Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-12-29

when the season was mild bloomed
twice year, even as late as November
or December. But that it bloomed
exactly upon Christmas Day may, per-
haps, be left for the credulous alone to
believe.
Only one moro incident in the history
Of the Glastonbury thorn, and we will
leave that honored bush to blossom as
it will: On that same EVENING" Christ
mas Eve, 1753-ssabove two thousand
people went, in Buckinghamshire, with
lanterns and candles, to view a black
thorn in that neighborhood, and which
was remembered to be slip from the
famous Glastonbury thorn, and that it
always budded on the Oath, was full
blown on the rext day, and went all off
at night. The people finding no ar
pearance of bud. it was agreed by all
that December 25th (new style) could
not be the right Christmas Day. and
accordingly refused to go to church and
meeting their friends as usual on that
day. At length the affair became so
serious that the ministers of the neigh
boring villages, in order to appease
them, thought it prudent to give notice
that the Old Christmas Day should be
kept holy as before" This incident is
interesting, as showing the difficulty
which was often, experienced in recon-
cling the people to the change in the
calendar from the old to the new
style.
Those who decorate their homes and
churches with the green Christmas gar
lands should remember that these same
garlands are used in commemoration of
the green boughs which were strewn
before Christ as He entered Jerusalem;
and from that time to this day Chris
tians have often adopted flowers and
foliage as the symbol of their delight
at the Redeemer's coming.
Indeed, we may trace the use of ever
greens and flowers at great festivals
and oolemn religious ceremonies, FROM
the very earliest times, these being
everywhere regarded as typical of re-
joicing. There is always something
pleasing, in the midst of our own pres
ent happiness and erry-makings in
turning backward glance toward the
past, and rejecting upon the scenes and
events which made up the mirth Or woe
of our ancestors:
s'Old customs Oh! love the sound,
However simple they may be-;
Whate'er with time hath sanction found
To welcome, and is dear to me-.
'sLet me have leave to remember -
says the gentle Ella in one of his
charming essays on Christ's Hospital,
+" the festivities of Christmas, when the
richest of us would club our stock to
have gaudy day, sitting round the
fire, ~eplenished to the height with logs;
and the penniless, and he that could
contribute nothing, partook in all the
mirth, and in some of the substantial
ties of the feasting, the carol sung by
night at that time of the year, which,
when a young boy, have SO often laid
awake from 7 (the hour of going to bed)
till 10, when it was sung by the Older
boys and monitors, and have listened
to it in their rude chantings till [ have
been transported to the fields of Beth
lehem, and the song that was sung at
that season by angels voices to the
shepherds.
So may we, too, be transported In
fancy backward to those same scenes
at Bethlehem, and gather Christmas
blossoms of thought which shall never
fade.
Just before Christmas the Celabrian
MINISTRIES may be seen going through
the streets of Rome playing their
mountain airs before each shrine of the
Virgin with the traditional idea of
soothing her before the birth-time of
her infant at the coming Christmas; and
these wanderers of respect to the
memory of Joseph-always pause at
carpenters shop. The Calabrians play
a pipe very similar in form and sound
to the bag pipes of the Scottish high
landers, and they descend from their
native mountains to pass the period of
the Nativity in Naples and in Rome in
performing various acts of devotion.
in picture of the Nativity,
has introduced one Of these shepherds
at the door, playing upon bagpipe.
In our recoliections of Christmas we
must not forget the profusion in which
the tables were spread, and all were
welcomed to the board. The
"Bra' Goose Pye," and the dainty plum
porridge, and various other dishes fig
ured at these feasts. The tenants and
of an English gentleman en-
tered his hall by daylight on Christmas
morning.
The strong beer was broached, and
che black jacks went plentifully around
with toast, sugar. nutmeg, and good
Cheshire cheese. The brackin (the
great sausage) must be boiled by day
break, or else two young men must take
the maiden. q. e.. the cook. by the arms