Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-22

You must not thresh your corn during the
holidays, or it will spoil. Swedes will moi
go fishing on Christmas, but set their nets
for luck on Christmas night. Fruit should
not be picked then, or it will spoil, and it is
said in Germany that if you carry distaH
in the orchard during the 12 days, the trees
will not bear fruit. He that walks in the
winter corn on Christmas Eve will hear all
that happens in the village that year. This
appears to be a propitious evening for the
gossips. A very curious way OF making the
grass grow is prescribed in Germany. You
have only to thresh the lawn or yard with a
fail, barefooted and in your shirt. Some
say that you must put stone at every tree
then, and it will bear better.
There are many superstitions connected
| with animals and Christmas. An old four
| teenth century document says that you must
take your horse into the river on Christmas
morning, and make him walk against the
current Then you must throw an apple
into the stream above, and if it hits him, he
win be strong the coming year.
FARMYARD sUPERsTIT1oNs.
TRGermany it is said that as often as the
cock crows on Christmas Eve, so many quar-
ters will corn be worth. The cock is closely
connected with Christmas, Shakespeare
says: (Hamlet.)
'Some say that ever gainst that season comes
Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated.
The bird of dawn singeth all night long,
And then, they say no spirit dare stir abroad
Spirits were thought unusually active at
this time. Another popular superstition.
current throughout Europe, was that the
cattle would kneel in their stalls at mid
night on Christmas Eve, or that they would
rise and bow. In Germany it is said that
you must not watch them, or you would be
struck blind or marked for death. This in
sured against any denial of the assertion
made concerning the conduct OF the inmates
of the stalls. In France, not only cattle.
but asses also, speak and complain or praise
their treatment. This lasts from midnight
to dawn, but ends sooner if their keeper is
guilty of mortal sin.
This superstition is still prevalent In parts
of Pennsylvania among the German de-
scendants, and also in the North Carolina
mountains, where, however, it is not on
Christmas Eve, but on the eve of the old
Christmas (Januarv g.. An old woman told
me that she had seen them, and that they
kept up Jest the masterin' meanin',"
In Denmark it is said that the cattle will
not thirst If anything that goes round is set
going from Christmas to New Years. French
herdsmen say that cattle must not be sent to
pasture on Christmas Day, or they will
hight and wound each other.
A singular notion prevails in one German
province that if master or servant enters the
stable on Christmas morning with his boots
newly blackened the cattle will not thrive
thereafter. It is unlucky in England to
bring shoes or leather articles into the house
at this time.
If the dog howls on Christmas Eve it will
will go mad during the coming year.
Popular proverbs and sayings show the
reliance placed upon the representations
furnished by Christmas weather These are
prevalent everywhere and are believed bv
many here. These notions are somewhat
conflicting, so that choice may be made to
suit the circumstances. A German adage
is bright Christmas. dark barns; dark
Christmas, light barns" and another saying
is 1.-THE shepherd would rather see his wife
enter the stable on Christmas Day than the
sum-"
Christmas wet gives empty granary and bar
rel.
If windy on Christmas Day trees will bring
forth much fruit.
Wet and soft westhsr on this day is gen.
orally unpropitious, as witness the we'll
known sayings:
A green Christmas. a full graveyard
Green Christmas makes white Easter.
A warm Christmas, a cold Easter.
Other sayings not so well known illustrate
this point further:
Christmas on the balcony
Easter near the frebrands.
At Christmas the gnats,
At Easter the icebergs.
So far as the sun shines on Christmas Day,
So far will the snow blow in May.
A WHITE CHRISTMAS.
The contrary is true of cold day, and snow
is particularly welcome on Christmas Day.
A white Christmas, a lean graveyard.
Christmas IN snow, Easter in mud.
eff it SHOWS on Christmas night, we ex.
pect good hop crop next year." says the
English farmer.
If at Christmas ice hangs on the willow,
clover may be cut at Easter.
1t is said in Kansas that if there is thun-
der during Christmas week there will be
much snow during the winter.
A light Christmas. a heavy sheaf
If the sun shines through the apple trees
on Christmas Day, say our farmers, there will
be an abundant crop the following year.
There ale numerous predictions concern
ing the luck OF those born on Christmas
Day; it depends somewhat on the dav of
the week. An old belief was that those
born on this day when it fell on Sunday
would live to be great lords; on Monday,
would be strong and keen; on Tuesday,
strong and coVetous; on Wednesday, wise,
gay, doughty and crafty; on Thursday, wise
of speech and reasonable; on Friday, long
lived; on Saturday, Christmas children will
live but half year.
In one part of England those born on
Christmas are able to see spirits. In Ger
many, it is restricted to those born during
the Christmas sermon.
Deaths are ominous in one part of En-
gland when occurring on Christ's natal day,
and it is thought that many will happen
during the year in the parish.
Some curious ideas have prevailed con-
cerning clothing made from thread or yarn
spun at this time. In Germany it is said
that no vermin will annoy you if you wear
clothing any part of which is made from
thread spun on Christmas Eve In En-
gland, notwithstanding the assertion that
such clothing would never be moth eaten,
no one would wear it, for he was likely to
be eaten up by wolves Yarn SPUN at this |
time was reputed in Germany as very
efficacious in reducing sprains or similar |
injuries.
The Shirt of safety" is to be spun by a
pure and chaste maiden on Christmas Day, |
long enough to cover half the wearer's body |
from the neck down. Two heads are to be !
sewed on the breasts. 1t will protect against |
lead or steel as well as mailed armor, and |
there is beside luck in wearing it.
IneSe are DuG rev OF Lne many curious |
notions prevalent concerning Christmas, but |
they are typical, and serve to illustrate the |
value placed upon any task commenced or |
performed at this time and the belief in the |
predictions formulated at this period OF the |
year. f. s. BAssETT.
A Proposed Change of Base.
All ~
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