Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 304, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1912 — Page 2

W | If HO Is thiß grand old ■ ■ I I man, adored by every lyll I one, and where was -/■Mrf he born? The answer / is not easy, for Santa Claus was born ages ago and he has been so busy ever since that he never has taken the time to study his family tree. One thing he knows, and that is Aj he has many names. American children call him Santa Claus, the little Dutch folk St. Nicholas, the French WBrS/ Pere Noel, and the W&fijm 3 Germans Prince Ru■ML precht or Kriss Kringle> all mean

the same thing. The story of his birth Is told in medieval legend. This Italian Btory says that his name was St Nicholas and he was a bishop in the fourth century. He had a great deal of money, but he was so good to poor people, and especially to children, that he gave it away as fast as he got it. There are many tales about his good deeds, but perhaps the most Interesting one is how he brought back to life three children who had been killed. In Italy he was known as a tall ■nan, dressed in white robes and wearing a crown. But the happy Dutch did not think of this kind man that way. To the Dutch people he always appeared as short-legged and pot-bellied and well wrapped in furs. He was accompanied by a black slave, who carried a bag full of sweets and presents. St. Nicholas carried a birch rod with him and asked the children who had been good and who had been bad. If they were good he gave them nuts, crackers and candies, but if they had been bad they got a flogging. The children put their wooden sabots in the open fireplace so he could put some more presents in these on going out. ' In Russia he was worshiped the same way, but he always appeared as a tall person wearing the vestments of a bishop, with miter and crown. His companion was a bearded man wearing a fur coat, carrying a stick and a basket full of presents. There are many interesting legends associated with the name of St. Nicholas or Santa Claus in England. One Is that he was' put in prison for some unknown offense, but managed to escape. This is told In “An Hue and Cry After Christmas,” and it tells of the arraignment, conviction and imprisonment of Christmas, and how he "broke out of prison in the holidays and got away, only leaving his hoary hair and gray beard sticking between two iron bars of a window." In Germany he was at first considered as an advance courier for the Chrlstkindlein, distributing part of the angel child’s gifts and promising a visit of the Chrlstkindlein on Christmas eve when he heard that the children were good. In some of the small places he appeared grotesquely—sometimes in goatskin and dancing like a goat, again in a white sheet with a stick and two lights in his mouth. The legend says that Claus, Nicholaus, Necht Ruprecht, or whatever his name is, “comeß in wearing a white sheet and holding a stick in his hand.” He tells the children to pray, and if they disobey he flogs them, but If they obey he gives them plenty of nuts and apples. The Italian children also believed In their patron saint, but they worshiped his wife Instead. Her name is La BefanaTind they pay as much homage to her as the other children do to the saint She is not good looking, for she is supposed to be more than 2,000 years old. The legend says that when the three wise men were about to pass her window she refused to go to the window and salute them. She saw her mistake when it was too late, and has tried to repent by making the children of Italy happy

ORIGIN IN PAGAN RITES

Many Old Christmas Customs Have Been Handed Down From Ancient Times. ; It la interesting to note that many •f tiie Christmas customs which hare endeared themselves to the people scattered all over the world have their origin In many cases among thcpe- ancient men and women who worshiped strange gods before they heard the message of peace brought to them by the early Christian fath-

