St. Nicholas

What do Google, Snapchat, Tinder, Amazon, and Uber have in common, besides soaring market share? They're platforms - a new business model that has quietly become the only game in town, creating vast fortunes for its founders while dominating everyone's daily life. A platform, by definition, creates value by facilitating an exchange between two or more interdependent groups. So, rather than making things, they simply connect people.

The Internet today is awash in platforms - Facebook is responsible for nearly 25 percent of total Web visits, and the Google platform crash in 2013 took about 40 percent of Internet traffic with it. Representing the 10 most trafficked sites in the US, platforms are also prominent over the globe; in China, they hold the top eight spots in web traffic rankings.

The advent of mobile computing and its ubiquitous connectivity have forever altered how we interact with each other, melding the digital and physical worlds and blurring distinctions between "offline" and "online." These platform giants are expanding their influence from the digital world to the whole economy. Yet, few people truly grasp the radical structural shifts of the last 10 years. In Modern Monopolies, Alex Moazed and Nicholas L. Johnson tell the definitive story of what has changed, what it means for businesses today, and how managers, entrepreneurs, and business owners can adapt and thrive in this new era.

This is the classic poem that describes in splendid detail the wonderful, magical visitor one man saw come down the chimney on Christmas Eve.

In this issue:

THE FINANCIAL PAGE
"The Regulation Crisis", by James Surowiecki: We spend billions, but attitudes matter more.

THE TALK OF THE TOWN
"Rising", by Lauren Collins: How is the construction at One World Trade Center progressing?
"Soul Slam", by Ben Greenman: A record-store owner makes his own music.

FICTION
"The Kid", by Salvatore Scibona.

A CRITIC AT LARGE
"Fresh Hell", by Laura Miller: What’s behind the boom in dystopian fiction for young readers?

POP MUSIC
"You, the D. J.", by Sasha Frere-Jones: Online music moves to the cloud.

THE CURRENT CINEMA
"Bad Boys", by David Denby: Reviews of Get Him to the Greek and Cyrus.

The author of Murder on Amsterdam Avenue returns to nineteenth-century New York City to find Christmas in the air, a police detective and a midwife with love in their hearts, and a wealthy newlywed with blood on her hands.

Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy and Sarah Brandt are not the only ones who have recently tied the knot. Family friend Mrs. O'Neill was delighted when her daughter Una wed the seemingly wealthy and charming Randolph Pollock. She didn't wonder why such an affluent man would want to marry a poor Irish girl, no matter how pretty she was. But now Mrs. O'Neill has a problem. Pollock's servants have found their employer bludgeoned to death with Una cradling his body. Rendered mute by the horror of her husband's death, Una cannot explain what happened, so the police have charged her with murder and locked her away in the Tombs to await trial. Mrs. O'Neill would like Frank to investigate the case and save Una, yet with Frank and Sarah still on their honeymoon, it's up to the other members of their newly formed household to do some detective work. But solving the mystery behind Pollock's death means first discovering the truth about who he really is...

The day before Christmas, Nick isn't too thrilled about being dragged along for last-minute shopping with his dad. He's too excited about what he'll get for Christmas this year. While Nick waits for his father, he overhears a store Santa, who tells the legend of Saint Nicholas.

Nicholas Parsons chairs eight episodes of the long-running panel game, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Spring 2015.

“Welcome to Just a Minute!” As the Minute Waltz fades away, once again a multitude of players pit their wits against each other as they attempt to talk for sixty seconds on a given subject without hesitation, repetition, or deviation from the subject.

So join redoubtable chairman Nicholas Parsons as the panellists - including Paul Merton alongside longtime players and newcomers to the game - use their intellect, imagination, wit and verbal dexterity to beat the clock and win the points in these eight sparklingly funny shows.

A father shares with his family what he learned from Santa's visit the night before.

Christmas is the most important holiday of the year. After the corresponding days that exalt the national pride of each country, such as Independence Day in the United States, Victory Day in Russia, or Bastille Day in France, it's December 25 that articulates the life, the work, and the economy in much of the world, including many non-Christian countries. Since ancient times, the beginning of winter has been the occasion for most people to eat, drink, dance, and get together to beat the drum and take a break. 

