New-York tribune., 1870-04-30

and floating treamers lifted its head aloft then the
young and the old gathered merriy a-ound It, and join
ing hands, danced geefuy to the sound OF the pipe ana
tabor Close by seated upon rustic throne Of moss
and flowers, perhaps joining in the sport, was the
pretest lass Of the village crowned with May blossoms
and sauted by all Queen Of the May. And how many
brave hearts ensnared by the lovebossoms which
rested above the brows Of that rustic queen
The first OF May has always been considered propi-
ous day for lovers A long AZ the thirteenth CEN
tury Dante met his Beatrice for the first time upon May
Day, at grand festival given at the Portnar palace.
May Day also s superstous omens and thus wrote
the poet Gay:
Las, Msydsy fair searched u sno snar
That might nv lovers reveal
soo:sSSi5ry bush s n; 1Gtna .Soona
"s S sS ~. the s., ssTn S eGnn %l .He snsem .ped
SLOW 0sved the snail, and If I dght can spen,
In the .ona ashes marked curious L.
Ps PS Ii aa.i . fS'f,sS EsS iasa and s Iye e'''e'
With my sharp heel ] three times marh the groond
And turn hnce around, around around
Upon May-morning ladies gathered the early dew with
which to bathe their faces believing that it possessed tho
charm Of impartng beauty.
II would be difficult TO trace the May festivals back TO
the earliest times but they probably had their origin In
the festival Of Floro which commenced in the month OF
April and continued for several days In May lhe
household gods crowned with hoWers anu even "
this day the statues OF the Madonna
with garlands upon the lst Of May. The French were
1880 Charles W. recorded in his journal that the Maypoe
which WAS annually planted at gate of the palace was
brought from the Bots do Bologne. In 1924 floral fest
val was established upon the lst OF May In TOULOUSE,
where all poets skilled In Proyenea poetry were IN
vited to assemble and TO recite their compositions
violet Of gold given to the victor Poetry ana nov"
ers were thus ndissolubly welded.
As poetry was considered, in these youthful dayso
literature to conduce to the happiness Of mankind since
N stn an
called the Gay Science" Seven judges were appointed
decide the poetca merits OF the troubadour-ahd pe-
side the golden violet silver egantine, and silver mari
gold, were given prizes. But we nave q ehhPse vi
the dark ages when read that no prize was awarded
to hertic,a schismatic communicated person.
No woman allowed to compete unless her talents
celebrated to leave no doubt as to her ability
to write the poems she might offer. This semipoec,
semiiora festival Of Toulouse, became 30 celebrated
throughout Europe that it the resort of crowned
heads and persons Of distinction For nearly
five centuries this festival was annually OBJ
served, and did not cease until tho revolution IN
France In the time the Proveneal language was
suppanted by the French the number OF prizes was In
creased TO five the violet Of gold still the principal prize,
two silver eglantnes and two silver marigolds These
flowers chosen in honor OF the memory OF Cleence
Isaure beautiful lady OF Toulouse, who had given them
to her lover Lautrec at parting The violet she gave
him her color the eglantne was her favorte Hover
surned her heart for this love an unhappy one,
cruel father having separate the lovers Laurec
killed in the English siege OF Toulouse and the beautiful
CIomonco soon died OF grief at his loss
Whether this tradition is true not, small statue OF
Clemence Isaure is still placed door in the con-
sstoy OF the Hotel dc Vile at Toulouse where the meet
ings were held for the distribution OF the prizes.
In 449 the goldsmths of Paris agreed annually
TO present to the Virgin Mary in the Church
of Notrc Dame. This Offering placed upon shrine
in the form tabernacle before the great door OF the
church. where It remained from midnight until after
vespers the next day Then it placed before the
image of the Virgin, the altar The old May-bough
was removed into the Chapel OF st. Ann and kept there
for one year. This custom faithfully observed until
l6o7, when other offerings were given in place OF the
May.
In England, in the olden times, Mayday the mer-
REST day OF all the year. Every village green and city
square boasted Its MayIole wound with garlands and
conseerated to Goddess OF Flowers The doors and
windows OF every house decorated with the green
bossomng May yboughs, which had been gathered from
the woods In the morning. before SUNRISE by the lads and
lassies Every lover brought birchen bough TO hang
over the lattice OF his sweetheart, and there were
crooked gnared boughs hung the door Of scod
or an ill-tempered In OxfoTdshire, IL the
custom to bring hawthornes from the forest and plant
them before the doors In Holland also, young trees
are placed before the houses this day. and called
May booms.
But the most celebrated tree OF all the Maypole,
which brought from the woods with great ceremony
drawn by 40 yoke Of each being decorated
with nosegay of flowers the tip Of his horns. These
were followed by great throng Of people, men, women,
and children The pole was wound with garlands, and
sometimes painted In various colors Ii was set up
with sreamers and handkerchiefs, and gay-colored
ribbons floating from it, and the people danced and
feasted around it. Near the Church Of st.
Andrews, London, every May-Day morn a
Mav. w he'd
higher than church steeple From this circumstance
St. Andrews was called "St Andrews Undershaft."
After EviMay Day ESQ called because OF an nsurrecon
Of the apprentices and other young men against aliens in
1870 the shaft not erected but laid along OF
houses over the doors. There it hung suspended by
iron hooks until, in 1884, Sir Stephen, curate OF St.
Kathenes preaching at Paus Cross said that the peo
pie had idol Of this May pole This had
such effect upon the audience that that very after
noon Sunday the Deghbors gathered together and took
it down. 1t then sawed into pieces, every claim
ing his share much had lain over his own door.
The planting Of May pole being violently opposed by
the most rigid reformers 1t at last declared by Par
lament that all Maypoles should be taken down and
moved restoration of Charles H. the signal
the restoration Of the peoples ayorte holiday and
went tho May poles as gorgeous az ever
The celebrated pole Of which have any record
was erected at this time in London 65, and called
the Nay pole on the Strand, and reared with the
widest enthusiasm and great reoicings Never before
had such o May-pole been seen Its hight one
hundred and thirtyfour feet 1t carried to the
Strand streamers fourshed before it, and the air
resOunded with the beating Of drums the sound OF rum
pets and the glad shouts Of the people, Prince James,
Duke Of York and Lord High Admiral Of England COM
manded twelve seanen to assist ut the raising. They
came with their cables, pullies and other tackle,
and with six great anchors The two parts
OF which tho Pole made were then joined
together and hooped with two bands OF iron, and
q crown and with the Kings richly glded,
were placed upon tho top Of it. Then the trumpets