The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-09
leap YEAR LEGENDS.
uRrTY or PEASANT SUPERSTl-
TONS AND FOLK LORE.

ir. Opcrations-A Bit of Tuscan
.,,.rfou-Tradftious In the Early
,,.ofthe Church-A Demon.
OIL. break iu the regular order Of days
...I.ly q matter Of W and appre-
t.. tlc peasant mind. We ac-
auI. ia nearly all The old coun-
....cts OF superstltiOns clustering
I..rycar. The rural folk lore Of
tells us how all the peas and
.-lN the wrong way iu their pods
.. - iuc .ceds are set IN quite the con
.-. ulg f9 what they are in other years.
reason commonly assigned for this
used. eccentric freak Of nature Is be
e. tac ladies' gear, they (the peas
... n..u> always lie the wrong way ia
r'e.r
|n I.I1um the peasantry maintain that
f.-t.lr is not only 100 frequently unprO-
for farming operations, but that
.0ut 80 the young OF no domestic
.r.I viii thrive as at other times. a
fa,Liiy, they argue, extends to
c.. KIDD of young grass and shoots,
81 U is affirmed invariably become
. ,,.utcd IN their growth or blichtcd
uc peculiar idea prevails in Ger
. ..-tUcts Of Russia, and, in accord
m Nl.h the me-hOnored and much
. rroverb, the peasant IS reminded
. 10 ST. Cassian FEB. 30 look
.... .N il viii withcr." Oh the other
deere would seem TO be exceptions
rule, as iu Sicily, where the former
sd 10 set and graft vines in leap
ancient Romans considered the bis
.l or leap day" q critical season,
ming &c among their Unlucky days.
This belief has not by any means lost
is eyilerccd 10y the deep rooted
o .a parents have - q child being born
OH lp day w 10 being % popular notion
t.. lJ come into The world At such an
o.l tmo o. ominous 0s signifying the per-
SOB ap.rig cAit. But those, however,
auo chance % BE- born on this particular
g. have little occasion 10 dread such un-
i.c -aiy alarms. for 10 must be remcm-
t reI how lean years comes around again
.Hl AGAIN. only too truly 20 testify 10 the
user falety ~ the many articles Of belief
attached 90 JUS anniversary
\ variety OF this superstition prevails
Oh The continent, and. according 10 a
piece of Tuscan folk lore, when q child Is
born iu l0lp rlar. either IT, on its mother
u.ll die before The year has expired. But.
.n-rt fou COM 'dcrlti0ls OF this Kind. il
.a-t bee acknowledged thstit Is somewhat
rI,Nari to bc born Oh leap day, as n
lu llu only celebrate the anniversary
DIS b.itH olce ia -four years. IL like
' I.. .f. ..H4sr+.r.. 90. a.. sI.
of those Of the lair sex WHO like, as
i D. a, possible, 10 minimize their age, and
l.nc' look with enviOus eyc5 OF those
H bose birthday comes only once 10 their
3D. -rriug 10 this month. Nj Chambers
rIrh- m the Popular Rhymes q
..uI. that 'It appears to be cOusil-
.,. ut some people as the most import
We have as many rhymes about
locked month as about al the rest
together. many OF them expressing
ODD open detestarion of 10 or q pro
..l a-l.e of u.s. influence IN deciding
Q re.t. ,r That is to follow.
I.t again. leap year IS not WITHOUT its
Co., ..Ia, and legendary lore. ST. Angus
a. l.r example. writing Of il. saws:
'ILe ...l-lty made it from the BEGIN
ot tl- would fora Ueat Mystery. and
% g. De passed hy untold, tte first course
u t-- }cal VIII be p~erveTStly altered, be
r-c there i7 one day 4Orl one night not
lnei IL you VIII Tlot account /, also
moon, as 10 thu sun, then You frus-
e Oh. rllt fox Eagter, and the reckon
.t every new NOON an the wear"
" ..I- ID. Ita f.AF.4fs ,If-. Tr.l.rIot
lao.c, the following quaint tradi-
a i..n "a SaNo'l treatise. Some assert
lhe oisst',tus coues through this,
IN ).rayrd Co God that the sun
' stand still for Ouo days length,
Do. SN" pr tie heather from the land
- N.. t.futel TO him. 10 is true that
"a dd stand still for p days
o"r tAe city OF Gebaou, but theday
Toward It the same manner Is other
Alo fhc hisseNtus is not through
81 ORD, thtnE
e.. France there is a popular tradition
thD l-.saUtry in the enyirOns Of
DO ..fraof % different kind altogether.
D. -.I l.at every leap year a particular
u. evil demon makes its dread APP
ee whose "only pleasure Is 70 he
e-ei Ills shape Is not distinguish
I1 member, Joint or Limb. Nearly
90 .tl years ago, NJ. Maurice sand eXhib-
tlin The salon q powerful and graphic
ure Of tuis mysterious being. 1T is
evening the sun has Just set over n waste
.ry covered with marshy bogs and
tuil OF ~etaguating water. The clouds
h.OuIstainci by the last rays Of the
,l.t.a, day star, and the dark red color
F. l.lected Ola The s%pleeping pools. out
t t.c depth Of one OF them in the distance
F. marvellous monster has arisen, and is
f ne against an old water worn pile.
Before him the frightened fishermen fly
... itl Ills form is not 10 definite as
u oc desired, but still he il the ghost
leap year. IT T. Thistclton Dye in
' r.. fIrrurl