Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-04-26
THE OLD MAY DAYS,
SOME SEASONABLE AND SENTIMENTAL RECOL
LECTIOSS.
Howard Fielding Describes the DOwnsaSt Custom
Of Hanging May Baskets and Tells
Story or fwo-L0vs
Ruled the Day,
IcoPYRIGHTRD.l


As Downeaster, am always grieved
at this season of the year by the spec
tacle of preparations for the celeora-
ton of the first of May. Where was
brought up the day was reserved Tor
something better than the moving from
one undesirable place of residence to
another. In fact very little moving was
done down there, except from the sleepy
town by the sandy shore to that other
Quiet settlement on the beautiful wooded
| hill, ever increasing at the expense OF
| its neighbor as the number OF white
gravestones showed. Perhaps the I'M
varying practice of giving the most de-
sirable location to the dead may ac-
count for the waning prosperity OF the
living in that region.
But was speaking of May day he
Gently have had the curiosity to ask d
dozen or more of my acquaintanceS
whether they knew what down East
Nav dav was like, and / haven't found
one who did. Ny section Of the country
is bpt slimly represented in New York.
The staid New England conscience I'M
fits rs for success amid the gay ana
ORIGINAL dishonesty Of the metropolis;
we prefer to go to the West where the
questionable practices OF the people are
moro like the sins to- which we are ac-
customed. New Workers are nearly al
foreigners, and such as | Intercepted
replied with some nonsense about May
noles and dancing on the green. Not
one had ever tasted the delights OF
hanging May baskets or knew anything
about the proper celebration OF the day.
II was love that ruled the day, and
the Nav basket was its symbol. In the
nreparation of this token we employed
secret wileS. much darker than those
with which we surrounded the Christ
mas presents. The point of it was to
hang a pretty basket or the door KNOB
of the house which held the sweetest
little girl in the world, and then get
away again without being caught. She
was TO have no clue to the giver unless
her heart told ner who it was. She was
expected to hang May basket, too, but
if She were caught at it she might be
kissed.
remember lying in wait for Il whole
hour on the porch on a warm May
night expecting every moment to hear
the sound of stealthy feet on the steps.
1t seemed a long time, and | began to
have green-eyed, horrible suspicion
that she would hang the basket for
some other fellow. She might be do
ing it even then; he might be catching
her and kissing her. Would l ever for
give her? No, sir. Would l pound
that other fellow if found out who he
was? You bet, Even if he should be
big Ed Smith I'd fix him so that he
couldn't come to school for a week.
Nv jealousy buzzed so loudly that the
door-bel rang with clamor, and
Scampering feet resOunded on the walk
before became aware that she had
come. Twas after her in an instant, but
the breath had been so startled out of
my body that l felt as if she must eS-
cape. How she did run! Up the main
street for little way, and then along a
shadowy cross road, her figure fitted
before me in the dust like phantom.
Pride came in aid Of love; | wouldn't
be beaten by girl. was gaining; She
was but a few yards ahead. In the
darkest part of that long lane | caught
] Utl. NlIuEElNu III Il MSS -Os ~ UNI
we both stood painting till the moon
looked out from behind cloud, and
showed me the queer, round face of a
little coOred girl, servant at the house
of my lady love, and doubtless intruSted
with the basket for no other reason
than to play me this ridiculous trick.
| should have been rude if prudence
had not supplemented chivalry. As it
was, promised her unlimited candy if
she would not tell; but she did.
BY next May day, l transferred my
affections from the fair one who had
duped me so cruelty to girl of a more
serious mind. She was fifteen years old
and | was thirteen and l used to weep
bitter tears, because, in my ignorance
of matrimonial affairs, l supposed that
the two years between us constituted
an inSuperable barrier TO our union.
However, there is time in everybody'S
life when hopeless passion becomes a
necessity. In the depths Of my heart l
had sworn an endless, sorrowful deyo-
ton, and had clinched the vow by max
ing a beautiful May basket out of half
an eggShell-fragie as my hopes, | told
myself. | filled this basket with sugar
hearts on which tender sentiments were
inscribed in some poisonous, red color
ing matter, and suspended ii upon the
bell-knob OF her fathers house when
the sacred night arrived.