Especially since the 20th century on, the days adjacent to the holiday have become an occasion to do big business. The winter season is the most solid stimulus for the economy - more than any fiscal package - since the incomes of families, spending, credit, and consumption in all productive sectors are significantly increased. In the United States alone, Christmas sales are estimated to generate $3 trillion.

One of the most important figures constantly brought up during the Christmas season is Saint Nicholas, despite the fact most people know little about him. In the 21st century, Saint Nicholas has been reduced to a pretend, adorably portly grandfather-type, a visual often accompanied by a fleet of magical reindeer and a bustling workshop staffed by endlessly cheerful elves. Most assume, quite understandably, that Saint Nicholas was the fount of inspiration that Santa Claus' myth weavers steadily drank from over the centuries. While this is accurate to some extent, it is important to remember that the parallels between Saint Nicholas and the present-day Santa Claus marketed by mass media are actually quite limited. 

As a result, this internationally celebrated figure has become more fiction than fact. However, when historians peel back the superficial layers of whimsy and caricatural perkiness swathed around his name, an image arises of a far more complex and fascinating character who did more than kick off the timeless tradition of gift-giving. Nicholas was not just a seasonal gift-giver, but a philanthropist who dedicated his life to helping the disadvantaged. He was not just a beloved bishop, but a fierce defender of the faith who remained undaunted in the face of persecution. To brand him a pious and God-fearing individual would be a massive understatement - indeed, he was, to those around him, the definition of a walking divinity, and an unrivaled miracle-worker sent straight from Heaven.

Former secretary of education and New York Times bestselling author William Bennett blends his historical expertise with his gift for storytelling into a heartwarming book about the man who ultimately became known as Santa Claus.

Beloved writer and speaker William Bennett brings the legendary Saint Nicholas to life in this fascinating and faith-affirming book that will change the way you think about Santa Claus and the meaning of Christmas. Bennett reflects on Saint Nicholas’s storied life, which has spanned seventeen centuries across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and reveals an inspiring tale of devotion to God and an example of eternal goodness.

The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas focuses on three aspects of Saint Nicholas—historical facts from his life, his legacy in the centuries following his death, and the legendary status that transformed his likeness into the present-day jolly, toy-bearing Santa Claus. The book vividly captures the heart and life of someone who lived long ago—and yet whose life remains an inspiration for everyone to aspire to a higher order of generosity, giving, and devotion to others.

An instant classic by one of America’s most respected thinkers, The True Saint Nicholas is a memorable keepsake to be shared with family and friends every year to evoke the true spirit of Christmas.

A Simon & Schuster audiobook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every listener.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…

First published in 1823, "A Visit From St. Nicholas" has long been a Christmas tradition for families everywhere. Now experience Clement Moore's classic poem as read by the incomparable Jim Dale.

Enjoy the classic by Clement Clarke Moore with a festive and fun spirit!

Christmas is the most important holiday of the year. After the corresponding days that exalt the national pride of each country, such as Independence Day in the US, Victory Day in Russia, or Bastille Day in France, it's December 25 that articulates the life, the work, and the economy in much of the world, including many non-Christian countries. Since ancient times, the beginning of winter has been the occasion for most people to eat, drink, dance, and get together to beat the drum and take a break. 

One of the most important figures constantly brought up during the Christmas season is Saint Nicholas, despite the fact most people know little about him. In the 21st century, Saint Nicholas (or as people often refer to him, “Jolly Old Saint Nick”) has been reduced to a pretend, adorably portly grandfather-type, a visual often accompanied by a fleet of magical reindeer and a bustling workshop staffed by endlessly cheerful elves. Most assume, quite understandably, that Saint Nicholas was the fount of inspiration that Santa Claus' myth weavers steadily drank from over the centuries. While this is accurate to some extent, it is important to remember that the parallels between Saint Nicholas and the present-day Santa Claus marketed by mass media are actually quite limited. 

