The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-01

the POSTMASTER him drinking hc heathof
his brethrenou Of the loving cup" The loving cup which
Is the ancient wassa bowl is then passed the guest
his left hand, by whom 1t is passed on and, it
finds its way round the room, each guest his turn
stands up drinks the president OF the loving
cup.
CURIOUS SCOTCH CUSTOMS
As Christmas day Is not celebrated as holiday in
Scotland, many Of the customs which observed on
that day in England by its Northern nelghnors
Transferred to New Years day. Amongst these
we may mention mummings and maskings in which
the actors dress themselves to resemble various
animals real and imaginary and vie with each other as
to which excel in hdeousness The people have at
all times carried these performances TO such
70 have been punished by the civil authorities and
buked by the ecclesiastical courts.
In work entitled Popular SEPARATIONS OF the
Highlands," there IL account of the Candlenas
ball on New Years eve, as Introductory to the new
year. The term candlemas, applied to this season,
supposed to have originated in old religious
monies performed by candeght. The bull Is passing
cloud, which Highland imagination perverts into the
form Of tina. animal AS 1t rises falls or takes pecu-
liar directions OF great sgnidcancy to the scors does
1t prognosticate good bal weather The more north
nations ancony assigned porentous qualities to the
winds Of New Years eve One of thor old legends is
thus versifled:-
II New Years eve night wind blow south,
IL betokeneth warmth and growth,
II west much milk and hsh in the sea-
II north, much cold and storms there win be;
II east the trees will bear much fruit
ii northeast, flee it man and brute.
As soon night sets in IL Is tho signal with the
Strathdown Highlander for the suspension of his usual
employment and he directs his attention to more agree
able calings The men form into bands with tethers
and axes, and shaping their course to the juniper
bushes, they return home laden with mighty loads
which are arranged round the fire till morning dis
Greet is then despatched to the dead and living
ford TO draw pitcher Of water in profound silence,
without the vessel touching the ground, lest its virtue
should be destroyed and hts return all retire TO
Early on New Years morning the asque-cashichd
ter from the dead and living ford drunk as potent
charm, until next New Years day against tho spells OF
wchcraft the magnty of evil eyes, and the activity
Of all Internal agency. The qualified Highlander then
takes large brush with which he profusely sprnklos
the occupants Of all beds from whom il is unusual
for him TO receive ungrateul al
luton, This ended and the windows being
roughly closed and all crevces stopped he kndes piles Of
the collected juniper in the different apartments till the
vapor from the burning branches condenses into Opaque
Clouds and coughing, sneezing, wheeling, gaspng and
other demonstrations OF suocaon The operator,
aware that the intense the smuchddn the more
propous the soemnity, disregards these indications
and continues with streaming eyes and aveted head TO
the fumgotion, Until in his defence he ad
mits the air to himself and the OF the
hausted household lie then the horses cattle and
other besta stock with the same smotherng to keep
them from harm throughout the year
When the guide wife gets up and, having ceased from
coughing has gained sufficient strength reach the bot
tie du she administers comfort the relief OF the
sufferers; laughter takes place of complaint and all the
FAM lv uatn tbesr fsca aud Tho
visits OF their neighbors, who arrive full OF grstua
tons peculiar 10 the day. Mo cltoa ors,-'my
Candlemas bond upon you''-is the customary
salutaton and means, in plain words, 'sYou owe me
New Years gift.n point Of great emulation is, who
shall salute the other nrst because who does
is entitled to gift from the person sautod Breakfast
consisting OF all procurabe iaxuries is then served the
neghbors not engaged invited to parakc and the day
ends in festiviiy.
in Of the Orkney Isles there is large stone, ten
feet high and four broad upright plain about
which tradition Is preserved to the Of its
ton whether in memory any signal event. for the
purpose Of administering JUSTICE for religious worship
but the parish priest states that the first day Of the
year. he has fifty OF the inhabitants assemble there
and dance by moonlight with other music but their
singing
D.. johnson, his tourney 10 the Western Islands
Of Scotland" says = gentleman informed him
that, at New Years eve, in the hall or cas-
tie of the laird, where at festivals there
s always very numerous company one dresses
himself in cows hide which other men beat with
sticks they then with all this noise around the house.
which the company quits in counterfeited fright; the
dool then Shut and readmisson obtained after this
pretended terror except by the recitation Of verse of
poetry which those acquainted with the custom pro-
vded with.
n Ia nr hmm hat frat
person who enters the house New Years day should
be worthy and esteemed friend; this interest prevails
eath England and Scotland In the latter ooaatry
find that the rst viter has peculiar privileges
which doubt induces the females to little
coutTyance 10 the entrance OF avorte for as
It is sung
The first footis entering step
That sudden on the floor II welcome heard
Ire bushing maids have braided up their hair
The laugh-the hearty kiss--the s'good New Year.
Pronounced with honest warmth
CURIOUS OLD ENGLISH CUSTOMS.
There is q curious old custom called Hagman Heigh
observed in some parts Of Yorkshire New Years
The keeper Of the pinfod attended by rabbe at his
heels goes the knocking the various
aud singing barbarous dty, which concludes with
wishing "a merry Christmas aud happy New Year.
When wood chiefly used fuel in heating ovens,
this the most appropriate for the hagman,
woodcuter remind his customers his services and
W r"htlN inv "ufu csHt urtu ia
70 siguiiya wood. The "hagg" opposite the Abbey Of
Easily used TO supply the monks with fuel, and the
word hagman may have been thus derived but
slider that from Greek word signfylng the holy
month, when the festivals OF the church for
sayiour's birth celebrated Formerly the
last day q the year the monks and friars
used 70 make plentiful harvest by begging
from door % door and recng kind Of carol al the end
Of every stavc OF which they introduced the words aria
meas--aludng To the birth Of Christ very different
Interpretation, however, given b. John Dixon,
scotchpresbyteran minister, when holding forth against
this custom in Of his at kelso:-aslrs, do
you know what the hagman slgnilcs' Is the devil 70
be in the house; that is the meaning OF It's Hebrew
original"
There is whimsical custom by which right OF
shoepwalk Is held, at Hutton conyers, in Yorkshire
Near tbs town Is large rabbit warren, belonging TO
the lord Of the manor upon which the inhabitants Of six