New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-06
ADAY OF BEEF AND WINE.
ST. MARTIN AND MARTINMAS.
A STORY OF A CLOAK AND STORY OF MULE
OLD GALATIANS OLE TILE TINE.

A STORY OF A CLOAK AND STORY of MehE-
OLD CUSTOMS OF THE TINE.
There are many saints whose memories have long
uved yreen and will much longer live 50 because OF
the poetic beauty Of the stories told OF their lives anu
acts and the delicate humor With wheh they nave
sometimes emphasized their plety, ana winch appeas
for them more strongly in the minds OF some VINO no
them in admiration than whole lives OF sei'ueini
and aims giving. One such Is 81. Maruh' Ills nc
pleases those who have mind 10 SAINT capapie y.
touching seltsacrlce and also Of harmless JOKE ana
his day Is one OF solid good cheer. IL Is no "oauer
that he should be popular. He IS one OF the Saints
who are honored by having their days designated oy
names ending In "mas." Ills day comes this "een oh
Friday and Is called Martnmas.
The best known story about st. Martin and aose'he
the preie. Is that Of the beggar with whom ne Ill
vidcd his cloak. lie had nothing else TO give nii''
so he cut his cloak in two with LIS sword and gave
him half OF It, AT night the Christ appeared 10 MN
attended By angels and told him that 1T was Himself
with whom he had divided his garment, telling the
angels Also that 1t was this holy man VINO had niu
compassion on the poor beggar. This cloak was long
kept In France, and II used to BE- borne before the
French monarchs In battle an assurance OF success
II Is to be noted that the French for this cloak Is
chape and the place where 1t WAS kept was called
n chapele and the keeper OF It chaplain, whence 1t
has been said the familiar words derived. Chapel
and chaplain may be connected with chape, but IL Is
not necessary suppose that the reference is solely
10 the cloak Of st. Martin
He was Il soldier when that happened, and that was
how ne happened to have sword. He did not care
for military affairs. Probably the only reason why he
ever had anything to do with them was that he was
the son OF a Roman military tribune. Aiterward he
was made Bishop OF Tours, and that was calling
more to his liking lie most jealous In II, and
tore down many pagan temples and built churches In
their stead. Then another incident befel him. less
poetic than the former. but more amusing. He was
once going toward Rome on foot when he met satan,
who jecred at him for walking, when he ought to
ride In a manner worthy Of bishop. ST. Martin
thereupon changed Satan himself into mule and
jumping on his back rode comfortably along When
he went too slow the saint made the sign OF the
cross and the mule eoaded to greater efforts At
last the Satanic mule, thoroughly weary, exclaimed:
sigma sigma tenerc ME tangb ct angis;
Roma tbi subtle motibus hit amor.
This Is said TO mean Cross myself thyself !;
you trouble and annoy me needlessly BY my exer-
lions you will soon core To Rome, the object OF your
desire" This must be regarded n decidedly free
translation, and II will take acute Latin scholar to
get that out Of IT, 1t is 10 be feared that with all his
wellknown learning. Satan In this case allowed his
desire make two lines each Of which should read
the backward and forward. these do to over
the absolute correctness Of his Latin.
Il IS probable that some OF the Observances ap
proprlatc to Martinmas originally belonged TO feast
OF Bacchus held mt about this time. II was Them
the continent Of Europe. that the new wine was
first tasted and day OF joviality was the natural
result. Geese also sacrificed plentifly, rs in
England Mlchaclmas Brands popular Antqul-
ties" quotes an old calendar which says OF the 18th
Of November Wines are tasted and drawn from
the Ices. The Ninalia. feast Of the ancicnts re
moved TO this day. Bacchus In tho figure OF Martin"
In England the day was more sacred 10 beef.
Catt!r used then 10 be- killed for the winters meat
and MnrtlcnaS beef mean, beef dried I'm the chimney
IKE bacon In the north Of England several Of the
poorer families used To Join together IN buying "A
or some other animal to be killed at this time. II
wns little enough meat the poor people OF England
get such animal this called IA mart,
a word which might easily enough be derived from
Martin. but which has also been thought to refer TO
the mart market at which IL was bought. But Mt
any rate great dccacy used 20 be produced by
taking out the cntrails. stunlng them with kind OF
sausage meat. tying them into small links and boil
ing them. The result dcnomlnated black pudding.
II was a yard OF this same blncI pudding. IL Will be
remembered that the Old ardentJy desired
I'm the nursery story OF The Three WisheS.'
-. Martin has yet more pretty claim 70
nfcctiOnate memory. In France the few warm and
pleasant days which commonly occur AT about this
lime and are known here Indian summer are
called the summer OF It. Martin. And then. when
IN old feels return Of youthful araor and Of
love. that IN French is the summer OF St. Martin,