means with which to support them was about to sell them into a alife alife alife life of sin St. St Ni Nicholas s who vho was accustomed accustomed ac ac- ac to dispense his large fortune fortune for for- tune In gifts of charlt charity resolved to rescue rescue res res- cue ue the young oung women As he approached approached ap ap- their house wondering how he should proceed the moon moon shone out and displayed an open window Instantly Instantly In In- St. St Nicholas threw a purse of gold In at this window which falling at the feet of the father of the girls enabled him to portion his oldest daughter laughter The Second time St. St NIcholas Nicholas Nicholas Nich NIch- olas visited Isi the house louse he also was able to throw a purse of of gold through an open window thus providing for the portion of the second daughter On the third visit the father watching for forLis his Lis 11 is be benefactor ct I cast himself at the feet of or the saint saint and cried Oh St. St Nicholas servant of God why seek to hide thyself The saint made the father promise not not notto to reveal his his' benefactions From this habit of bestowing gifts in secret and under the cloak of night arose nrose tho the practice of putting out shoes or stockIngs stockings stock stock- Ings for tor the younger members of the family so that the good saint would be beable beable beable able to fill them without being spied on |