For starters, despite centuries of unabashed whitewashing, science has confirmed that Saint Nicholas, as his birthplace should suggest, was not white, nor was he excessively overweight. In the early 2000s, teams of researchers acquired copies of X-rays and logs of measurements originally compiled by scientists of Nicholas’ skull in 1950, in the hopes of examining its framework in further detail. In 2004, a facial anthropologist at the University of Manchester, Dr. Caroline Wilkinson, succeeded in producing a forensically reconstructed three-dimensional model of Nicholas’ face; the reconstruction was refined in 2014. In both reconstructions, which captured Nicholas around the time of his death, his skin is olive-toned. It seems that he did sport a full beard, but it was untamed, scraggly, and silvery. He was balding and had benign but forgettable features, with slightly protruding ears, brown eyes the shape of almonds, and small, sunken cheeks. And whereas Santa is, to most young ones, deceptively tremendous in both height and girth, more so when pictured with his tiny elves, Nicholas was roughly five-feet-six-inches tall. Then there are the scientists who insist he was shorter and that his height was considerably below average, at just about five-feet-zero-inches.

From the Introduction by Eric Elder

There was a time when I almost gave up celebrating Christmas. Our kids were still young and weren't yet hooked on the idea of Santa Claus and presents, Christmas trees and decorations. I had read that the Puritans who first came to America were so zealous in their faith that they didn't celebrate Christmas at all. Instead they charged fines to businesses in their community who failed to keep their shops open on Christmas day. They didn't want anything to do with a holiday that was, they felt, rooted in paganism. As a new believer and a new father myself, the idea of going against the flow of the excesses of Christmas had its appeal, at least in some respects.

Then I read an article by a man who simply loved celebrating Christmas. He could think of no greater way to celebrate the birth of the most important figure in human history than throwing the grandest of parties for Him - gathering and feasting and sharing gifts with as many of his family and friends as possible. This man was a pastor of deep faith and great joy. For him, the joy of Christ's birth was so wondrous that he reveled in every aspect of Christmas, including all the planning, decorating and activities that went along with it. He even loved bringing Santa Claus into the festivities, our modern-day version of the very real and very ancient Saint Nicholas, a man of deep faith and great joy as well who Himself worshipped and adored the Baby who was born in Bethlehem.

So why not celebrate the birth of Christ? Why not make it the biggest party of the year? Why not make it the "Hap-Happiest season of all"? I was sold. Christmas could stay - and my kids would be much hap-happier for it, too. I dove back into celebrating Christmas with full vigor, and at the same time took a closer look into the life of the real Saint Nicholas, a man who seemed almost irremovably intertwined with this Holy Day. I discovered that Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus were indeed the same...

In this issue:

COMMENT
"Trapped in Iraq", by George Packer: Who are the most vulnerable Iraqis?

PROFILES
"The Hand on the Lever", by Nicholas Lemann: How Janet Yellen is redefining the Federal Reserve.

ANNALS OF EDUCATION
"Wrong Answer", by Rachel Aviv: A struggling school made a shocking choice.

THE CURRENT CINEMA
"Balancing Acts", by Anthony Lane: Reviews of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Boyhood.

In this issue:

COMMENT
"Days of Rage", by Steve Coll: The Muslim anger meme.

A REPORTER AT LARGE
"Transaction Man", by Nicholas Lemann: The mind of Mitt Romney.

PROFILES
"Mugglemarch", by Ian Parker: J. K. Rowling’s first adult fiction.

ON TELEVISION
"Roux with a View", by Emily Nussbaum: Reviews of HBO’s Treme and Showtime’s Homeland.

In this issue:

COMMENT
"The First Served", by Adam Gopnik: Turkeys and Thanksgiving in America.

THE TALK OF THE TOWN
"Grecian Formula", by Lizzie Widdicombe: Ancient philosophers and Greek debt.

THE FINANCIAL PAGE
"Debt by Degrees", by James Surowiecki: The college-loan crisis.

LETTER FROM EL SALVADOR
"Sacred Grounds", by Kelefa Sanneh: A revolution in coffee.

A CRITIC AT LARGE
"Never Happened", by Thomas Mallon: The fictions of alternative history.

POP MUSIC
"Time Indefinite", by Sasha Frere-Jones: Oneohtrix Point Never’s transcendent experiment.

THE CURRENT CINEMA
"Better Times", by Anthony Lane: Reviews of The Artist and The Descendants.

Jolly Old St Nicholas lean your ear this way…join with me in singing new and traditional holiday songs for young children.

An unabridged reading of this classic novelisation featuring the First Doctor's original encounter with the Cybermen.

