Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-01-01


that he, with several Others, had
watched the oxsn upon old Christ
mas Eve, and tat twelve o'clock ct
night they observed the two oldest
oxen to fall upon their knees and to
make . cruel moan like Christian
creatures" This belief appears not
only to have prevailed in England,
but also across the seas, - Mr.. Howl
son, in his ''Skstches Of Upper Cana
da," says that on ono beautiful moon-
light Christmas Eve, ct the hour OF
midnight, he met IN Indian creeping
stealthily along, who modoned to
him to keep quiet, and when ques-
toned - to his motive, replied:
"As watch to zee the deer knssl;
this b Christmas might, and all the
deer fall upon their knees to the
Great spirit, and look up" Even
the bees are said to hum In their lit
tie cells on Christmas Eve at twelve
O'Clock. a4e.. raE ss
There is legend which says that
the watchers may hear the ringing Of
subtarranean bells tolling the mid
night hour upon this night. In min
ing districts, the miners declare that
solemn MAS is held in that cavern
which contains the richest ore; that
service is chanted by invisible beings,
and that the cavern is most beauu-
fully illuminated with candles.
Thus sings An old carol: f
':An the bells ON earth shall ring is.r-.
On Christmas day, on Christmas day.
And all the bells on earth shall ring
On Christmas day in the morning. ~
''And al the angels In heaven shall sing
On Christmas day, on Christmas day. q,
And all the angels In heaven shall sing
On Christmas day in the mornias.
''And allths souls sn earth shah sing
On Christmas day, on Christmas day.
And all the soals ON earth shall sing
On Christmas day in the merning.
The Germans also have in Q tradi-
ional Christmas bell. In the village
Of Moringen, near Gottengen, there
il . pond called Opfertoich pond, q
sacrifcial pond. The water is very
deep, and it is said that every year
ut Christmas q bell is heard toiling
in its depths from the hour;of twelve
to one. ga ---...a.-v
This bell il the same which once
swung in the church tower near by,
bus having been placed thsre withent
icing consecraied by baptism, -
wss the olden custom, when it COM
meneed to ring out the Christmas
chimes by some supernatural power
it was hurled from it, place into the
depths Of the Opferteich, and there it
IL believed to lie this very day, and
every Christmas eve to rise to the
surface Of tie pond, toll, and then to
Should iny one uv.,rv '. .u.- su.
state of the weather during the ensu-
ing year, he has only to take IN on
ion, and cutting it in two, thus max
ing twelve small cups, fill them with
salt, and let them stand until the fol-
lowing morning. The cups represent
twelve months in the year, and those
in which the salt in found dry will be
the dry months, and vice versa. So
say the legends. Sir Waiter Scott
says in his note to "Marmion'' that
''that they who are born on Christ.
mas or Good Friday, have the power
/, Of seeing spirits and evsn Of COM
manding thsm!'' He also adds that
''ths Spanisrds imputed the haggard
and dswncast looks Of their Phillip
III. to the disagreeabls VISIONS, to
which his privilege subjected him."
On the banks Of the Weser, they
say, that one must spin during the
twelve days Of Christmas-tide; but
they spin tcads into the house, or
get black pudding and sausages in
stead Of yarn. This custom 3 faith
fully observed, and II sewing 10 nso-
sssary to be done, they take it to .
neighber's house. r.
At Christmas all the spinning
wheels are plentifally furnished with
dax, and left standing ts await the
visit Of Nulda, the divinity who pre-
sides over domestic affair, and who
comes ct this season to reward the
diliesnt and punish the idle. But .:
Shrove-tids when Hulda returns 10
har home, ill the Aax must be spun
of, and the spinning wheels be put
out of sight-for that which il spun
at Shrove-tide IL sure - turn out i'll
l-this being the tiras Of holy rest.
| When the sun shines, Bulda d
said to be combing her hair; and
when it snsws. she II spreding hsr
coach. She rides In q chariot which
she once caused . peasant to repair
for her, and the clippings which
lwere left behind were found to Be oi
the purest geld. Hu,da IL represent
Cd ~ IN ugly old crons, with dis
hsvellsd, tangled locks, and If any
one appears with unoombed, brist-
ling hair, it 10 q common saying thai
eHs has been riding with Huldal''
Let every ore hsncsforth keep thai
locks we'll brushed and shining.
The Gene sf Lifs.
h Mans Lie il = game Of cards. Firs
1t Is s'crib-age," at sort Of 'tcut
. lshufile and DEAF pace. Then b.
| gambols on s.the green, |" and ssraises'
the ssduce" when his mother sstake
. hand in," and, contrary to Hoave