The record-union., 1891-02-22


many parts of Cornwall where the
woman that owns Jack or Jan has be-
come sufficiently notorious as scold,
the neighbors organize what they call a
''stang courant," proceed to the house of
the termagant, and scatter wheat-chaff
upon her door-sill. This hint usually
suffices; but if it prove insufficient
to bride her tongue, then "riding the
stang' is resorted to. This consists of
constructing an effigy of the scold,
mounting it on a deal board or pole, and
exhibiting it in front of the woman's
cottage TO the lugubrious accompaniment
of bells and horns.
The delightful custom of 'harvest-
home" suppers, which unfortunately is
dying out among American farmers, is
universal in Cornwall. There is also Il
custom Of very ancient origin of celebrat-
/ ing the finishing of work in any particu-
lar harvest-tield, especially in completing
the labor of Stocking or shocking"
the sheaves of grain into ''arrishmows.' -
The custom is called .'crying the neck -
and consists in elevating II small sheaf of
the best heads of grain three times in the
air, among the harvesters, who there
upon cry at the top of their voices, 1.-The
neck!' finally changing this shout to
I'VE yen! we yenr'-meaning 1--WE end'
the harvesting of this field. This is fol-
lowed by Il good deal of boisterous
though harmless jollity, to which the lips
of maidens pay tribute in proportion To
their lack OF physical prowess. The
clergy of all denominations in Cornwall
benefit from a cheery harvest custom OF
long standing. The parsons grain is all
gathered by voluntary offerings of labor.
Every person whom he employs in any
capacity during the year-the butcher,
painter, carpenter, cobbler, saddler, sex
ton, and all his own servants-comc to-
Opt M trafb bar l,a.
sons" crops. Their only reward consists
in rousing supper in his kitchen, where
his wife, daughters, and all female mem
bers of his domicile, Hospitality serve
those who have served them.
Two other curious and interesting Gus
toms should not be omitted. These are
the annual "Furry-day" of Helston and
Taking Sunday" with its attendant pc
culiarities at Clowance Park, in Clowan
Parish. The origin of the Cornish Furry
Day is unqueStionably found in the "Flo-
ralia" anciently observed by the Romans
on the fourth of the calends Of May. 1t is
annually celebrated throughout Cornwall
by little home and neighborhood parties,
and at HelSton, from time immemorial,
as testivity peculiar to that place on the
eighth day of May. Long before day
light happy groups of lads and lasses
start in every direction for the country
lanes and hedges, singing,
For we are up as soon as any day, o,
And for to fetch the summer home
The summer and the May, o.
For summer is a-come. o,
And winter is a-gope, o v'-
or a dozen other ballads of similar import,
the refrain Of which is,
'On the eighth OF May
The tlOra-day,
We all set off a-dancing."
And indeed do they. At every farm
house there are mad rushes of these
llerry-makers to be first to hang a twig
of SLOANE" blossoms upon the latch; for
such for centuries have been entitled to a
portion of bread and cream. The bios
SONS of the sloane" kind of cherry.
are gathered everywhere. with all pre-
cious buds and blooms of spring. Gar
landed with these the floral troopers re-
turn to Helston, when the festivities OF
the day really begin. The old town is
fairly embedded in spring blossoms and
garlands. This completed, all classes
join in a universal carnival of dancing.
Every door in Helston is thrown open to
the merry marauders. Arm in arm. and
usually four abreast, thousands, dancing
to a sort of quickstep time and accom-
panied by May-day songs, pass in the
front doors OF houses and thence from
rear to front of other houses; and from
dawn to dark weave serpentine threads
OF blossom, odor and song through and
tllIouSl iue OIu SOTIllSn Town.
Taking Sunday in Glowan parish,
is not only the precursor of Mazard Fair
at Praze, but also of numberless lifelong
joys and pathetic miseries. In Clowance
Park, on the noted st. Aubyn's estate is
a magnificent mall, bordered with some
of the noblest beech trees in all England.
On the afternoon of the Sunday two
weeks before Mazard Fair-which de-
rlVeS It's name from the nlaZard-cherry
fair annually held at Praze, in the latter
part of June, when tons of this luscious
fruit are disposed of by the farmers OF
the surrounding country-ten thousand
Cornish youths and maidens may always
be found promenading in Clowance Park
mall. They sometimes come from dis
tance of ten and twenty miles, Cornish
young men resort here TO choose their
''pairdners" or company for MaZard
Fair, and here the blooming lasses come
to be 'taken,' that is, pledged for MAJ
ard fair day. Many an exultant or
broken heart returns home that night,
successful in the secretly-cherished hope,
or stinging from bitter disappointment.
But MaZard Day come, the Cornish lad
walks miles for the girl he has chosen on
Taking Sunday and together they
tramp away to Praze. The experiences
of these thousands Of young folk are in
the main the same as at all English coun-
try fairs. But the marital destinies OF all
Cornwall are said to center here 1t is a
glorious thing to the Cornish maiden to
be chosen or '.taken~ at Clowance Park;
but her whole fate hangs upon a parcel OF
| cookies and almonds at Praze. These
constitute the "terin,p or pledge of be-
trothal; and it is asserted that half of the
women of the Cornwall have been mar
ried through this curious troth. If the
maiden's ''pairdner' buy her one pound
of ginger-cookies and half pound of
a almonds Sh ho
two are as sacredly betrothed as though
bans had been read from the pull
pit. The lucky maiden care
fully preserves the ''ferin'' and trium-
phantly divides it with her relatives and
friends. She is now a person OF conse-
quence in her little world, and taxing
out" that is, the proclamation of her be-
trothal at church and marriage, the bless
ed haven OF all good women, are sequen-
TALLY but matters of time. But woe to
the poor Cornish lass that returns from
Mazard Fair without "ferin.' She
shuns, and is summed by all, until the
hard hand of labor or her worlS-a-day
duty forces herappearance at neighbors or
upon the streets. With hopeless defiance
she meets the gossiping crones.
'Dee'st dedn't git aw ferin, dost ee?''
sneers some grooming old wench to fur
ther wound her.
law s'psse Gtee'S allus been aw lucky
un! she snaps back with desperate saw
agery. And thus with lance for lance she
battles her way back from positive dis
grace to sturdy calm and renewed hope:
for
"Mazard Fair comes once year,
An FERNS come as cheap as beerr'
EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.
KING COPHETUA THE ELDER.
Beneath palm she found seat
(Her image made the river smile),