The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Ben and Polly to a space tracking station in the Antarctic - and straight into trouble. A space mission is going badly wrong, and a new planet has appeared in the sky.

Mondas, ancient fabled twin planet of Earth, has returned. Soon its inhabitants arrive. But while they used to be just like the humans of Earth, now they are very different. Devoid of emotions, their bodies replaced with plastic and steel, the Cybermen are here.

Humanity needs all the help it can get, but as the Cybermen take over, the Doctor is dying....

Gerry Davis' novelisation of his own 1966 TV serial describes the lead-up to the Doctor's first ever regeneration.

Sing this story! It isn’t a secret that using songs to teach children early learning skills is fun and successful. The magic of Christmas comes alive with this classic letter to Santa.

After making sure that Santa knows what the little mouse’s family wants for Christmas, he asks Santa to fill his stocking with whatever Santa thinks is best!

See what happens on Christmas night when Santa climbs down the chimney! Rhyming words will make this book a family favorite.

A Twin Sisters audio production.

Named a Best Book of 2018 by the Financial Times and Fortune, this "thrilling" (Bill Gates) New York Times bestseller exposes how a "modern Gatsby" swindled over $5 billion with the aid of Goldman Sachs in "the heist of the century" (Axios).
Now a #1 international bestseller, BILLION DOLLAR WHALE is "an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), revealing how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest heists in history.

In 2009, a chubby, mild-mannered graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business named Jho Low set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude--one that would come to symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system. Over a decade, Low, with the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund--right under the nose of global financial industry watchdogs. Low used the money to finance elections, purchase luxury real estate, throw champagne-drenched parties, and even to finance Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street.

By early 2019, with his yacht and private jet reportedly seized by authorities and facing criminal charges in Malaysia and in the United States, Low had become an international fugitive, even as the U.S. Department of Justice continued its investigation.
BILLION DOLLAR WHALE has joined the ranks of Liar's Poker, Den of Thieves, and Bad Blood as a classic harrowing parable of hubris and greed in the financial world.

The author of City of Lies returns to nineteenth-century New York City to find Christmas in the air, a police detective and a midwife with love in their hearts, and a wealthy widow accused of murder…
 
Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy and Sarah Brandt aren’t the only ones who’ve recently tied the knot. Family friend Mrs. O’Neill was delighted when her daughter, Una, wed the seemingly wealthy and charming Randolph Pollock. But there’s a problem. Una was found cradling her dead husband’s body. Rendered mute by the ordeal, she cannot explain what happened and now stands charged with murder.
 
Mrs. O’Neill would like Frank to investigate the case and save Una, yet with Frank and Sarah still on their honeymoon, it’s up to the other members of their newly formed household to do some detective work. But solving the mystery behind Pollock’s death means first discovering the truth about who he really is...

"A Visit from St. Nicholas", also known as "The Night Before Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously in 1823, and later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who acknowledged authorship in 1837.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore is one of the best known poems written by an American and is largely responsible for the modern views of Santa Claus. This illustrated edition is perfect for adults and children alike.

As one of the most recognizable poems in the English language, the cultural influence of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" is undeniable. Clement Clarke Moore, the supposed poet, did not originally expect for the poem to reach such a level of popularity; in fact, he had likely anticipated that any popularity he would attain would be the result of a Hebrew Dictionary he wrote. In the end, however, it was the poem that managed to not only become his most notable work, but also to make Santa Claus into what he is today--a jolly old elf who continues to fill the hearts of kids and adults alike with joy and laughter.

This ebook brings the magic of Moore's timeless poem to your portable device, alongside enhanced pictures by Jessie Willcox Smith.

First published anonymously in 1823—and later attributed to Clemente C. Moore—The Night Before Christmas is arguably one of the most famous and cherished Christmas poems of all time. Moore’s depiction of St. Nicholas played a significant role in our modern conception of Santa Claus. It is, and always has been, the quintessential holiday tale.

