1959-12-19 — Page 13

CHESS

by LEONARD BARDEN

(25%, 5710)

Here is a problem by Dr. A. Kraemer (Deutsche Schach- zeitung, 1038). White to play, and ma! in three moves.

Solution No. 5737: 1 RxP!, Q-RJ (1 PXR: 2 P-B6 male); 8-831, 0x0; 3R Ki7 ch, K-Q1: 4 KIXP mate. Lendon Expron Setuloa.

'Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,

Not even a mouse..

~HRISTMAS EVE. The magic hour of Santa Claus, whose story is a strange story indeed

a story which spans 1,600 years and persists in a legend which still grips millions of children across the world.

And strangest of all, perhaps, is the fact that this universally recognised, universally loved figure, with his fur-trimmed red coat and hood, merry face and white whiskers, ample stomach straining at wide belt, high boots and bulging sack this firmly established picture that every child has of Santa Claus is not much

more than 100 years old and comes not from some remote snow- bound land of the North but from—New York!

But to begin at the besin- down the chimney ning.

Once upoù a Ume, some 200 угага after the birth of Jesus Christ, there Ilved in Hilla lown in Aala Miner among the vines

and Übe

isees a poor orphan boy who was destined to become not only Bishop of Myrs but a mint and a symbol for all time of the spirit of giving.

May are the tales about St Nicholas and many the theories

origin of the

as to the

warm legend of Santa Claus,

but there

would fail right into them, Ofun mough a glass of water for Sinter and n carrot for the white horse were put cut-as they skil uro in Holland.

Now in the early days of settlement in Aintrica, an

fact, for a good many years, the Puritans would not permit any at ult Christmas celebrations great

that and there is little doubt

соп The innocent junkelings no doubt about one thing-that TE started with St nected with St Nicholas. Day Nicholas, a good and a generous

frowned upon Were severely

there are some who still con- Jean who helped the poor und The needly.

demn the whole thing as pagan, to

According

ono legend he throw it into the house

three young girls who were 10

brides. be According Another bc

哦

By

JOHN

MARSHALL

moonlight. The sparkling snow,

the twinkling lights from snus homes along the lanes and the plump. cheerful face of the Dutchman

holding the reins to combined

produce the moment of inspiration.

[m]

Dr Moore remembered that he had

promised to write a Christmas

for, his children and during the rest of tho drive the took Immortal jingle

shape in his mind-"A JAL+ from st better Nicholas," known over since trou lis opening linc

ܕܕ܂

"Twas the night bo fore Christmas,

Straight from aleigh to desk went the doctor penned the words and which Κανε Santa Claus or ever the red checles and twinkling eyes, white whiskers and fur, the sack full of gifts, arxd the sicigli drawa wy reindeer. Moreover Dr

Moure revealed for, the irst time that Intrepid the Santa personally descended the chimney instead of merely drop- ping down the gifts:

Tiwas the might before Christonces, when cold through

the hounde

a treature, was stirring, not frem & mouse,

Not to

saved three

children frum starving by if you please). bringing food (and sweels) to their home,

his benefactions Such were that after his death his reputa- tion lived on as a protector of children--as well as of sailors and merchants,

By the tenth century the cult

of St. Nicholas had spread to

Nieuw

Донить 171C chimney St Nicholas came with a bound....

Moore's That New

evening Dr children heard the poem for the Arst time and great was their occurred to

But ultimately after Amsterdam had become York. the St Nicholas Day observances were merged with those of Christmas which was, delight. It never rfter all, not long afterwards,

But s the figure of Sinter Klaas had not taken on the ap pearance now universally recog- nisable. He was remote, tall, lean solemn, he was anything.

a child might imagine,

the modest professor that it

might appeal to

wider Juvenile public, but happily there came to the house Harriot Butler, daughter of the Rector of St Paul's Church In Troy, New York

She asked permission to copy Under the Dutch Influence he it to read to the children of her

perhaps Was,

a little less father's parish.

Moore Dr Bustere than the earller agreed and Harriet sent д сору ccclesiastical

Agure (St anonymously 10 the Troy

'We Give Thanks'

the West and in 1087 (one of the few dates in British history

that most of us remember) Nicholas has been depicted as Sentinel. some Il-advised folk from of grave mien and unwhisker- Bari, in Italy, went to Myra ed), and the brown priestly and stole

the body of St robes may have given place to Nicholas. A most reprehensible something a trifle goyer, like thing to do, but it shows just the red clonk and hood how important Nicholas had favoured by some early Dutch

become.

In Scandinavia and in North Germany the Jegend of St Nicholas became merged with stories of the Norse god Oun or Woden (giver et gifts to

mankind) and in Russia St

settlers.

