The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-14
see who was to be their future bride or
bridegroom. After throwing some grain
on the ground, the lasses would sing;
agnes sweet and Agnes fair
Hither, hither now repair;
Bonny Agnes, let me see
The lad who ia tn marry mo

Hither, hither now repair;
Eonny Agnes. let me see
The lad who is to marry me-"
On returning home the face of the one
desired would be seen in the mirror.
On Candlemas eve, February LIST, the
Yule brand was lighted, n was permitted
to u until the sun should set. The piece
left unconsumed was saved to light up the
Yule log the following Christmas. On Can
dlemss all the Christmas green's and deco
rations that had survived were to be taken
down and removed.
used to be devoted to foot ball, and the
church bells rang in the morning, which
were called the pancake bells, as crowds
of boys then went from house to house
begging a diet of pancakes and other
viands. 4
St. David's day, March 1st, was of
Welsh origin. The custom Of making a
farmers bee to help some poor, small
farmer in starting his spring work. took
place at this time. and each one wore a
leek in his hat. Simnel Sunday occurred
in the middle of Lent, and it was observed
sort Of bun made of fine -four, spices, etc,
which were eaten accompanied bv a spiced
ale called bragget. On the LIST of March.
too, when country shoemakers gave up
evening work, they met and wet the
block"-that on which the candles stood.
AACAO "oe q buPHCA, WIFI uEluk, AuO WQllS
It was going on, the Oldest craftsman took
his glass and put out with it the block
candles.
In Caistor church, Lincolnshire, a curl
GUS custom prevailed OF Palm Sunday. A
whip was taken by n man from Broughton,
and, while the minister was reading the
first lesson, he cracked it three times on the
porch. When the second lesson was begun
he entered, and. kneeling in front of the
minister, waved it three times over his own
head. The whip had a purse at the end of
the handle, containing thirty pieces of silver.
A petition to parliament in 1886, to have
the custom discontinued. was Intellectual.
Maunday-T Thursday, coming Just before
Good Friday, is set apart to deeds of hu-
militv and to giving small gifts to the poor.
The origin of egg-eatinR 80 common to
Easter is said to be founded on the fact
that the egg %symbolizes a new birth, and
has the potency in it of n new life. The
Fools day, are too we'll known to repeat;
their o ,igin, however, is not known. In
the absence of a better reason, cit is said
to have begun from the mistakes of Noah
sending the dove out, of the ark befo Q the
water had abated," which was done OH the
first of the Hebrew month that corresponds
to April. This day is noticed and observed
here and all over Europa and in Asia.
On Ascension day, a custom of decorat-
ing wells and springs was once observed in
Derbyshire. Flowers and mottoes and
various fancy devices were put around
them, to make them prolific for the ensuing
season. May day, like st. Valentine's-
which ! have purposely omitted special ref
erence to--is familiar to all. It's recogni-
ton is for tho celebration of the renewal of
life in nature. On Midsummer eve, or st.
Johns eve, coming on the I'D of June, it
WAS the custom to 90 to the woods and
bring home great branches of trees, and
place them against or over the doors Of the
house. Halloween, on the 31st Of October,
had it's pretty and well-known customs,
some of which, such rs the attempts
to find ones .l%ife-partner by divina-
tions. were also followed through a
great many of the minor saints
days. Michaelmas day, Sept. %, ia
still devoted to 4 dinner of Which
goose makes the chief part; and Martin
mas, November II, was used to celebrate
the harvest Of wine and do honor to the
products of fowls md cattle, samples of
which entered into the feasts of the occas-
ion. ID IL "a popular h, ing that il you
eat n goose on Michaelmas day. you will
never want money the year round.' The
common explanation of the use of this
fowl on Micha lmas IL that, when Queen
Elizabeth, on that day, heard Of the defeat
OF the Spanish armada, she received the
joyful news while eating II dinner in which
goose wss the prominent dish. But the
habit Is trnceable back AZ far as tho begin
ming of the reign Of Edward ~.
The subject has many other Illustrations:
but tho lest familiar are, perhaps, already
named.