New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-05-09
MAY DAY.
A FESTIVAL FULL OF FUN FOR CHILDREN.

FESTIVAL FULL OF FUN FOR CHILDREN.
RELIC or THE MAYPoLE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND
DELUsIoNs or AEBUTUs GATHERING.
May Day has come and gone, and now the
youthful population of New England has nothing to do
but to look forward to the glorious Fourth" ard to
keep their financial powder dry for that OCCASION This
is done ty looking the other way when the contribution
poH is passed in Sunday SCHOOL and passing by on tho
other side when their daily Journeys lead them near the
candy shop. Only in these and kindred ways can the
thrifty New England youngster provide suitable
supply CT ammunition for the celebration OF tho Nations
Birthday tor although the home office always supplies
certain quantity OF explosives to bo used on that
OCCASION has inadequate idea Of the amount OF noise
which ia necessary tO insure n successful Fourth OF
July II Is true that Decoration Day breaks In upon the
monOOnOus prospect that stretches away 70 the fourth
day OF July. 1886 but Decoration Day is tame affair to
Young America. The excitement OF trudeing along In
the dust the music OF the Dead March in Saul, a.
rendered by the country brass band ia of too mild a
form; even the pleasure seeing horses
and plunge when the militia company fire thu ee voeys
over the OF their dead comrades is not sufficient
TO revive the dropping dusty spirits OF the small boy
population. But 70 return to May Day.
Perhaps those whose misfortune IL to be born west
of the Hudson do know that there such epoch
among the festivals OF young New England Possibly
there be people those who have escaped that
misfortune who ignorant of the fact for of late
the day has fallen somewhat INTO dsuse and deeenera
ton But il does exist a dwarfed relic OF the MaypOe
festivities OF Merry England brought The in
colonial days, surviving tho repression of the
Puritan Fathers, and living a Transformed deiormed
existence in the manufacturing unitarian New
England Of to-day It's purest form OF celebration IL
this: April draws to close and its last few sunny days
follow upon the
Tho drought of Marche hath perced to the roote'
All .I,a 10 otrttr md
climatic vacilaton of New England spring at last,
when zephvrus eek with his swete breethe
Enspired hath IN every holte and heethe
III anne longen folks 10 gon on pilgrimages"
into the sprngy fields and the with their thicky
carpet OF dead leaves. Inc shy and modest
wildOwers that have peeped out to SEQ II spring has
really surprised AMI captured with shout and
laughter and all the JOY Of discovery by rosy checked
little rangers, and taken home. There they placed
durance vle with their stems anchored in damp sand
floating a glass OF water. As the first OF May
approaches dainty little baskets hold the flowers
made Of paper and embossed cardboard. OF light
wicker and ribbons Then ADrl dies aud when the
bright sunlight OF May Day in its turn fades into the
dusk Of twilight the conspratOrs rally from far and near
compare May baskets and lay out plan Corporations
The decided they move upon the first point
of attack
Down the road they troop, in second chidrel's
against peace and quiet OF their elders each
swinging May basket, Oyerlowing with its fragrant
contents shedding the incense o. beauty before the
altar OF spring while the double bass OF the bufrog,
the croak OF toad chorus and all the drowsy
requiem OF nature for the departing day the
distant choir Ia and fields When the doomed
is in sight all is changed The camor OF childish
voices Is hushed and air Of the deepest, darkest
stealth assumed. Cambering fences, cutting
across fields and working along behind walls, with al
the skill OF a NewYork newsboy stalking a tribe Of
En- nn d M
ing home Having reached a favorable position the
main body lie close behind convenient hedge and
scarcey breathe their excitement the most adventur
GUS one creeps up the door hangs May basket upon
the knob aud gives the bell handle pull sufficient 60
nprcot a tree Then there Is a shout and stampede.
