The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-06-12
NO. 800

wy SeaShesiss III l1hSiaHus Iiaif0N-eVe is ~
time for quiet social enjoyment of the young,
who then alnuse themselves cracking nuts,
eating apples, floating in tubs OF water, SC.
In some of our large cities, boys find fun in
ringing their neighbors' door-bells. and dodg-
ing the buckets of water poured on them
from upper windows.
The last two holidays shall mention seem
to be descendants of pagan worship of ma
ture, with their Objectionable rites curbed by
the Church, but with no immediate connec-
tion with Christian festivals.
vALEsTINE's DAY.
Feb. 18th bears the name OF st. Valentine.
but has no other apparent connection with
him. It seems rather to be rooted in the old
Roman I'npecalia, which was celebrated il
February. The custom in England, Scotland
and many parts of the continent Of Europe
was to put the names of young men III a hat,
and the names of young women in another,
and for each one then to draw name Of some
one of opposite sex, who was to be his or her
valentine for the year it is said that many
marriages resulted from this custom. It pre-
vailed among all classes of society in the
time of Charles III the names of married
men and women were also drawn. In Cath
oiic countries sometimes patron saint, in
stead of sweetheart, was drawn. The mod
ern celebration of the day is so well known
by most of you from experience that | will
not dwell upon it.
MAY DAY
is said to have its origin in the natural emo
ton of joy all feel in the opening Of flowers.
This joy has taken the form of kind of HON
age. The flowers are honored by dance and
song An ancient origin for the day Ia claim
ed as the Romans celebrated their Foralia in
similar manner ON April 2Sth In the early
days of England this usage was commemor-
ated by her first great poet Chaucer. Flow
ers were brought from the fields and houses
cecked with them-the hawthorn bloom was
called "the May" and the search for IL Sc GO
ing Maying." The Queen of May was CROWN
ed with flowers, and treated with homage,
while dance and song lent merriment to the
scene apparently a relic of the worship of
Flora. Maypoles were erected in every town,
and the people danced around them from
morn to night. They were destroyed by the
Puritans, when they came in power but APP
peared again at the Restoration. They have
now almost disappeared, but may occasional
ly be met with in France and Germany. The
browning of the May-Queen is no stranger to
our American young folks.
There arc other holidays known to our
young folks July Fourth, with its fire works
and reading of the Declaration of Independ-
ence, Washington's Birthday with its recol-
leetions Of by-gone days, and Thanksgiving
with its church service and roast turkey must
not he forgotten. But they do not belong TO
the old time -honored festivals they are mod
cru innovations, and have no special claim ON
my pen, as they are exceptions to the general
rule. 1t is yet too soon to tell whether they
will maintain their position and eventually
take rank among the holidays--as they will DO
known three or four hundred years hence.
-- ~.--~es--.~
A BLESSED BANKRUPTcY.-I heard man
who had failed in business, and whose furni-
ture had been sold at auction say that, when
the cradle, and crib, and the piano went
tears would come and he had to leave the
house to be II man. Now, there are thousands
of men who have lost their pianos, but who
have found better music in the sound of their
chidren's voices and footsteps going cheer
fully down with them to poverty, than any
harmony of chorded instruments. o, how
blessed is bankruptcy when it saves mans
children !! | see many men who are bringing
up their children as should bring up mine, if
when they were ten years old, | should lay
them on tho dssecting table, and cut the
sinews of their arms and legs, so that they
could neither walk nor use their hands, but
only sit still and be fed. Thus rich men put
the knife of Incidence and luxury to their
chidren's energies, and they grow up fatted,
lazy calves, fitted for nothing at twenty-five,
but to drink deep and squander wide aud
the father must be slave all his life, in or
der to make beasts of his children. How
blessed, then, is the stroke of disaster, which
ct, the childr IN fres, and gives them over to
the hard, but kind bosom of poverty, who
says :" Work !" and, working, makes them
men,
$50 b---.>--
Women have been able fighters In war
have managed commercial enterprises have