JUST THIS SANTA PERSONIS

on her birthday, which is the sixth of January. She is supposed to be Santa Claus’ wife, and when she is not busy helping him she is in Italy getting ready for her yearly celebration, which takes place on the sixth of January, when she gives the children toys, fruits, candies, etc. She is also known in Russia and a great many children believe in Mrs. instead of Mr. Santa Claus. There she is called Babouska, and the story tells that she is so kind because she is repenting of her sins. When the Dutch came to America they brought their stories of their patron saint and their Christmas celebrations. And the children commenced to hang up their stockings instead of putting wooden shoes into the open fireplace. Their saint was the same kind, jovial man, excepting that he came with reindeer instead of driving horses as in Holland. The German children told their stories of the Christ child, who sent Prince Ruprecht as his servant to inquire into their behavior and to distribute their presents. They did not see a great deal of difference in the stories and so took the twenty-fifth of December as the day for Santa Clauß’ appearance. In France it was the angel child who came every year to bless the children and to remember them with some small gift. Afterward he had so much to do he sent his servant, Pere Noel, which is the Santa Claus of the French and Dutch children, to help him distribute his gifts and to tell them that he will come to bless them before the New Year. Though Santa Claus has a large sleigh and two splendid horses or reindeer, according to the countries he visits, he has such Jong distances to cover that be cannot appear in all countries on the same day. Santa Claus was born In Holland, or rather it took the Dutch children to find him. But he is a great traveler and goes to all countries, where he has many shops and thousands of men and women working for him. He goes to all the forests of Germany, especially to the wonderful “Black Forest," and gets thousands and thousands of trees. But even the great forests of Germany cannot give him all the trees he needs, so he hurries to Russia and even to Sweden and Norway until he gets all he wants. He has many shops in London, Paris, Chicago, New York, and in many other cities. His great factories are in Nuremberg and In Switzerland, in the Bernese Oberland. Here he has many of the dolls, wooden toys and miniature watches made that go to all> countries of the world. By the time he reaches Germany the Christmas markets are emptied of their trees, which are always dressed awaiting his coming. Then he takes a fast steamer to America, and by the time he lands In New York he is pretty well tired out He always brings one or more servants with him and he has so many homes to visit that only a few of the children get to „ see him. He hurries in and out of the chimneys just as fast as he can.

ers. The holly, the mistletoe, the wassail bowl, the Tule log, and the Christmas tree are remnants of old customs that have become amalgamated and modified into the usage of modern civilization. The Druids of Great Britain, whom the Romans discovered there when they conquered the Celts, were a priesthood ruling the people by crufel witchcraft They worshiped the oak, the mistletoe, and the holly. Their altars on their feast days were decorated with the branches of white and red berries.

He catches another steamer bound for France, where the children are awaiting their Pere Noel. Sometimes he is so late that the children have to celebrate their Christmas and New Year together. But his Journey is not yet ended, for he goes back once more to Russia, especially into the interior, where he has not yet been. B\ft he Is the friend of all children and must therefore extend his Journey into farthest Norway, and even intoIceland. While he is busy with the children of the north his wife is looking after the children in the south, in Italy, Spain and Greece. At dark on the eve of Epiphany the Befana begins. The open squares are crowded with trees of all sizes, wax figures of the Christ child, candies and toys, while the air resounds with the Bounds of whistles, horns and carols. When these celebrations are finished Santa Claus and his wife go off for a short holiday, nobody knows exactly where. It is said that they have been seen in the high mountains of Switzerland enjoying the winter sports. Wherever they enjoy their holiday it is short, for as soon as they are rested they commence their work for the coming year. This is only a part of the real Christmas legend, for Christmas would not be nearly as beautiful as it is were it not for the splendid evergreen trees, shimmering with their many brilliant candles and gay trimmings. The Dutch may boast that Santa Claus was born in Holland. Who knows? Perhaps he was. But Germany is the home of the Christmas tree, for it was the first country that used the evergreen tree in Christmas celebration, and it supplies more than one-half of the trees that are used by Santa Claus. There are many beautiful stories associated with the origin of the first Christmas tree. One legend says that on the holy night all nature, even the animalß and the trees, were rejoicing and that the cedars, Instead of pointing their branches upward as pointed, slender trees, spread their branches wide to protect the mother and her new-born child. Though it was midwinter the thorn commenced to blossom and its white flowers made a cover for the child’s cradle. The olive poured forth oil for the newborn child. All were happy except the small pine, which had nothing to offer, and year by year it grew taller. Still it never forgot that holy night and the wind sweeping through its branches moans because the pine is still unhappy because It had nothing to give.

YE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

Now all our neighbors’ chimneys smoke, And Christmas logs are burning; Their ovens they with baked meats choke, And all their are turning. Without the door let sorrow lie, And if by cold it hap to die, We’ll bury’t in a Christmas pie, And evermore be merry. > f

When the early Christian fathers came over to Britain they found that it was easier to amalgamate the feast days of the pagans with their own customs and teachings than it was to eradicate them from the minds of the people who, like all men and women, loved their recreation days, The Christian missionaries merely changed the name of the feast of thq winter solstice to that of Christmas* and so the people paid tribute in the old way to th# new God, which, to their simple minds, was quite compel ible.—National Monthly.