over walls and bitches in fou teen different directions,
sngy and in coup es the youthful army az sAirmishers
run for life younger OF tae garrison sally forth In
hot pursuit The sound OF scampeng feet the shreks
OF laughter a. breathless y0ungster pitches into
ditch OF the OF matter aud the wreck o: clothing
IA some careless maiden ,um0es OF fence or plunses
into the shruDlery give ample evidences of the where
abouts OF strag. lers. and pursuers are not too
asthmatic the pursuit need not be ID yAn The pris-
ouers are taken back the house and stuffed WITH cake
and sweetmeats while compelled TO listen 10 the praises
o. the beautiful May-Dasket Lat same one has nung
upon the door, after when they are dismissed WIN the
Injunction 20 run faster next time L VIII be seen int
the punishment nut the disgrace OF heng
OF the victim
Those WHO escape gather at some appointed place.
count up their in numbers, clothing ana cutice
anu move upon the next point OF attack The excite
n.nt Is Item intense and the greatest stealth and care
necessary 10 insure the hanging OF the basket 10 say
uotnin, of the escape some willy grOwu-up brothers
ana sisters enter into the spirit OF the tlS keep
watch ana ward ny the outer gates aud when Whispers
are heard shadOwy lts forms arr seen nleS from
tree TO ,ree 4 ae Of the basket slips over the KNOB
oman 70.
-muerme. also there Is little malice on nOJh SIDES
~ .om,e rrustv and unpopular villager Is Orna-
mented with pendant tin pans and rotten lrut and
vegetables of uncertain age while his bell handle is torn
an v ina roofs and carried a trOI hy else ths
INVADER return again and again 10 The charge Int
sleep becomes impossible and quiet forgotten thug In
ILL c,se- caItte IL no oang matter. Il aching
names and broken cudgels.
There is another New England custom that often taxes
., IT, nf tne Nav Dav celebration, but also
ianan,ienr exIsteuce II Is arDutus gathering Among
the first Wild flowers to push out rom unter me warm
er covering is the trailing arDutus TINS
dainty and fragrant but modest and hardy little Hover
with its ing vine. is closely InterwoVeh win tne ne
and romance New England Nothing brings thoughts
of home ami pictures OF the past 80 VIZ NV before the
Youthful endant OF the Pilgrims VINO IS eruDDlhS OUT
a LIVING IL bus New York or the distant West, as does
the faint frag and simple beauty Ol DuncH Ol
arbutus The effect Is heiShtened OF course, II an
accompanying Iiece OF cardboard pears he h.4ue Oh
some one VINO sit across the aisle In school or
lent fresh Interest to the exIedltohs .n'U hao ING
gather.ug of arbutus a. OsteusiOlc object.
When spring ceased TO play at April iooi Win her
Youthful subjects and the last sno" wreath LAS u-"p
peared from behind the walls az uutus parties az -.
order they are elaborate IN pan ana Iehgtuy
m special trains take stNcral SCORES VI
Young and madeus 10 some nOteu arDutus Iocd!y,
There - preentioGs Luncheon, lots or Iun nut not so
much aruuus But the simpler pleasures are always
the more satisfactory and thus II is with arDuus g"ser
mo The irte rartles five or SIX, made up tlter
school or on saturday afternoon are the ones whose
,,usf There Ia the quiet drive
dnwn Love Lane or thorOuRhfare OF synonymous
anneiotion The horses tied to the bars ant tie
crrags Jeff standing with wheel down IN the gutter
ARD .not her high ond dry founded on rock ana then
tho rrst OF the Journey made on foot Tue girls nave
~, ma no n.d over walls and carried brooks OF
course and the Number OF walls and Dr ooks at an expert
enced guide can find fl half mile walk IL wonderful
last the l. begun III earnest lor there must 20
something to show for tue expedition. Inc pest
locally II a wood lot stripped OF s trees ana oVerSroWu
tvf.h unnderhrll-h Bending like peasant under
nm, bundle OF fagOt searchers push ther way
through bushes flirting with each otEer
with eyes upon the ground tley 90 through tue
paths forest as DID AIden' the hfs' VI Now
England lovers: