The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-05-14
May.Day Customs.

Great Britain. In one place the Mayors
went out very early to the woods, and
gathered green boughs, decorated every
door with one. A house containing
sweetheart had branch of birch, the
door of scold was disgraced with alder,
and slatternly person had the mortif
cation to find branch of nut-tree at
hers, while the young people who over
slept found their doors closed by a nail
over the latch.
In the Scottish Highlands, in the
eighteenth century, the boys had curl
Gus custom. They would go to the moors
outside of the town, make round table
in the sod, by cutting trench around it,
deep enough for them to sit down to
their grassy table. On this table they
would kindle fire and cook custard of
eggs and milk, and stir 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 cap. Each
boy was in turn biz folded, and made
to take a piece, and the one who selected
the black one was to be sacrificed to Baal,
whose favor they wished for their
harvest. The victim in that day had
only to leap through the fire; but there
is little doubt that the whole thing was
survival from the days when human
beings were really sacrificed.
In the island of Lewis, in the west of
Scotland, there prevails custom Of send
ing man very early on Mayday to a
certain river, believing that if woman
crossed it first the salmon would not
come into the stream for year.
The Dutch May-pole was still differ.
ent, being surrounded by trees stuck
into fower-pots, and ornamented with
gay-colored flags, and hoops with gar
lands 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, 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 certain ILL
disposed beings met on high mountain
on May day to dance and feast, with nc
good Intentions to their human neigh
bors. Accordingly on the day before,
every family was careful to have a 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 curiou:
= fight between Summer and Winter
Winter-or the man representing him
was dressed in skins, armed with five
forks, and threw snow-balls and pieces
of ice. Summer was dressed in green
leaves and summer dress. They had q
mock fight which was called "Drivine
away Winter and welcoming Summer, y
and in the Isle Of Man, where Norwe,
gians had rule for many years, this Gus.
tom fingered until very lately.
But, as the years went on, these merry
games died out, and a few years ago May.
day was in London simply the festival
of chimney sweeps and milk-maids, Ger
tainly a falling off from the times OF
King Henry VIII. The only traces of
the old custom Of going a-Maying were
the garlands of the milk-maids and the
Jack-in the-green Of the sweeps The
garland ESQ called) was made of silver
plate, borrowed for the day, and fastened
upon sort of pyramid. Accompanying
this droll garland, were the maids them
selves in gay dress, with ribbons anG
flowers, and attended by musicians who
played for them to dance in.the street
Sometimes COW was dressed in festive
array, with bouquet and ribbons on hel
, horns, neck and tail, and over her back {
: net, stuck full of flowers. Thus highly
ornamented, the meek creature was lee
, through the streets.
, The sweeps brought out the Jack-in
the-green, which was tall cone made O.
green boughs,s decorated with flowers
, gay streamers and flag, and CARED by {
man inside. Each of these structure
was followed byta band Of sweeps wht
assumed certain characters, the fashion
of which had been handed down from
the palmy times of May-day.
There were alwaysa lord and lady wh(
wore ridiculous limitations Of fashionable
dress, and made ludicrous attempts t.
initiate elegant manners. Mad Mol ant
her husband were another pair VIII,
aourished in tawdry, gay-colored rags
and tatters, he brandishing a sweep
broom and she ladle. Jim Crow and
fancifully bedizened ballet-dancer il
white muslin, often swelled the ranks
and the rest of the party rugged out in
: profusion of gilt paper, flowers, tinse
I and gewgaws, their faces and legs paint
r ed with brick-dust, made up a comica
2 crowd. But even these mild remains o
the great festival are almost entirely ban
ished to the rural d;str;-ts, and ar
g almost extinct there--0lirer Thornt
S st. Nicholas for NAY.
, The Seventh Wonder.
Well, what's the seventh wonder? VIVA
t a lot of hands up! The Professor vii
t ask that little boy who seems so yer
t anxious to tell.
q ~ think, sir. that it must be the bi
e snow man my brother Tom made in on
! back yard"
t Why, why, what guess that is, whe
: the professor said that the seventh Won
f der was more than two thousand year
t old! There's little girl who Away
a pays the strictest attention all throug
D class-time; what does she say?
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