The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-02-04

"Christmas comes but once year.
This is a glorious, hearty old proverb,
full OF generosity and permission to 60
to the full lengths enjoyment. II the
children scream more loudly than usual
with deligbt--if the boys and girls
dance and frolic wildly; or paterfamilias
purchases present which is q little too
extravagant-never mind 1t, for once;
"Christmas comes but orce a yearw
Forget and forgive, go d folks, and we
will forget and forgive in turn.
christmas is talked OF so long that it
comes at last"
This is an old Norman French pro-
verb: "On a tant erie Noel que enffn
ii esl venu." 1t is another cheerful pro-
verb, full OF the spirit of the season.
meaning that, whatever trouble or dark
ness may intervene, light and Joy will
come at last. 1t Is the same as Its q
lcng lane that has no turning" or "a
fast day Is the eve of feast day" Per-
haps it may have the suspicion of an old
superstition, thas If we only hammer
and weary away at anything long
enough. we bring it to pass. So then
"Talk OF it ere summers past,
Christmas is cure to come at last"
"Aiter Christmas comes Lent"
This is German: mach weihnachten
komme fasten." This Is a warning and
solemn proverb, something like, "It is
dark underline lamp" However, as til,
Danes say, Ambolat er like rad for en-
good forhammer"-the anvil does not
fear a good sledge hammer, and he who
has held glorious feast-tide finds so
much rational pleasure in season ci
sobriety and quite JOY.
"The bow can not be always bent;
Past Christmas comes the sober Leaf"
"a green Christmas makes fat
churchyard." .
A Danish proverb: "En gran Jau
giyvn ct fed Kirkegaarn." This j
merely the old sanitary and weatLC
theory, that unseasonahle weather i,
unhealthy. When IL is warm In win!
in.prudent people expose themselves t.
the damp, unhealthy air, or become itl
patient of too much warm coverin.
and are caught in n " cold snap. TO tb0ii
sorrow" In the old times when No
people dwelt in badly-warmed, badly
constructed houses, such changes in IL
weather were of much greater signid
canoe than at present.
"Au old bit of a truthful rule
A Christmas green, churchyard iull.'
Closely allied to this. but without its
terrible warning, we have the German
proverb.
"Ist das Wetter um weihnacht gelind,
So ireut sich Mann, Weib und Kind"
Which, in English. means:
"Is the weather at Christmas mild,
II is Joy to man, and wife, and child.
"Christmas is o good time to bleed
horses in" This was an old supersti-
ton, and was closely followed. The
horses were run up and down until in a
sweat and then nled. AS Tusser sings
=" Ere Christmas be passed, let horses to be 10.
blood;
For many purpose it doth them much good.
GA green Christmas, a white Easter"
"Gruene Weihnacht, weisse ostern."
German. of course. The same has
another form:
Weihnaeht In klee,
Ostern in schnee."
al Christmas be in clover,
Raster with snow1l be heaped over"
And the same people say: "Ist das
wetter um Weihnacht gelind, SO w@hrt
die Kelte gewoehnlich lapge bis Freuh-
jahr hinein." "When the weather is
mild at Christmas cold weather lasts
into spring." All of which proverbs
receive important modification when
applied to this our North American
climate.