The Saline County journal., 1878-05-16
Nay Day Customs.


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,
ana gathering green boughs, decorated
every door with one. A house contain.
ing u sweetheart had branch of birch,
the door of scold WAS disgraced with
alder, and siattern!y person had the
modification to find a branch of nut
tree at hers, while the young people
who oversight found their doors closed
by q nail over the latch.
In tho Scottish Highlands, in the
eighteenth century, the boys had .
curious custom. They would 60 to the
moors outside of the town, make q
round table in tho sod, by cutting a
trench around it, deep enough for them
to cit down to their grassy table. On
this table they would kindle FIRE and
cook q custard OF eggs and milk, and
knead cake of ost meal, which was
toasted BY the fire. After eating the
custard, the cake was cut into rs many
parts as there were boys one piece was
made black with coal, and then all put
into cap. Each boy was in turn blind
folded, and made to take piece, and
the one who selected the black Was
to be sacrificed to Baal, whose favor
they wished to ask tor their harvest.
The victim in that day had only to leap
through the fro; !; hut there is little
oouot tnat the whole thing was o sur
vival from the days when human be-
inps were really sacrificed.
In the island OF Lewis, in the west Of
Scotland, there prevails a custom OF
sending man very early on May Day
to cross a certain river. believing that
if a woman crossed it first the salmon
would not come into the stream for
year.
The Dutch Maypole was still different,
being surrounded by trees stuck into
flower pots, and ornamented with gay
coiored flags, and hoops with garlands
and gilt balls hanging. Another sort
had wooden dolls made to represent
the figures OF peasants, nailed against
the pole by their hands and knees, rs
though climbing il. There were also
figures of birds and people. In some
parts OF Germany it was the firm be-
lief of the common people that certain
ill-disposcd beings met on high noun
tain on May Day to dance and feast,
with no good intentions to their human
nelghbors. Accordingly, on the day
before, every family was careful to
have thorn of u certain kind, which
was stuck into tho door As q protec.
ton.
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 snowb balls and pieces
of ice. Summer was dressed In green
leaves and summer dress. They had q.
mock fight which was called ARRIVING
away winter and welcoming summer"
and in the isle of Man, where Norwe-
gians had rule for many years, this
custom fingered until very lately.
But rs the years went on, these mer.
~ games died out, and d few years ago
May Day was in London simply the
festival of chimney sweeps and milk
maids, certainly falling off from the
times of King Henry VIII. The only
traces of the old custom of going g.
Maying were the garlands of the milk
maids and the Jack-in the-green of the
sweeps. The garland (sO-called) was
made of silver plate, borrowed for the
day, and fastened upon sort Of pyra-
mid. Accompanying 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. Sometimes COW
was dressed in festive array, with rib |
bons and boquets on her horns, neck |
and tail. and over her back net, stuck
full of flowers. Thus highly ornamen- !
ted, the meek creature was led through |
the streets.
The sweeps brought out tho Jack in
the-green, which was tall cone made
of green boughs, decorated with flow.
ers, gay streamers AID flag, and car
ried by u man insiic. Each OF these
structures was followed by band of
sweeps who assumed certain charac- /
ters, tho fashion o. 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 anoth-
er PAIR who fourished in tawdry, gay.
colored rags and tattcrs, be brandish.
ing sweeps broom and she lsdle.
Jim Crow and u fancifully bcdizened
ballot dancer in white muslin often
swelled the ranks and the rest Of the
party, riggcd out in profusion Of gil,
paper, flowers, tinset and gewgaws,
heir faces and legs coiored with brick
Dust, made up comical crowd. But
,ven these mild remains OF the great
festival are almost entirely banished to
he rural districts, and are almos, ex-
.inct there.-Olive Tborne, ST. Nicholas
Ior May.
4 q. as