New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-01

was used as a support for what was then the areess
telescope in the world. To come from these olden
glories straight down to the glores OF today' Ut
rather Of tomorrow, there will be May-p0e, ana no
doubt good one. at the fair for the Actors Fund OF
America which will be opened at the Madison square
Ga ren tomorrow.
May parties and May poles may drag on do
generate existence, but the morris-dance Is gone.
The name well perhaps something OF me nature
Of this dance was ay esrdr 9 f Il as was
danced about the English May poles chiefly repreienteia
characters from the legends ana Gsilaas oi n' on,
fesvity OF which 1t formed part was In many Slsss
the Of archery IN w esde SoV the hero
himself Haa M W Sa s&y as aSS
Frar Tuck Then there was the fool with his bauble;
there were musicians with Pnss ma fooeo at TO
hide the fact that the two legs which were all he pre-
tended to own really belonged to his rider But he
pranced and cuIvetled rarely for all that ,0,ow y,
which there was reproduction In steevens's shake
spcarc. 1t represents the familiar characters OF me
be easily distinguished Maid Marian. at the bottom,
S a as T e oa Of hs the WSoas IN
Lord Tenny sons play, THE Foresters' In the
picture Of the hobby horse the dagger stuck In inS
cheeks Of the rider indicate trick OF uggery whlch
he IS performing. The object in the horses mouth .
is ladIe for collecting money This wind9w also
Perhaps word ought to be said Of the celebration
sweeps used TO go about in little parties In fantastic
dn -se two OF them being finely clothed as the Lord
and Lady Of the May. one OF the party was aihost
hidden In Of geenery and called Jack In the
Green. Another, In the later days Of the custom
pnntOmme. These companies went about the streets,
danced for the amusement OF the spectators, coected
money and enjoyed the day much as possible
generally. Dickens laments the decay OF this custom
in one OF the " Sketches by Boz"
OF some parts Of New England Of which the writer has
found no trace elsewhere. This was the hanging OF
: May baskets. May basket was highly decorated
affair. made usually Of interviewer strips OF colored
paper and filled with flowers something else OOH
ceived to be desirable. II was hung on doorknob
in the evening, and the hanger of II must run away
before his knock could be answered for the name OF
the sender supposed TO be great secret The
proper time for the ceremony the eve Of May day.
hut ii permitted at any time in the first part OF
the month OF May. There seems Ia be In the custom
n remnant OF st. Valentines Day which has strayed
into later part of the year.
The May parties, the poles. the queens and the NOR
rfSdance the most important of tho features
which distinguished the celebration Of this happy
day. There many and many lesser customs. some
OF them most interesting ana amusing, but they can.
not find place in general treatment OF the subject
~ this. In writing OF May Day there Is a powerful
temptation 10 quote poetry. IL has been resisted al.
together here because nearly every poet who has
written In English has written on this subject. *
quotations begun there would be end Of them.
and there must be end of everything. even OF the
delights Of such day.