The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-05-03
May.Day Customs.

Though May-pOle and Morris dane
ing were the most common, there were
other curious customs in different parts
Of Great Britain. In one place, the
Mayors went out very early to the woods.
and gathering green 5oughs. decorated
every door with one. A house contain
ing 4 sweetheart had q branch Of birch,
the door Of scold was disgraccd with
alder, and q slatternly person had the
modification to find branch Of nut
tree at hers, while the young people
who oversight found their doors closed
by nail over the latch.
In the Scottish Highlands, in the
eighteenth century, the boys had Gu
rious custom. They would 60 TO the
moors outside Of the town, make q
round table in the sod, by cutting a
trench around it, deep enough for them
to sill down TO their grassy table. On
this table they would kindle fire and
cook a custard Of eggs and mix, and
knead cake Of oat-meal, which was
toasted by the fire. After eating the
custard, the cake was cut into as many
parts as there were boys; one piece was
made black with coal, and then all put
into a cap. Each boy was in turn blind
folded, and made TO take piece, and
the one who selected the black one was
TO be sacrificed to Baal, whose favor
they wished TO ask for their harvest.
The victim in that day hal only to leap
through the fire; but there is little
doubt that the whole thing was q sur
vival from the days when human beings
were really sacrificed.
In the island Of Lewis, in the west of
Scotland, there prevails custom OF
sending man very early on May-day
TO cross certain river, believing that
il woman crossed it first the salmon
would not come into the stream for a
year.
The Dutch May-pole was still differ
ent, being surrounded oy trees stuck in
to hower-pots, and ornamented with
gay-colored flags, and hoops with gar
lands and gilt balls hanging. Another
sort had wooden dolls made TO repre-
sent the figures Of peasants, nailed
against the pole by their hands and
knees, as though climbing it. There
were also figures of birds and people. In
some parts Of Germany it was the firm
belief Of the common people that GER
tain ill-disposed beings met on a high
mountain on May-day 70 dance and
feast, with no good intentions to their
human neighbors. Accordingly on the
day before, every family was careful 70
have thorn Of certain kind, which
was stuck into the door as a protection.
The Scandinavians, whose first of May
is not very balmy, had of old curious
fight between Summer and Winter.
Winter-or the man representing him
was dressed in skins, armed with fire.
forks, and threw snow-balls and pieces
Of ice. Summer was dressed in green
leaves and summer dress. They had a
mock fight which was called ssDriving
away Winter and welcoming Summer, Y
and in the Isle Of Man, where Norwegi-
ans had rule for many years, this Gus
tom fingered until very lately.
But, as the years went on, these merry
games died ON, and few years ago
May-day was in London simply the ies-
tival Of chimney-sweeps and milk -naids,
certainly falling off from the times Of
King Henry VIII. The only traces Of
the old custom Of going a-Maying were
the gsrlands Of the milk-maids and the
Jack-in-the-grecn of the sweeps. The
garland 50 called) was made of silver
plate, borrowed for the day, and fasten-
ed upon sort Of pyramid. Accompa-
nying this droll garland were the maids
themselves in gay dress, with ribbons
and flowers, and attended by musicians
who played for them to dance in the
street. Some times COW was dressed
in festive array, with bouquets, and rib
bons on her horns, neck and tail, and
over her back net, stuck full Of flowers.
Thus highly ornamented, the meek
creature was led through the streets.
The sweeps brought out the Jack-in-
the-green, which was tall cone made
Of green boughs, decorated with flow
ers, gay sireamers and flag, and car
ried by man inside. Each Of these
structures was followed by band Of
sweeps who assumed certain charac-
tiers, the fashion Of which had been
handed down from the palmy times Of
May day.
There were always lord and lady
who wore ridiculous limitations Of fash
ionable dress, and made ludicrous at
tempts to initiate elegant manners. Mad
Moll and her husband were another
pair who flourished in tawdry, gay-col-
ored rags, and tatters, he brandishing a
sweeps broom and she ladle, Jim
Crow and fancifully bedizened ballet
dancer in white muslin, often swelled
the ranks, and the rest Of the party rig
ged out in profusion Of gilt paper,
bowers, tinsel and gcwgaws, their faces
and legs colored with brick-dust, made
up comical crowd. But even these
mild remains Of the great festival are
almost entirely banishcd to the rural
districts, and are almost extinct there.
--Oiire Torne, ia ~. Nicholas for Nay