Nurse promised, and went back for her baby, whom she carried off to the nursery, covering it with kisses, and talking to it as though she thought it very badly treated.
"It's rather droll, is it not, that Santa Claus' handwriting should be so much like that of our Fred?" said Mr. Bradford.
"Not at all, sir, for he took lessons of me when he was young," answered the rogue, with a comical look at his father.
"Papa," said Harry, at the breakfast-table, "can you tell us now about Santa Claus?"
"I will tell you all I know, but that is not much," said his father. "Santa Claus is Dutch or German for St. Nicholas. Many hundred years ago, there lived far away in the East a good old bishop, named Nicholas, who gave up his life to acts of charity and mercy. He was said to have a great love for children, and many stories are told of his kindness to them; hence, he came to be regarded as their special friend. After his death, the Romish Church, to which he belonged, made him a saint; and as his feast day, or the day which particularly belonged to him, happened to be near Christmas, he was supposed to take a great share in the rejoicings of that day."
"But why is he said to come down the chimney and fill stockings?" asked Fred.
"I do not know," said Mr. Bradford, "and though I have questioned several people who know a great deal about old customs, I have never been able to find out how this idea arose. In some parts of Europe, he is supposed to be a child angel, not an old man; and in France the children call him Noel, and put their shoes on the hearth to be filled. Perhaps the custom of giving presents at this time arose from the gifts which the wise men of the East brought to the infant Saviour; perhaps it was only intended to remind us of the greatest and most precious of all gifts which we received on this day. My Bessie can tell what that was; can she not?"
"God's Jesus, who came to save us, so his Father could take us to heaven," said the little girl.
"Right, my darling; and can Maggie tell what was the song the angels sang on this happy morning?"
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men," said Maggie.