Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-01-09


sweets" or coin.
Perhaps this custom is observed
with greatest vigor in the Hebrides,
the Highlands and in the Shetland
Islands. In the latter, ut Lerwicls,
the children and youths prepare for
the day for weeks in advance The
most fantastic and outrageous cos
tunes are invented The elder ones
taking part in the bacchanal are
called "Guizers" and the lads and
lasses ''Peerie Guizers" or little dis
guised ones. They learn some fine
carols, but most of their songs are OF
the veriest, local doggerel. Attired IN
their weird costumes they proceed
from house TO house, shouting as they
enter:
Hogmanay,
Trollolay,
Give us your white bread,
And none OF your gray
In Lerwiclz they arc accompanied by
musical instruments, ind agreeable
music is often furnished. They are
invariably offered refreshments: dane.
ing and other amusements are INDUCED
in, for there are always crows await
ing them at each house and they are
often given money at their departure.
This is kept up through the entire
night, varied by the explosion OF fire.
crackers and rockets, and the drag
ging through the narrow old streets
of the quaint old Dutch-built town of
numberless blazing tar barrels.
Probably nowhere in all the world is
Christmas time more thoroughly OBJ
served and enjoyed than in England
In whatever else the English people
are changing, of the peerlessness of
this time and hour there can be no
doubt. True, England can no longer
boast of her royal Christmas masques,
| costing often quarter of million of
our money, and the court Lord Of Mis-
rule is parsonage of the past. But
royal and noble gluttony, guz cling
and licentiousness have given place to
Christian tenderness and almost regal
opulence in help to humankind.
Whatever may be the shortcomings
in general of the English nobility they
should be credited with splendid muni-
ficence at this time of the year. The
whole area of their dependencies is
blessed and frightened during the
Christmas holiday season. 1t began
away back in Elizabeth's reign. In
1889 there was such a crush at the
royal maSque that an order was
issued to the gentlemen of Suffolk
and Norfolk, directing them to leave
London before Christmas and give their
attention to keeping Christmas in their
respective residences. 1t Is an inviola-
bic social rule of the nobility TO this
day. Whenever English gentlemen s
or noblemen's families may be during
all the rest of the year. they are at
their country seats and castles at
Christmas.
This manor house sends its folks and
servants TO that one; or the gentlemen
from dozen congregate at another
With the gentlemen shooting, coursing
or athletic gares, and with the ladies
gracious calls upon tenants or each
other, with most brilliant intercourse
and always devout attendance at the
little parish churches, rule the sweet
and genial day. Great state marks
this going and coming over the crisp
country roads At the castles il is the
same. save that the retinues are greater.
the fensts more tremendous, and
more respect is paid to proprieties
and form But it may truly be said
that there is not n dependent, a tenant
or tradesman, and not human being
suffering from sickness or poverty dis
covera bic in the neighborhood of these
people of quality, who is not gener-
ously remembered, practically aided
and tenderly succored by this class at
Christmas lime. Politically we may
abuse its members at will; but this Gus
tom makes better Christmas for them
/ nj fhn xxnrll ha Atla,, N,,1atila
of wassail aud debauchery that ever
was known.
Many of the olden English Christmas
customs are truly disappearing, and
good riddance to them. But there is
not one sweet or good old thing or
custom which has not been retained
Roast beef, plum pudding, Christmas
pies and buns, snapdraggons with the
mistletoe and holly, are all cherished
with olden zest and zeal. Even the
boar's head. decorated with rose
mary or pricliy holly is still brought
in at thousands of English Christmas
boards. The mummers are nearly
gone, and only linger, feeble re-
minder of their former paganisms, in
remote districts of Devonshire and
Cornwall.
The Yule-log may be today found in
more English homes than in the Tudor
Christmas times, and no home is so
poor in England that the glowing
Christmas tree we have all borrowed
from Germany may not be found
within it. The Christmas bells of En-
gland chime truer and swecter than
ever. have sometimes wondered il
one could lind a SPOT ON English soil
where their tuneful voices could not
be heard. Much has been written of
English carols in the vein of
their having disappeared. So
they have, those of incxprcssi-
BILE grossness and ribaldry that
were common from the fourteenth
century TO the eighteenth. Bnt in
their place. from Pcprith in old Cum
berland To Pcnzaccc in Cornwall, there
may now hc heard throughout all Eng
land, from Christmas eve TO Christmas
morn. such sweet aud tender words as
those of In the East Gray Light"
.Hark. the Herald" "Hark, What
News" "Hail, Smiling Morn!' attaned
TO noble song
The Christmas of England, and for
that matter of all Britain. and our own
Christmas are blending into one Prot
estant and Catholic. puritan and prude.
are get ing upon common ground in
adapting and preserving all that is
best IN Christmas in all lands. Church
and home sanctuaries glow with radi-
ance less and less dimmcd by rambling
, wars Of creeds; while Christian human
, ity gathers closer with its ..rong and
tender clasp the poor ard the aesolatc
, Mt every recurring and blessed festival
of the birth of our Lord.
EDGAR l.. WAKEMAx.
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