The Washington times., 1894-12-23


that fact was condemned to its present form,
and that the earth. recognizing the justice of
the curse upon the plant, re used TO n0uriSh
it. or, indeed, even TO permit its roots 10 PEN
etrate its soil. hut through the eonnivance of
the evil one, who for his purpose used that
bird known i'll England as the m stletoe
thrush, the seed were deposited on the high
branches OF the forest trees, where Satan,
who IS said to have power over the air,
caused them to germinate.
When plucked on the eve of st. John and
hung up in the window it is believed in some
parts o. England 10 be an infaiIible protection
against witches. evil spirits. and phantoms. as
well as again storms and lightning A small
sirlg worn around the neck. provided the
bough from which il has been cut has not
been allowed to touch the sround destroys
the power of witches. Nor must | forget to
mention that in addition to its many other
virtues it has the power, so it is said, to open
all locks, but honest reader, do not pray
you,
BETRAY THIS FEARFUL SECRET
to any of your burglariously inclined ac-
quaintances, else all of onr valuables will be
at their mercy. and The locksmith will be with
out an occupation.
The berries, when prepared in particular
manner and plucked at the proper season.
if swallowed before retiring on Christmas
Eve wi ] cause dreams of ones future des-
tiny, including, oil course, the coming wife or
husband. In Germany it is the narentaken,
or branch OF spectres, which confers upon
It's possessor the power to see ghosts; and a
finger ring made OF its wood is an antidote
for every kind OF poison. and the ounce of
prevention aS well as the pound OF cure for
all the ills. in the form OF sickness, that poor
human esh Is heir to.
Now l have tried 10 mention some OF the
most ipfgrf%tinUr VthS and Suuargfif that
have for 80 many ages been told and believed
by the credulous masses regarding This pecu-
liar little plant hut perhaps the strangrsi of
all IS one that deals with the baDils OF the
plant itself. aGd is neither myth nor Il super
stition. 4 he mistletoe is a parasite that
grows only on the hich brauche- of large
forest trees in this locality. he black gum
seems to be us lavorite abiding place. Il has
long been puzzle to DO auists and natdral-
ists. and tie question how the seed 5 depos-
ited IS still an open one. In one particular it
differs from al other known plants, which IS
that it wri grow npsffe down.
Ordinary rerd, ii placed III the soil In an
inverted position. Will sand It's radi,ie
roots around 1t hai! circle until il ga.ns
point 10 strike S raght down into the earth,
while its stem will maze the curve in the Op-
pOste direction seeking for the sun light.
Row. the seed OF our eccentric little plaut, IL
placed on the lower side oi IL high bough. viii
NE4Nt Il0 IdtiiCit up ~ tllt ttliLF- Oi
the bough lie its branches grow toward the
earth. and let il he place en- either side or on
top OF the limb it still sends rs rooIs To the
center aud its branches in the opposite direc
ton, forming golden wrea around the
boUSh that il has selected or its future heme.
But to return to our original subject
MISSING UNDER TIE MIsTLEToE
while it is difficult to trace Its origin tn ere is
not the least doubt that it was deservediy
popular one and still retains its hold. OF the
recent English poets none have shown more
pleasure in depicting the festivities OF Christ
mas in rural Britain than Eliza Cook. and In
the following song she tells far better in
poetry than can be told in prose what should
take place under the mistletoe:
Under the mstlotoe, pa1rly and green,
Meet the KIND lips OF the young ana the old;
Under the m;stlet0e hearts may po seen
Glowing as though they hau never been cold
Under the mistletoo peace and good will
Mingie the 81 irits thai long have reen twain:
Leaves OF the olive branch tTine with il STILL
While breathinss OF hope I'LL the loGd carol
strain
Yet why should this holy and festival mirth
In tie reign OF old thristmas-tide only be
Hang up the mistletoe over the earth
And let Us kiss under II all the year round"
"All the year round may seem TO be going
it rather strong and perha! would be rather
too much OF n gooi thing. but let US keep up
the good old custom. however, at this happy
season OF the year, for 1t is emInently worth
preserving, especially wben sweet and lovely
girl IS in the question. and every one will
agree that its antiquity should De bona lor
its respectayiiiy. But ii you should be so
unfortunate as not to have the mistletoe
there are many substitutes that will answer
the pul pose Just as well for kissing is kissing
all the world over and there is no very log
ical reason why kiss beneath a bunch of
! holiy-berres should net be rs sweet as one un-
der the mistletoe. In fact, have heard it stated
Isby persons VINO, am sure, spoke from ex-
| perieDce, that the sweetest of all kisses was a
| kiss under the rose.
Loki the evil one, is n thing of the past, and
death should no longer. during this jovial
| season, be associated with the mistletoe, nor
| will it he. for the hand of that mischievous
but amiable little god, capricious Cupid. now
| holds the bow that speeds the deadly shaft,
| but yet the saucy goblet VIII cause many a
gallant heart to surely feel "a pain that is not
| all Il pain. and many sturdy knight will
| fall as Baldur fell, pierced by tho mistletoe.
| There viii. however, he the same hope of re-
suscitation, for 1t will only be falling dead in
love.
| In the olden times and in foreign countries
j
people were generally arranged and superin-
tended by Their legal guardians, so the bride
| and groom had little else to do on this i'm
portant occasion than play hide and seek.
But here in our day it is altogether different,
| for the most interested parties generally
manage their own love affairs, and with the
wisdom that experience gives, fully realize
the many difficulties. disappointments and
uncertainties Of the courtship, ana the tanta-
| lizing hopes aud fears and heart-burnings OF
long engagement. Perhaps that is the
reason, though very unromantic
| one, that nowadays we never
hear of the bride hiding away
| f,om her lord on the wedding day. and. al
though her trunk is generally an important
feature of the occasion, and frequently men,
toned in descriptions OF these affairs, have
nowhere read perhaps 1t is because it is
generally everlowing.with other things-but
1 have nowhere read in our times OF the
| bride. with or without mist'etoe, hiding her.
self away in her trunk. SO think it is per-
fectly sae to say to the explorers in the old
garrets of the future, "You need not discon-
tinue your explorations for fear of discover
| ing brides skeleton mouldering in IN old
oaken chest" CHARLES FARMAR BILLoPP.
Tan Shoes at Weddings.
| Tan shoes md STOCKINGS were worn nv ths