Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-03
MAY MANNERS.
The Month of MHdness and What
it Brings.
May Day Observance Gone By What
the Month Yields in the Way
of General City
News,

We have entered upon the month OF
May and passed into the third day. 1t is
commonly supposed May brings on the
beauteous spring weather, and apparently
it has done so this time. May derives its
name from the Goddess Maia, the mother
of Mercury, in whose honor the month
was formerly kept. The poet says:
alt happened one day,
Ireally can't say
The particular month, but j think twas In
Twas know in spring time
When pasture was gay,
Asthe poet observes,
And from the top and spray
The dear little dicky birds caroled away.
but he could not have meant this May, as
nothing has happened, this May. Nothing
has been done and nothing celebrated.
Even May day, which was Tuesday, passed
without a sign of observance. There's
where we are behind-or perhaps in ad-
vance of-the times.
In the very early days the first OF May
was celebrated by the barbarous Celtic po p.
Nations of Europe who held q sort OF
heather festival, but it was not, as now, con.
nected with flowers and song. TWAS called
Beltein and found expression in the kin.
ding OF fires on hill-tops by night, and
peculiar form OF worship during the day
in honor of the ancient saints. In Eng
land about the sixteenth century 1t was
customary for the middle and humber
classes to 90 forth in the early morn and
gather flowers and shrubs, which they
brought home at early sunrise with songs
of 10Y, and amongst the younger people
love and merriment was predominant
feature. With these collected spoils they
would proceed TO decorate every door
and window in the village. They called
this ceremony the "pringing home OF
Nav" and spoke of their expedition to
the woods as going a Maying,n which
phrase is still used at this day. Tho first
of May or May Day" in old England was
further observed by lads and lasses, who
met, danced and sang together until even,
at which time the fairest maid in the town
by mutual consent, was crowned queen OF
Nav" At a somewhat earlier age, the
ladies and gentlemen of the land would
take part in the obseryances Of the May
day festival and even the King and Queen
condescended to mingle with their SUBJ
iects, accompanied by all the court at
taches, and enter into the festivities OF the
occasion with the vim Of the youngest OF
the village lads or lasses. On the first OF
Nav, in the reign of Henry VIII, the heads
of the corporation of London went out into
the high grounds of Kent to gather
the May" the king and his lovely queen,
Catherine of Arragon, would come out OF
their palace at Greenwich to meet these
dignitaries on Shooters hill. The May pole
was first brought to light during King
Henry's reign, it had its place equally with
the Parish church or parish stocks. The
Puritans, who very strenuously objected to
anything that was imbued with mirth or
Northumberland have May poles
uprooted whenever erected in their
nelghborhood, and put an end to all the
amusements, but after the restoration they
were everywhere erected, and usual May
day festivities permitted. The most re-
nowned May pole and the latest in exist
ence was erected in the Strand, near Lon.
don, Immediately after the restoration.
The Parliament of 1864 had issued decree
that "all the singular May poles that are
or shall be erected, shall be taken down, y
and enforced it by heavy penalties that
effectually carried out their desires. After
that for number of years the May pole
was thing OF the past.