The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-03-05
Saroveti1e Pancakes AMI Gus: ems.

Did yon forget, on Tue>d, ny last, that i
was prucake day? In this stern old puri
tanical country, when some remember I,
| have been driven to Schn" on Christina.
| lay, a,"t that the mention of the diy wa.
frowne'l down and the " oris " Merry Christ
mas hu>hed rs sacrilegious, it is not strange
that some Of us forget, even in these bigotetl
| times, 10 toss our Shrove Tuesday pancakes
But the quaint title semi historic customs,
rednlent of sentiment and religion, which
ire household usages in En- gland and on the
continent, are being more observed every
wear in this country. We are beginning to
remember, All Hallow Eve, notices for
Twelfth night are sold by our contectioners,
many of us carefully cook our Michaelmas
goose. and with the Vicar of Wakefield s
pariShioners religionsly eat our pancakes
ut Shroveride'
Like Christmas and all festivals spring
ing from the childhood of the race, these
days are largely kept fresh and fragrant by
children. In England Shrove Tuesday is
especially observed by the school children,
who go about in little rowing bands from
house to house. At each house the leader
stops and sings:
\ shrovin, Il shrOvin,
| bp come;
A piece of bread piece Of cheese,
A hit of yonr fat bacon
Or a dish of doughnuts,
All Of your own maxim.
And the chorus repeats:
\ shrovin, a shrovin,
We be come.
If they get their bread and cheese they 90
in peace, but if they are sent away empty
handed they proceed to pelt the unlucky
house with broken pottery or whatever rub
bish they have brought with them for the
purpose.
At Westminster school verger of the
abbey, in his gown, bearing a silver baton,
Mt eleven o'clock energies from the college
Kitchen, followed by the cook of the school
in white apron, jacket, and cap, bearing a
pancake aloft on u dish. On arriving at the
school room he takes the pancake, announces
himself rs cook, twirls it on the pan and
5osses it in the midst of the boys, who scram-
Die for it. Whoever secures it whole car /
lies it to the deanery and receives a guinea !
or his pains. The college cook also receives
NO guineas from the abbey funds AL
hough this custom is not set down in the !
of the school or the statutes of
he great abbey, it is rs strictly observed as
my clause in the unwritten constitution of
England.
1t was customary formerly in English vii
ages to give the first pancake baked to the
,reatest sIoven in the town, but as appli-
ants for this honor were few, the practice
las fallen into diSuse.
In France on Shrovc Tuesday lunch par
les are given. A snowy table-cloth spread
round the kitchen stove and there tie party
and each in turn losses MA pan
axe, fap-iack fashion, in the light, alallow
auce- pan in which they are baked. If the
Hncake turns over smoothly, as it vii with
dett little twist of the wrist, it fore0kens j
ood luck for the rest of the year; hit, al ,
pough it is bad luck to toss your pacake s
pit of the pan, it was 10 catch such uimcky ,
ckes that the snowy cloth was spreat and t
Re pancake must be carefully pickd up {
III eaten. Would we could swalla all Il
IF misfortunes rs comfortably. Affenach /
, ernber of the party has tossed up a)an- g
' Ike for luck they all adjourn to the Inch c
e,m, where an elaborate repast is sered, a
= d Shrove Tuesday pancakes are furnisel p
r nj the more practiced hands of the COX "