Former secretary of education, radio talk-show host, and bestselling author William Bennett blends his historical expertise combined with his gift for storytelling into a fascinating tale as he writes his first Christmas book about the actual story behind the man who ultimately became known as Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas’s selfless giving is brought to life from its beginnings in the third century, far from where we stand today but ever so relevant to our lives. Reflecting on his life, we discover an inspiring story of devotion to God and a life example of eternal goodness for all time. The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas focuses on three aspects of Saint Nicholas—the historical data of his actual life, his legacy in the centuries following his death, and the legendary status that transformed his likeness into the present-day Santa Claus. The book is designed to unveil the heart and life of someone who lived so long ago—and yet whose life remains an example for all people everywhere—an example that calls each of us to a higher order of generosity, giving, and devotion to others. A historical yet touching rendition of the origins of our modern-day Santa written by an in-demand spokesperson whose penchant for reminding us of the importance of virtue reacquaints us with the true meaning of Christmas.

Michael Patrick Finnigan was a New York City cop and a US Marshal who figured out that following the rules doesn’t always get the job done. Katalin Fiero Dahar was a soldier, spy, and assassin for Spain, who figured out that breaking the rules doesn’t always get the job done.
Together, they created St. Nicholas Salvage & Wrecking, a largely illegal bounty hunting operation based in Cyprus and working throughout Europe. Operating under the radar for the presiding judge of the International Criminal Court, they track down the worst of the world’s worst.
Someone is kidnapping Middle Eastern refugee children as they flee war-torn countries and selling them into prostitution around the world. Finnigan and Fiero get the assignment to track them down and save the refugees. But when they discover that the perpetrators are a Serbian mobster—with patronage at the highest levels of the United Nations—and a battalion of the Kosovo military, the partners reach out to their “friends” to find justice, including a corrupt banker, a cadre of mercenaries, and a crew of professional thieves.
The battle to stop the mass kidnappings ranges from Belgrade and Zagreb, to the Loire Valley and Milan, and to the plains of Kosovo. As Finnigan and Fiero close in, the conspirators realize that the judge of the ICC is the real threat and plan an assassination. Now the partners have to save their patron and the kidnapped refugees from a rogue military force with nothing left to lose.

Far down the Carolina coast lies the lovely island of St. John, where stood, one hundred years ago, a noble brick-built mansion, with lofty portico and broad piazza. Ancient live-oaks, trembling aspens, and great sycamores, lifted a bower over it to keep off the sun. Threading their way through orange-trees and beds of flowers, spacious walks played hide-and-seek around the house, coming suddenly full upon the river, or running out of sight in the deep woods. The owner of this place was Robert Gibbes. With his beautiful young wife he kept an open hall, and drew to its doors many of the great and noble people of the times; for he was wealthy and cultured, and she had such charming manners that people loved her very presence. The great house was full at all seasons. Eight children had already come to this good couple, and seven little adopted cousins were their playmates—the orphan children of Mrs. Fenwick, sister to Mr. Gibbes. He himself was a cripple, and could not walk.

In The Legend of St. Nicholas, the new artwork, created by Marley and Me illustrator, Richard Cowdrey, captivates audiences and tells the story of a young man named Nicholas, who was moved by the plight of the poor and needy. Nicholas spent his life secretly helping the poor all over the world, giving gifts on Christmas Eve to remind people of the greatest Gift of all, Jesus Christ. This gentle Christmas book introduces the original St. Nicholas and offers inspiration for readers to become cheerful givers themselves. The final pages in the book include fun Father Christmas traditions in other lands.

The Classic Tale of Santa coming on Christmas night

They were going fishing, these five young people. John was fifteen and a few months past; Elsie was thirteen and many months past; Puss Leek was fourteen to a day; Luke Lord crowded John so closely, there was small room for superior age to claim precedence, or for the shelter which inferior age makes on certain occasions; Jacob Isaac was "thutteen, gwyne on fou'teen". John Singletree was a dark-eyed, sharp-eyed, wiry, briery boy. Elsie, of the same name, was much like him, being a dark-eyed, sharp-eyed, wiry, briery girl. Her father used to call her Sweet-brier and Sweet-pickle, because, he said, she was sweet but sharp. Puss Leek had long, heavy, blonde hair, that hung almost to her knees when it was free, which it seldom was, for Puss braided it every morning, the first thing, —not loosely, to give it a fat look, hinting of its luxuriance, but just as hard as she could, quite to Elsie's annoyance.