WATCH FREIGHT CARS

CONVEYANCES ARE KEPT UNDER * CLOSE BURVEILLANCE. Their Value to Rallroada Necessarily Depends Upon Their Being Kept In Use, and Perfect Track of Them Is Maintained. A freight car can move at the rate of sixty miles an hour, hut it is equal-

stands idle about five days for every one day it is in motion. The average life of a freight car, with ordinary wear and tear and occasional trips to the repair shop for the renewal of such parts as may have become defective, is in the neighborhood of eighteen or twenty years, but there is the possibility of the car being converted into a shapeless mass before it is a day old. At the present time there are own ed and controlled by the railroads of the United States 2,735,121 freight cars, which, according to the last report, carried 1,849,900,101 tons dilring the year ending June 30, 1911. A freight car is a great money-earn-er so long as it Is kept on the move, but from the time it stops rolling until its wheels revolve again it is not paying for the oil used upon it It is, therefore, largely upon the managing and controlling of these thousands of freight cars that the interests of a railroad are dependent, and the earnings of a road will be directly proportionate to the manner in which the cars are kept on the move. As these vast number of . cars are owned by more than 500 companies, and as each company’s cars are by no means restricted to their home road, it is something marvelous how they can be controlled and accounted for both individually and collectively. The methods, however, by which the freight cars’ accounts are kept are so systematic and accurate that it is not difficult for any railroad to have at alb* times a statement showing the location of its entire equipment. If it is desired to know the whereabouts of certain car belonging to a particular road on some specified date, by calling on the car accountant of that road the information will be. at once forthcoming. If need be the contents of the car osn be given, the number of the train and hour the car left the last station, the number of the engine drawing the train, the names of the train crew, and what cars accompanied it on its journey. Some roads are even able to tell the kind of weather the car passed through while in motion, as well as the hour of day it was loaded and unloaded. This array of figuring does not stop here, but at the end of every thirty days the mileage is computed and the number of miles each car travels is put down as a part of its history. So there is a complete record of the movements of the car in detail, from its daily location down to the cost of moving it over the respective divisions of the road in whatever service it should be required.

French Railroad Schedules.

When a train gets in the habit of being late on an American railroad something drastic is done about it, but on the state-owned railroads of France they have a different plan. On the Paris-Rouen run the time of the express trains used to be announced at one hour and fofty-flve minutes, but the actual time was two hours and six minutes. So they rearranged the time table to fit that actual elapsed time. What could be simpler? And then the traffic manager put across another rearrangement The 7.50 train from Parts got in the habit of arriving twenty-four minutes late. So the traffic boss started, it thirty-one minutes earlier, thus getting passengers into Rouen seven minutes ahead of the time it used to be officially due.

Dog’s Wonderful Ride.

When the owner of a plain collie, name unknown, boarded a traßl at Simpson, 111., the faithful animal tried to follow, but was kicked oft the platform by the “news butcher.” Just as the train started the animal darted under it and everybody paused to hear his ki-yts as the wheels ground him to r pieces. But there was not a ki-yi. At the next stop, Ozark, the news agent and the conductor took a look at the trucks. The dog was lying across a brake-beam, alive, unscathed and apparently not at all worried. He W as chased from his position and the train pulled out, leaving the canine hobo ditched.

Spain to Own Railroads.

Spain is to follow the example of other continental countries and become the owner of its railroads. As Spanish railways have been notorious for delays and poor management, travelers will hope that the change promises improvement Us service.

ly adapted to remaining stationary on a siding for weeks at a time; 15,000 miles per year is a common record for a freight car to travel, and instances occur where cars make as high a mileage, however, is probably not over 10,000 miieß a year, or about twenty-five miles a day. This is because the car

