Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-08-03
A Heather Festival i'm England.

In the midst of so much modern dis
sent and of mild attempts at Ritualism,
there still exists relic of worship far
more ancient than any ceremony which
Romanist observes or Ritualist would
restore-the worship of the Goddess of
Spring, the festival dear to the heart
of every zone of Helston," and to very
many of West Cornwall, the Helston
Flora Day" or, to give it the popular,
which is also thetrue name, the Furry
Day This curious festival is held
yearly on the Sth of May, and, as a
fading relic of antiquity, description
of it, embedding many past experiences,
may amuse those Of our readers who,
in the rapid whirl of present events,
still find time for an occasional glance
at the past. On the morning Of the Sth
the houses of Helston are decorated
with flowers, the doors and gateways of
many of them with arches made of
boughs. In ancient times the people
used early in the morning to g fade" or
" fadgy "-Anglice, go into the country
and bring in the flowers and boughs to
adorn the town. Even SO late az
last year the traces of this custom
were seen in music and dancing in the
street at break of day and even earlier,
which broke the slllmbers of those who
get their best sleep toward the morning,
making them start up and condemn the
Furry and its votaries to the limbo of
all departed things. The more formal
and regular ceremonial, however, begins
Mt midday, when procession is formed,
headed by the Town Constables carry
ing halberts ornamented with flowers
and ribbons these are followed by a
band playing the Furry tune ; then
follows what is calledthe :" first party, y
consisting of the principal ladies and
gentlemen of the town and nelghbor-
hood, two and two after their
own kind, dancing the ancient
"Fairy" dance. This dance, not to be
seen out of Cornwall, and, in fact, only
in the west part of it, we cannot bet
ter describe than by saying it consists
of the gentleman giving his partner
slow turn as if in a funeral waltz, and a
constant change of partners between
the two couples who walk next each
other, and who are locally said to
Exchange" with each other. No tune
but the Furry is played. The process
sion dances down the streets through GER
certain houses and gardens which from
| time immemorial have been open to the
| dancers, through the Grammer School,
across the Bowling-green, until, having
made the circuit of the town, the party
and the crowd which follows them reach
the spot whence they started, when
/ they 90 into the assembly room, and
finish with country dance. The same
houses are yearly, and from time where
of the memory of man runneth not to
| the contrary have been, visited in ex-
actly the same order. The second
party. consisting of the leading trades
men of the town, is then formed, and
observes exactly the same ceremonial
in exactly the same order. The third
party, of servants and the working
class, follows; and the days rejoicings
finish up with the Furry bali in the
assembly room at the Angel Inn. The
! balance of authorities is in favor OF the
opinion that the Furry is of pagan orr
gin. introduced into Cornwall by either
/ the Phnnicians, the Greeks, or the
Romans, and that it is a rite III honor
of the spirit or goddess of vegetation,
and in celebration of the return OF
spring. -BeigrdUj0