The first zoological garden in the
United States was established in
Philadelphia in 1*!74.
According to the U. S. Department
Xil Commerce there are 147 993 bar
ker shops in the U. S.
Doc Byeri
j UBALO ANGELS . . . Rtkuri
!?? far the annuel Gkrlilmu
candlelight service, ~lhe children
choristers of Uie Crawford Meth
od hit Memorial church in the
Bronx, New York, make an im
pressive picture when viewed
through a Christmas wreath In Uie
foreground.
A truly Merry
Christmas
to our good
friends and
bors.
r PASTIME
Billiard Pailor
Am-*ig the myriad problems
whi<;h beset parents at Christmas <
titr.e are the nrfany questions from
the small-lry about Santa Claus.
And the business of telling Junior 1
or hir. little sister the truth about
the jol)y old gentleman in the red (
suit is really a major task.
However, the situation is bound
to arise, and when it does, it does 1
something to your heart strings ?
so you draw the little ones close
and vast about for the best ex- 1
planation. ,
Oddly enough, the true story i
Is best ? and the easiest to tell.
So why not just tell the little
ones this?:
St. Nicholas (or Nicolas) is Santa
Claus4 real name. He lived in Asia <
Minor and was the beloved bishop
of the Greek church of Myra in
Lycia. He is the patron saint of the
young, and in some European coun
tries a person dressed as a bishop
still ass- mbles the children and
distributes gifts of nuts,' sweetmeats
and other nite things to the good
boys and girls.
Children loved St. Nicholas and
trudged along beside him as he
trudged the dusty roads bf the
Lycia countryside, bringing fruit
and candy to the sick and needy.
One of many stories told of
bis goodness concerns a poor
and honest man and bis three
good and beautiful daughters. -
The father was unhappy for
poverty prevented his giving
the customary dowries to his.
daughters, and for this reason
they could never have suitable
husbands
One night a bag of coins was
tossed in at the man's window. The
next n'ght the act was repeated.
But on the third night the father
watched, and the anonymous giver
was detected. The jolly bishop stood
with the third bag of coins in his
hands. The father was very proud
and would not accept the money.
The good bishop begged the poor
man to accept the gifts and use
them for his daughters' dowries,
requesting that his name never be
revealed.
At last, the father accepted the
money for his daughters, but he
could not keep the name ojf the
generous bishop secret ? so the
legend of the goodness of St. Nicho '
las was furth'e.r spread and ?
strengthened.
The practice of placing burning
candles in the windows on Christ
mas eve is tied up with an Irish
custom which holds the thought of
the Christ child alone in the d&rk.
needing light for his way.
? ? ?
When buying toys for ehildrer
remember that those of th< con
structive types are best? they devel
op the youngsters' ingenuity.
About ten percent of the Federal i
budget of Mexico in 1945 was for ir
rigating purposes.
The English made their first at
tempt to settle North America at Ro
anoke Island, in 1504.
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Genuine
Zircon* set
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WATCH BANDS
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BRACELET SET
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StWM Mt in
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i I n g I i
itiond
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