THROUGH HEART OF ALPS

New Railroad Traverses One of the Most Picturesque Sections of All Europe. The great .international highways from north to south, which in former days led over the Alps, nowadays pass through them; their number is shortly to be augmented by the opening of the new Bernese Alps or Lotschberg railroad, which will constitute the newest and shortest route to Italy from Switzerland and the neighboring countries. It will be opened to the traffic of the world next May. This new Alpine railroad has been constructed in the face of formidable difficulties, and will be numbered among the most noteworthy feats of railroad engineering in,modern times. All the forces of elemental nature were mustered to oppose the task of laying a railroad line through one of the wildest mountainous districts in Europe. A nine-mile-long tunnel had to be pierced through the heart of the Bernese Alps range, but this was a mere bagatelle compared with the difficulties' encountered in constructing a track through the precipitous and avalanche-swept country on either side of this. The line, which forms a short cut to the Simplon and obviates the wide detour hitherto necessary, is only 48 miles in length, but has occupied more than six years in building, owing to the obstacles which had to be surmounted. Mighty embankments had to be constructed along the edge of dizzy precipices, granite viaducts and steel bridges thrown across wild ravines, and huge wall-like barriers erected high up the mountain slopes to dissipate the force of the destructive aval&nche. The railroad traverses a country rich in points of interest and second to none as regards scenic magnificence. Leading Berne, the Swiss capital, the line proceeds by way of quaint, medieval Thun to the beautiful lake of that name; here the eternal snows of, the Jungfrau, Schreckhom and Matterhorn come into view and form a striking background to the changing colors of the lake. Thence the line continues through the charming Frutigen and Kandersteg valleys, with their typical Swiss pastoral scenes, and arrive at Kandersteg, the northern portal of the Lotsch£erg tunnel, surrounded by fantastically shaped peaks. Passing through the tunnel, the line emerges in one of the most wildly picturesque valleys of Switzerland, and one hitherto practically inaccessible to the tourist —the Lotschen valley. The steep, pine-clad slopes of this uninhabited region are soon exchanged for the smiling pastures of the Rhone valley, and the line gradually descends from its high mountain ledge to Brigue, where the Simplon railroad is joined.

New Baggage Check.

A new baggage check that is expected to lessen the number of-errors and complaints has Just been placed into the service on an eastern line. The duplicate portion of the new check is provided with spaces, in which are printed a number of the principal “bad order” conditions in which the baggage is frequently received for checking. A check, on being delivered to the passenger, will be perforated to show whether the piece of baggage is ,a trunk, suit case or valise, fiber case or tool chest. Another perforation will show the condition in which the baggage was re* ceived at the office. In this way the duplicate check will contain a full description of the baggage when it was brought to the company for shipment. The number on the tag portion on the check is placed at the bottom, while on the duplicate portion it 1s printed at the top, so that the two wm be easily matched when the baggage is delivered. It is expected that the new check will minimize the matching of numbers wrongly and will greatly reduce the number of claims. —Trade and Transportation.

Smoke Is Less Dense Now.

The average locomotive in Chicago at the present time Is making smoke the density of which is 14.92 per cent. This shows a decided improvement over the conditions recorded by the city smoke commission three years ago, when the average density wass reported at 23.3 per cent. The percentage gives the ratio of actual performance to worst possible performance; that is, if a locomotive emitted dense black Imoke all the time this record would be reported at 100 per cent If It gave out no smoke at all the percentage would be zero. The figures give.the results of many observations covering the entire city.

Queer Accident Caused by Deer.

Engineer A. O. Morrisette of the Milwaukee, residing at Malden. Wash., is in the company hospital at St. Joe as the result of a freakish accident When train No. 63 emerged from tunnel No. 37 about 15 miles east of St Joe, the engine struck two deer. One of them, a large buck, hit the embankment and rolled back through the engine .cab. striking Morrisette on the head and knocking out several teeth, the antlers puncturing his chin ana bruising him about the face. It was at first reported that Ms Jaw was broken.

Chief of Smallest Railroad.

Richard O. Cheney, president of tht South Manchester (Conn.) Railroad company and widely known as a caph talist, is dead, aged 71. His railroad is said to be the smallest in the country, extending from South Manchester to Manchester, a distance of tw» mUa*.

