The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-01
CALENDAR.
Notes OF the Month Of August.

Notes Of the Month Of August.
August Is the month In which countries sit
uated more north than Louisiana generally
are engaged gathering In the produce of their
fields, though in some districts the harvest Is
commenced rs early as July, while in others
not before September. There Is considerable
hlarity and enjoyment attending the com
pletion Of the harvestman's labors, there is
much feasttng and revelry at these periods
In our own Louisiana the term harvesting
is almost unknown. yet In November, when
cane cutting and sugar making commences
in the good old times when the slaves
enjoyed privileges, revelry and mer-
The wild hilarious halong, the
unruly and almost liGenti0us dance,
resembling more the orgies paid by n
heathern people to their most favored god,
resOuDded on our sugar farms and showed
that they were happy people But We must
not loose sight of the calender, which we per-
ceive informs ns that August / Is Iamas
Day, piece of information which requires q
four "Grop Quarter Daus,'' as they are now
denominaled, the others being Martlnmas,
Candlemas and Whlteuntlde This partition
Of the year Is particularly English, and was
as common formerly as the present division
Lady Day, Midsummer Michaslmas and
| Christmas and In England rents are still
made payable on these days. The origin of
| the word Lamas ID supposed to be derived
IRON the Saxon Hlaf Masse, !. 9. Loaf or
| Bread Masse, the inc OF n feast or public
Thanksgiving to Col for the first fruit Of the
| soil, wheat being SO considered.
| August lois dedicated toSt. Lawrence In
| the Romlsh calendar. 1t is not observed by
| Eplscopallans, although the day Is inserted
in the calendar pretixsd to the Book of Com
mon Prayer. This saint appears to have
been born of Spanish parents ut Osca In the
kingdom Of Arngnn, about the formulation of
the second century, but his history Is In
volved In much ohscurty. He WAS one OF
the Seven Deacons Of Rome under st. Xystus,
and on the death Ut the martyr might have
raised himself still higher in the Church, but
| In his zeal for the prosecuted Christians, he
offended the prnfect of Rome and was
ordered by that high magistrate to be broied
| to death on o gridlron over o slow fire
This horrible sentence was carried Into
effect on the tenth OF August, 25S, and was
submitted TO by 81. Lawrence with the great
est fortitnds and Composure. He is said TO
have declared that he ''felt rather comforted
than tormented," and In the midst Of his suf
| ferings, with the utmost sMpQfroid and atten-
| ton to his well-doing, which, were 1t not too
| serious q subject to lest upon, might occn~
sion q laugh, desired his exeentoners to turn
| him over on the other side, for the one down
| ward was brOed enough.
| August 15-the Assumption also n Ko
4 man Catholic festival only. "The Assump-
| tlon of the Virgin Mary says Brady, is ~
festival held, in both Greek and Latin
churches, in memory Of her being assumed
or taken Mp to heaven after her dissolution"
| This festival was first regularly Instituted in
| 49, and Is solemnzed with % prOfuslOn OF
pageantry at the present day.
| August "a ~. Bartholomew. This martyr
to the cause of Christianity was the son of o
| fisherman, IN which employment he assisted,
and WAS engaged IN IT when no was chosen by
eur Lord to assist in the propagation OF the
gospel. Tho route travefstm by hin, in the
prosecution OF this object comprised Arabia
Felnx, Lycapnia, Armenia aud Phrygia. lie
braved many dangers by which he was beset,
but only escaped them to meet death III tbs
most horrible form on his return to lbanopla,
IN Armenia. BY order of Astiages, brother
Of Palomon, King Of the country, he was
nayed alive. The festival appointed In mem
Dry Of his martyrdom was instituted A. ID
1870.