The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-02-27
TWELFTH NIGHT.

TO this day the light and warmth from the Yule
fire of our ancient hospitality extends, and in the
juvenile merriment of twelfh-night are revived
the embers of the Christmas festival, and while
the young are longing for the coming evening
when the large cake and the drawing Of King and
Queen are 10 invest some happy ones of the party
with ephemeral majesty, let us whisper to them
that in the history of this and several other of our
Christian festivals, are included many particulars
of interest little dreamt of by them amid the gam
bols and the gaety of twefth-night party-n
the anticipation of which we will leave them to
rejoice, while shortly glance at few of the
monies with which our forefathers were wont to
commemorate this day. The religious rites and
obseryances of our holydays are known to have
descended to us from the east, the source of reye-
lation, while the festive celebration of them, we
account Of western and pagan origin.
The primitive church originally celebrated the
Nativity of Christ on the day afterwards assigned
to the Epiphany. 1t was in the Eastern churches
asolemn season of baptism; the Latin church,
on the contrary, in accordance with our popular
usages, directs it's ceremonies for this day to COM
memorate the visit of the Magi to the cradle Of
the infant Messiah. The ancient custom of offer
ing at the altar gold, frankincense and myrrh, is
still preserved as some of our readers doubtless
know] at the Chapel Royal, where the offering
is made by the Queen or her Chamberlain. In
this custom is commemorated the offering of the
three Kings Magil of whom [say the Festa-A An
go-Romanal Mechior, an aged man with a long
beard, presented gold Jasper, beardless youth,
frankncence; and Balthazar, with large, spread
ing beard, myrrh; and to each Of these objects
symbocal or spiritual Specification is ascrbed.
The custom of choosing King and Queen ap.
pears To have descended from similar practice
in the Roman Saturnalia, to which our Christmas
festivities in ruder times bore some resemblance;
the slaves, or, as some say, the children, assumed
the characters Of kings, queens, magistrates, &c
a piece of money, or bean, enclosed in the cake
determining the choice Of kings The cake was
also considered symbolical in its ingredients, de-
rived from those regions which were the birth
place of our faith
We do not profess to be great antiquarans, and
are besides, half 10th to let our younger readers
think that we know even the little we do know
on topics SO uncongenial with the playful taste Of
the young; but as we write for the grave and
serious as well as for the gay and the merry, we
hope to be approved by the former for the FORE
going "reminiscences and we will now tell our
younger readers twelfth-nght story--a true
story-and one which possibly may be recognized
by the parties to whom it relates.
Many years back, when the grandfathers, and
grandmothers of the rising generation were chill
dren themselves, ball was given at large coun-
try house in the west Of England; huge cake,
covered with flags and mathematical devices, and
its surf,ce well strewed with harlequin-coored
seeds, occupied a table in the banqueiing- hall,
round which were grouped tile children of all the
neighboring families, waiting anxiousy for the
drawing of King and Queen, The anticipated
moment arrived, when Master Harry Talbot was
proclaimed King, and the Lady Julia Morton
claimed by him Queen. But the dignity did
not suit her little spoiled ladyship; and turning
no ind to her mamma, she peevishly exclaimed
!" will not be the Queen of that ugly boy.
want dear, pretty Lord Gales to be KING
"Hush, hush, my de,r," said her mamma
!" Lord Gales cannot be king; don't cry flor the
little beauty now sobbed,] and you shall draw
again tomorrow night and choose your king"
but moth ng would pacify the spoiled child. Her
cousin, pretty but timid girl, approached and
g,ntly tried TO soothe her, at the same time tell
ing her that Lord Gales had drawn Don Quix-
otte, and that she was TO be his partner, the
character of Donna Dulcinea del Tobosa having
ia len TO her lot. The petulant girl snatched
her cousins gaudily-painted character from her
sleeve, where she had pinned it. AGO you,
Agnes, and be queen" said she, 81 will not
dance with that fright"
Harry Talbot was standing close TO them-so
~In 1892 this festival was declared ant-ciyic In
Erancn nd Was ~hop f.xA