COMFORT IN KITCHEN

MODERN INNOVATIONS DO AWAY* WITH MUCH LABOR. Time-Saving Appliances -Have Beei> Introduced and Become General—- , a Fireless Cook Btove Proves Genuine Boon. a -• ; .. . ' . . -rs» • . Nowadays the men who make things have turned their attention to providing the Jtome, and especially the kitchen, with as efficient labor and time saving appliances and tools as an up-to-date factory can boast. The modern kitchen can be. a thing of beauty and a joy even to the woman who works in it, so great have been the improvements made. Take, for instance, the evolution of the fireless cook stove, a mirtcle working contrivance which banishes heat, steam, smells and standing over the stove watching the slow, tedious cooking process. Lined with seamless alumir.um, rustproof, tarnish proof and durable utensils to use with it, and a cunningly contrived steam valve attachment which allows the roasting of meats and fowls, the baking of bread and pies, as well as boiling and stewing. It is indeed a wonderful convenience. All that is necessary is to heat the soapstone radiators either cn a gas or electric stove. Then the food, meats, vegetables, or whatever is to be cooked—cooks Just as i* is, and it is forgotten until the clock Says it should be done. It probably isn’t known that every branch and variety of the cooking art can be successfully employed with the fireless cook stove. The earlier models of these cookers showed a very cumbersome box that took up a lot of space in a small kitchen, but they have now been reduced to occupy waste sp.ice, and some of the later show them swinging on hinges under the kitchen table, where they may be pushed out of sight and out of the way while the rest of the meal is being prepared. Another innovation for kitchen efficiency is a porcelain table with rounded corners and edges, which is seamless, unbreakable and unchippable, and at once becomes a, molding board for pie baking or a meat board or bread board for cooking ani slicing. This is far superior to the old wooden table tops which became the "catchall” for grease and other substances, owing to the surface being scored from knife blades while preparing meals. The best thing of all about a kitchen table of this kind is that i‘. can be kept spotlessly clean —really hygienically clean—by wiping off with a hot wet cloth.

Pickled Peppers.

Choose rather large peppers; wash clean, cut off the tops and scrape out all seeds. Fill with a mixture made as follows: To two quarts of finely chopped cabbage add four large onions, about two tablespoonfuls of the pepper seed, two tablespoonfuls of salt, and either two cupfuls of chopped celery, or one-half teaspoonful of celery seed. Pack the peppers as solidly as possible, taking care not to burst them, and press the tops back on. Lay in jars or crocks and cover with hot vinegar. To one gallon of vinegar use about half water if the vinegar is very strong; add four cups of sugar and a teaspoonful of mixed spices; any spice liked extra well can be used. Cover the peppers and set away where cool. They do not need sealing.

Squash Pie Without Eggs.

Use dry squash (the hubbard or others of same quality). Cut in suitable pieces and cook in a steamer only just long - enough to soften so it can be pressed through a sieve. Too long cooking will make it watery and spoil it for a pie. Now heat milk to the boiling point only and turn immediately on the strained squash—using just enough to make a thick mixture—much thicker than when eggs are used. Add salt and sugar to taste; flavor with ginger or pure extract offlemon is good for a change. In deep plates this pie will take an hour for baking. Remove from oven when it ceases to bubble in center. Oven should be quite hot.

Horseradish Biscuits.

Work six or eight, ounces of butter into efght ounces of flour, season with salt and pepper, and add two to four ounces of grated Parmesan or Other hard cheese. Work this to a stiff dough with the well-whisked yolks of one or two eggs, using a little milk to mix with. Roll out the dough twice, stamp it into small circles; bake on a greased tin in a moderate oven until crisp, but not browned, cool on a sieve, and serve sandwiches together in pairs, with a filling of grated horseradish in cream. This may be served as a . dinner savory or for afternoon tea.

Currant Cake.

Three eggs, one cup sugar, one-half .cup butter, one-half cup of milk, two cups of flour, ope cup of currants, onehalf teaspoon of baking powder, ono of vanilla. Sprinkle sugar over top of cake before placing it in oven, and sprinkle it with powdered sugar before cutting.

Apricot-Apple Ple.

Line your pie plate as usual with nice crust, put in a scant layer of halved apricots (canned), then All the pie with sliced apple and Ontsh as usual and bake. The mingled flavor of the two fruits is very nidi and ap-. petizlng.