Nicholas was generally adopted But for the anal metamor-

The editor of the journal, one Orville Holley published It with this comment: "We do not know to whom we are in- debted for the following de- scription of that unwearied patron of child- ren, that homely but delightħil personifica

and, indeed played а phosis of Santa into the jolly tion of parental signifcant part in the religious Father Christmas the whole kindness, Santa

ife of the people. In Britain

400 churches were named after him,

But it was in Holland that St Nicholas became Sinter Kuas

his day, December 3.

world knows our indebted to

children are Clatis, his co- mlid and tume and his scholarly New York professor, equipage but

Dr Clement Clarke Moore o! from whomsoever it may have Columbia University.

come we give thanks for it."

The verses were translated

(to be corrupted later to Santa One *hundred and thirty Claus) and in Holland that his years ago Dr Moore lived in n Into many languages and over agreeable benefactions were fine three-storey house in the the years hundreds of millions first observed annually upon middle of an orchard where of copies have been sold, Yot

Now 23rd Street meets the Dr Moore nover received Hudson River, when Lanes penny from royalties. He was, So that when the Dutch criss-crossed the kland and however, a man of wealth and colonised the delightful island Love Lane meandered pastoral- ever a cheenbil giver. between two rivers which they ly to join a wider road to be called Nieuw Aansterdam, they known later as Broadway. named their frok

church SŁ Nicholas

and

they introduced

the habits and cus

toms

of Bay old

Amsterdam including the observances asso- clated with Bt

Nicholas Day. Children would

ceive sweets trom

good St Nick who

Without a doubt he would

As

"Not until 81 Nicholas passed through the crucible

Dr

DE

The Moores, who have regarded as most adequate had nine children of reward the epitaph in an their own entertained account of his Me by Arthur n house party for Hosking: Christmas, 1822. the light was falling on Christmas Eve Mrs Moore's mind and imagination Moore asked her did he ever sido in a sleigh or husband. to go to have

sight ny reindeer with nearby Greenwich bells jayfully to convoy him ou Village to deliver the elotas and over the rooftope some Churbanas pre- of the world on Christmas Evo, down the cents.

Dor was he dressed`la furs'..". The snow, to be sure, lay nor did he get into the houses of round about deep and crisp and good little boys and

Kiria by His method of transport was probably even when Peter, the going down the chimneys.. said to be a white horse upon okl Dutch, handyman harassed And now from that which ho rode above the the eigh and bet of with his New York, may I wolah you the house-tops: and everywhere master upón their beneficent wish which Dr Mpore · auz that Slater went hig little errand Having delivered the the "chubby and-- plump-right Negro page Piel was sure to gifts and doubtless been per jolly old sig, wished at he suaded to sample a'cup or'two urged hte reindeer, sudy · DUST The children would place of punch In honour of the the rooftops "Happy Christ their wooden shoes by the £fe... sex:50, "De 25oore, atarted the man to bi and' to all a good place so that the gifle dropped, homeward Journey in tutkišant night.”

throw hig pithe

chimney.

Qantas announces

International

Electra

QANTAS INTERNATIONAL

ELECTRA/FLIGHT

HONG KONG

TOKYO

KONG LEAVES 11.40 am

ARRIVES 6.00 pm

WEDNESDAYS

HONG KONG

KONG LEAVES 6.15pm

MANILA

DARWIN

SYDNEY

DANTAS INTERNATIONAL

ELECTRA/FLIGHT

HONG KONG

MANILA

PT. MORESBY

SYDNEY

8.25 pm 9.10 pm

THURSDAYS 4.50 am

5.35 am

11.25 an

Flight

Subject to Governmental opproval

FLYING TIMES SLASHED BY 25%

The introduction of 7-miles-a-minute International Lockheed Electras on Qantas Far East Routes will mean a big speed-up in services between Hong Kong and Japan, Manila, New Guinea and Australia.

.Serenely smooth, high-flying International

· Electras offer a new concept

of luxury. Ultra-spacious cabins, roomily relaxing seats, air-conditioning, plus incomparable Qantas service, make International Electra/Flight "with Qantas a dramatically different and enjoyable experience. Four 3,750 horse- power engines whisk you through the smooth upper air to cut time in flight by 25 per cent.

Qantas International Electra/Flight to the Far East commences on December 19. See your travel agent or Qantas for reservations now.

Commencing December 19

QANTAS

AUSTRALIA'S ROUND-WORLD AIRLINE

DANTAS INTERNATIONAL ELECTRA/FLIGHT

HONG KONG

TOKYO

11.40 .....

ARRIVE 6,00.-

FRIDAYS

HONG KONG

9 $0.

$0.50 -

G.15

SYS

MANILA

·UNDAYS

DARWIN

SYDNEY

Bookings: Qantas Australian Centre, Jardine House--Telephone 21996, 21997—and all leading travel agens

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