The morning call., 1892-01-31
The SHADOW
OF A. SHADE.
The Belief in Signs and OmGnS HaS
Been Universal.
Something About Candlemas Day and Its
Origin-What 1t Is Believed Will Happen
If It Rains or Shows on That Day.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL

NlSeSL anu UlUSb CIllhOHb ulCh VI "AA N'iAiS'
have had at least trace of superstition.
DR.. Samuel johnson, the great photographer
and writer, firmly believed in ghosts, and
Charles Dickens, reversing the generally
accepted idea about Friday, regarded 1t as
lucky day and ole which had eXerted
peculiar influence in promoting his success
in life. II is this general belief in a pop
ular omen which makes the second day OF
February a doubly remarkable occasion,
and really the greatest day in the whole
year. Firstly, as the OLD Puritan dlyines
used to say, it is Candlemas day,
one Of the greatest of all the re-
Iigious festivals in the church cal
endar. being second only to Christmas,
for reasons that will presently appear
Secondly, through the instrumentalIty OF
distinguished American citizen VINO, tHoush
his name is familiar to and constantly on
the hps of all his cOmDatrl0ts at TINS Time OF
wear. is practically unknown 10 them so Tar
as his many excellent personal qualities ana
habits are concerned, matters with when
we now propose TO make them better ac-
qualnted Is popularity supposed TO deter-
: mine the all-impOrtant question OF Whether
the bitter winds and bilndlng storms OF
winter are to continue for SIX weeks longer,
or are to be now succeeded by pleasant
spring-hke days.
Concerning the origin OF Candlemas day,
February 2t-One Of the greatest oil relig-
i0us festiVaiS-and the derivation OF us
name there IS still considerable dispute:
Some writer's attribute the institution OF
this feast to Pope GOlasus ! IN 493. DINERS
claim that it was originated by Pope
Nlgiiius in the year J3b, while sui OlleTs
state that il was first celebrated III the year
$40, during the reign Of Emperor JusJlnlan.
Nearly all the fathers of the church agree,
however, that like many other
RELIGIOUS OBsERYANCEs
1t was first designed by the early church
men to replace some heather tesuvity
occurring on or about the same date, and
thus to persuade the newly converted Chris
tIans to abandon an ldolatrous Tor CHRISTIAN
Observance The ancient Romans were ac-
customed 20 celebrate at this time Of year
feast If Pr0serplne, Of which one OF the
most important features was marching IN
procession with burning taperS.
The word February connected with Feb
ruaTel denotes publication, and early IN the
month the Romans performed ceremony
called the publication Of the people. When
the church changed the feast Of PTOserpine
10 Caudiemas 1t retained the procession and
associated the occasion with the publication
Of the virgin mother OF Christ. Bede says:
d" 1t is happy for the church to have changed
the Illustrations Of the heather, held IN the
month OF February around the fields, for
| the procession with hallOwed candles IN re-
membrance Of that divine light wherewith
Christ ilumined the world, whence he
was styled by simeon a l1ht 10
Simeon alluded 10 by Bede was also re-
ferred TO in a proclamation made by Henry
VII in 1889 to the effect that ''On Candle
mas day shall be declared That the bearing
If candles is done in memory Of Christ, the
suirttual light OF whom Simeon did prOph-
esv, MS it is read in the church that day"
| Ills feastis said by some TO take Its name
Of Candlemas from the number OF lighted
candles used in its celebration, while others
claim it is so called because upon tins day
there are sOIemHiy cOnsecTated all the can
dies for the ensuing year.
From the very earliest ages and among all
people this day has been regarded as pro-
phetic of the duration OF winter and as
Sngularly fruitful in omens by which It's
prophecy may be read. All are acquainted
with the popular superstition concerning
the grounding. 1t IS TO the effect that on
the I'd day Of February he energies from
: his hole or burrow,
WHERE HE HAS PASSED THE WINTER.
Until now in letharg state. If the sun
is shining so that he can see his shadow he
retires TO his hole and resumes his slumbeTS
for the ensuing SIX weeks. his doing so being
| an infallble sign that cold weather Will con-
| tinue for that length Of time. If, on the
! contrary, the day Is cloudy and the sun in
/ visible he does not return to his ha0tati0n,
/ thus showing that winter is at an end.
/ Familiar as is this legend, probably few
/ are aware that though the grounding
/ which, by the way, IS not property called so,
/ as we shall see hereafteT-is an animal pc
culiar to America. yet precisely the same
| idea was associated by the ancient Romans,
! as we'll as the old Germanic. Celtic and
| Gallo races, with other animals. and that
/ our grounding belief is no, derived from
/ pagan times like the feast of Candlemas,
/ but has existed since the very infancy OF the
human race.
! There is a German proyerb, certainly as
! old as the German nation, which IS familiar
/ in some form 10 the people Of every Euro
/ pean country to-day, and tells tradition of
/ the badger, which is identical with ours
| of the grOundhOg 1t runs AS follows:
THE badger peeps out OF his hole on Can
! dlemaS day, and when he finds snow walks
! abroad, but if lie sees the sun shining he
| draws back into his hole"
Another old German proverb also we'll
! known to the people OF many other nations
/ in some form, is to the effect that the shop
nerd would rather see the wolf enter his
stable on Candlemas day than the sun. But
that much-talked-of American citizen, the
| grounding, is not a hog at all, as | have
already limited, but a rodent Of the mar
mot family, whose geological name is
ArctOmys monaX, and whose common
name is woodchuck. lie is found.
in all parts OF our country, from
Hudson Bay to South Carolina. and as far
west as the Rocky Mountains, 1t Is mis-
habit Of burrowiug in the ground and the
hog-like vOracity with which he devOurs his
food that have secured for him the appella-
ton of grounding The hole from which
he energies on
CANDLEMs DAY
Is deeply dug in fields, on the sides of hills
or under rocks in woods. This subterra-
mean home is very complete, having several
| apartments and entrances. lie burrows in
| a santng direction-upward at first to keep
out the water
The so-called grounding has all the cum
| ming of the rodent family of which he is so
| honored a member. lie generally prefers
! elevated locations for his home, that he may
| have a clear view Of any danger that may
| approach or threaten him or his AS q
! greater precautlon OF safety while basking
| in the sun or TunnIng about IN search Of
/ food he always makes it q rule TO post some
! of his family or his friends as sentinels or
| guards. These pickets are remarkable and
! never failing in their vigilance,
and their sense ,vs Of hearing ring lis is
CRY Of warning they all instantly take to
| flight Being TOO cunning to retire to their
| hole il there is any chance of being tracked
to it, they conceal themselves among
rocks or underbrush and are very
| careful not to reappear until long after
| all possibility OF discovery has vanished
| Though their flesh is coarse and rank, it is
! sometimes eaten, and their fur is also used.
! They subsist upon plants, fruits and vege-
| tables, being especially fond of certain
! varieties OF clover.
| OF the superstitions, omens and folklore
of Candlemas. or Grounding day, there is a
| great store They pertain not only TO the
| weather, but to many other things besides
| An Old Scottish rhyme, as old as any of the
| Highland clans, thus aludes to this occa-
| sion as an omen Of the further duration of
| winter:
If Candlemas day be dry and fair the half o. win.
ter's to come and MAR;
| II Candemas day be wet and foul the half O. win
ter's gone at Yule
| An old English rhyme deals with the same