Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-02-18

This, the SECOND month of the year, is
less genial to the human race, and would
he unbearable were it not the immediate
"precurser of Spring" An old Scotch
distich runs thus:
"a the months o the year
Curse a fair Fcbrueer"
Hence, we patiently endure its Indictment
season, looking to the future TOR its re-
suits, rather than the immediate incon-
veniencies which now surround us.
There are SO many incidents Of interest
which cluster in and about this month,
that we believe that our readers will be
interested, as we find ourselves, in look
ing ever what is part true, part tradition,
part mythology and part superstition.
The month of February was instituted
by one Numa, the second anie,historical
king of Rome, during whose reign of 80
years, there were no wars, famine or
plaques and at whose death the
nymph Egerie, who had been his guide
and counsellor through lite, melted away
in tears, and was changed into foun-
tain. Many sacred books were written
by Numa, and said to have been buried
near him, and discovered 500 years after
ward, Qsl b. o.) In instituting the
month of Feb, Nulna gave to it twenty
nine days only, and in order to make the
year correct thirty days once in every
four years. The Emperor Augustus,
however, wishing the month of August,
which was named after him, to have as
many days as the longest of the months,
ruthlessly took another day from the al
ready short month OF February, and
added it to August, making that month
81 days. For many centuries, the 2nd
of February, known as the Feast of the
Puritication OF Candlemas Day, was one
of the most important in the Christian
world. On Candlemas Eve, all the feast
ing, dancing and carousing of Christmas
ceased, as it was the termination OF the
festive season of Christmas, the evergreen
decorations in the houses churches were
scrupulously removed before evening the
Snowdrop being the only flower allowed
to be used on Candlemas day, its pure
white color, and lowly growth having
earned for it the appellation of the
Slower of the Publication" Shrove
Tuesday, the day immediately proceed
ing Ash Wednesday, up to the beginning
of the present century, was great holi-
day in England. All sorts of games and
sports of a low order, with cocks as the
predominant feature, were in vogue, es-
the imitation of the growing
Of cock, the outward appreciabie cause
Of the repentance of ST. Peter. The Gus
tom of Growing three times like cock, |
in the private closet Of the king, by one
Of the court officials, was to remind his
the hour of repentance had
come.
This custom was observed as late ms
-hs time of George tie III, who was by
birth Hauoverian, and not we'll ac-
luainted with the English language, or
is customs. and on the occasion of this
lct being repeated in his hearing, he re,
yarded il as deliberate insult, and or
Tered the practice discontinued, not
iowever, without causing the official to
rem0le for his fate. ru
Ash Wednesday occurs in February,
md is the first day in Lent-so called
rom the Roman Catholic ceremony of
trewing ashes on the head as a sign of
'enitence. This custom probably, intro.
luced by Gregory the Great, (59O-6O4)
vas sanctioned by Pope Celestin III. in
l9l, and afterward generally prevailed.
The ashes were said TO be those OF the
palms, consecrated on the preceding
Palm Sunday; before Macs, they were
gain conseerated on the altar, spriDkled
With holy water and and ss,ausd tinres ,,,ass /,