The Independent-News, Volume 104, Number 29, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 21 December 1978 — Page 3

Santa To Visit In Walkerton This Saturday Santa Claus will he in Walkerton on Saturday, December 23. from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Walkerton Fire Station. He will arrive by fire truck. The event is sponsored by the Walkerton Fire Department and the Walkerton Jaycees. Cars Equipped With Radar In Walkerton Chief of police, Lewis Whitaker, announced Monday that the patrol cars are equipped with radar now. They also have a portable hand held unit that will also be used. Todd Wathen To Release Recording Todd Wathen, son of John and Vcryl Wathen, 601 Washington Street. Walkerton, will on December 28 begin recording an I P record of his ten original songs. Todd will be singing and playing the melodies on the piano while Mike Shcaks and Mark Cummins on drums; Tony Hajicek on bass guitar and Mike Shcnenberger of lead guitar. Orders for the record are being taken by Todd at $5.00 apiece. You may call him at 586-"125 to reserve your record. Todd began music lessons with Mrs. Kenneth Klinedinst when he was eight years old. He moved to Alaska 18 months after starting

GREETINGS OF THE SEASON * r, A* Hnm>inß old-fashioned I *t, — 1 E v withes of C hnslmas toy ~ Walkerton License Branch UMMS I । BP? y I c) ‘ W/ / j Serving up the most appetizing Yuletide you’ve ever toasted! I J&J Restaurant Walkerton L —— — — — —

piano lesson and did not resume them for two years when they returned to Walkerton. Todd is a senior at John Glenn High School. Upon graduation he plans on attending Bethel College. Mishawaka. before pursueing a career in acting and music. ST. NICHOLAS PATRON SAINT OF CHILDREN Christmas is here . . . Christmas with its songs, Christmas with its joys, Christmas with its bright gifts, Christmas with its feeling of fellowship, Christmas with its hope for a better world. And even though all of us share in these things, actually Christmas is the special property of children. Perhaps this is because Christmas itself is the celebration of the birth of a Child. Or perhaps it is because the first Christmas brought to mankind the hope for a better world, and this hope lies in the hands of our children — who will inherit the earth. Or maybe it's because children haven't yet forgotten the arts which enable people to enjoy life — the arts of live, happiness, and goodness . . . and so they can get more enjoyment out of the things that make up the Christmas celebration. Whatever the reason may be. it is Christmas, and — especially for the children — it is the greatest time of the year. One of the things that makes Christmas so wonderful for children is the tradition started by Saint Nicholas of Myra — the tradition of giving gifts to children. Though Saint Nicholas lived in the fourth-century in Asia Minor and very little is actually known about him. he is probably the most popular and beloved of all patron saints. As a special Christmas feature for our readers, we have

illustrated some of the legends about the good and generous Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was born at Panthera, a city in the provine of Lycia, in Asia Minor. His parents were Christians of illustrious birth. According to legend. Saint Nicholas was an extraordinary child. On the first day of his life, he is supposed to have stood up in his bath with his hands joined in thanksgiving. Other legends about him are too numerous to recount. However, we will briefly deal with the few that arc illustrated on these pages. Legend Os The Fhrec Children During a famine in Myra. Saint Nicholas was traveling through his diocese to visit and comfort his people. He lodged one night in the house of an evil man. This man had the reputation of stealing little children, murdering them, and then serving them for dinner to his guests. When the bishop arrived, this evil man served him the limbs of murdered children. Saint Nicholas recognizing what was served to him, reproached his host for his horrible crime. Then he went to the tub which held the remains of the children. He made the sign of the cross over them, and they rose up whole and well. The three children were restored to their weeping mother, who was a poor widow. Legend Os The Sea Rescue Saint Nicholas was on a sea

Season’s Greetings g $ l | | I I g ‘ I S 6 JS/Ki \ 4 I | ^|||!^^ I g I & e I M The simple pleasures of Christmas! May you and your family g share in all its wondrous joys. It’s been a pleasure serving you g throughout the year. g gTown Os North Liberty |

THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS — DECEMBER 21, 1978

voyage to the Holy Land when there came up a storm so terrible that the ship was about to sink. The frightened sailors fell at the feet of the good saint and begged him to save them. Saint Nicholas prayed and the storm ceased immediately. legend Os The Three Prisoner* Three innocent men were condemned to death in the City of Myra. Townspeople came to inform Saint Nicholas that they were about to be executed. Saint Nicholas ran to the place of the execution where he found the men kneeling, and the executioner with his sword bared. Saint Nicholas seized the sword, pulled it from his hands, and caused the men to be freed. Legend Os The Famine In Myra After Saint Nicholas was made bishop of Myra, a dreadful famine struck the city. Nicholas was told that ships loaded with wheat had arrived in the port of Myra. He went to the captains of the vessels and asked each to give him a hundred barrels of wheat. But they replied that they dared not do this since the wheat was measured and was to be delivered to the emperor. Saint Nicholas commanded them to do as he ordered, and promised them when they unloaded their cargo, nothing would be missing from the measured amount. So the men believed him,

and gave him the amount he requested. and when they unloaded their cargo they found exactly the same quantity they started with legend Os The Three Maldena In the (ity of Myra there lived a nobleman who had three daughters Over the years this nobleman had become poor — so poor in fact that he was being forced to sell his daughters. His shame and grief were driving him mad. When Saint Nicholas heard of this, he decided to do something about it. One night when the maidens were asleep, and their father sat alone, watching and weeping. Saint Nich olas took a handful of gold, tied it up in a handkerchief, and went to the house of the poor man While he stood outside trving to figure how to give the gold to the man without revealing his identify, the moon came out from behind a cloud, showing him an open win dow. Saint Nicholas threw m the gold which fell at the feet of the father. With the gold, the grateful nobleman married off his eldest daughter. A second time Saint Nicholas provided a similar sum. And the third time, the nobleman discovered Saint Nicholas, and while he was kissing the hands and feet of the good Saint. Nicholas made him promise not to reveal his identity.