This carefully crafted ebook: “The Night before Christmas - or A Visit from St. Nicholas (with the original illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith)” is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.
The poem, which has been called "arguably the best-known verses ever written by an American", is largely responsible for some of the conceptions of Santa Claus from the mid-nineteenth century to today. Prior to the poem, American ideas about St. Nicholas and other Christmastide visitors varied considerably.
On Christmas Eve night, while his wife and children sleep, a man awakens to noises outside his house. Looking out the window, he sees St. Nicholas in an air-borne sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. After landing his sleigh on the roof, the saint enters the house through the chimney, carrying a sack of toys with him. The man watches Nicholas filling the children's Christmas stockings hanging by the fire, and laughs to himself. They share a conspiratorial moment before the saint bounds up the chimney again. As he flies away, Saint Nicholas wishes everyone a "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."
Clement Clarke Moore ( 1779 – 1863) was an American Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, as well as Divinity and Biblical Learning, at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Located on land donated by the "Bard of Chelsea" himself, the seminary still stands today on Ninth Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets, in an area known as Chelsea Square. Moore's connection with that institution continued for over twenty-five years. He is the author of the yuletide poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", which later became famous as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas".

The timeless holiday classic of The Night Before Christmas is brought to life in whole new way with a beautifully illustrated book and live action movie.  Share the book as a family or watch as the story unfolds as a movie through your AppleTV. The book also has special features including narrated audio on each page.

This child-sovereign was born many hundred years ago—in 1387—at the palace of the Louvre in Paris. She was the daughter of the poor King Charles VI. , whose misfortunes made him insane, and for whose amusement playing-cards were invented, and of his queen, Isabeau of Bavaria, a beautiful but very wicked woman. Little Princess Isabella was the eldest of twelve children. She inherited her mother's beauty, and was petted by her parents and the entire court of France.

It was the month of May—the season of fresh shad and apple-blossoms on the Hudson River. "Bub" and "Mandy" Lewis knew more about the shad than they did about the apple-blossoms, for their father was a fisherman, and they lived in a little house built on a steep bank between the road above and the river below. Sometimes, on cool, damp spring evenings, the scent of the orchards came down to them from the hills above, but the smell of shad was much stronger and nearer.

On the borders of the Tyrol and the lovely district known as the "Bavarian Highlands", there is a quaint little village called "Mittenwald", which at first sight appears shut in by lofty mountains as by some great and insurmountable barrier. The villagers are a simple, industrious people, chiefly occupied in the manufacture of stringed musical instruments, the drying of which, on fine days, presents a very droll appearance. The gardens seem to have blossomed out in the most eccentric manner; for there, dangling from lines like clothes, hang zithers, guitars, and violins, by hundreds, from the big bass to the little "kit", and the child's toy.

In those old days, in that old city, they called the cathedral—and they thought it—the house of God. The cathedral was the Father's house for all, and therefore it was loved and honored, and enriched with lavish treasures of wealth and work, beyond any other father's house. The cathedral was the Father's house, and, therefore, close to its gates might nestle the poor dwellings of the poor, —too poor to find a shelter anywhere besides; because the central life and joy of the house of God was the suffering, self-sacrificing Son of Man; and dearer to Him, now and forever, as when He was on earth, was the feeblest and most fallen human creature He had redeemed than the most glorious heavenly constellation of the universe He had made.

Once upon a time, there lived on the borders of a forest an old woman named Jehanne, who had an only son, a youth of twenty-one years, who was called Ranier. Where the two had originally come from no one knew; but they had lived in their little hut for many years. Ranier was a wood-cutter, and depended on his daily labor for the support of himself and mother, while the latter eked out their scanty means by spinning. The son, although poor, was not without learning, for an old monk in a neighboring convent had taught him to read and write, and had given him instructions in arithmetic.

Kitty was a pretty little girl, with gray, laughing eyes, and a dimple in each cheek; but from the time when she first commenced to toddle alone she began to be dangerously fond of running away from home. Let a door be ajar ever so little and out pattered the tiny feet into the streets of the crowded city and all sorts of dangers. Papa and mamma had long consultations of what should be done to correct this fault, while Aunt Martha, looking over her spectacles, timidly suggested a little birch tea; but mamma would not listen to that.