The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-12-26
CHRISTMAS IN ALL 1IA.3.
SOME. ODD WAYS AND CUSTC
or OLD SANTA CLAUS.
THE STAR OF The EAST IN RUS 5.A


mas Customs % Armenia ! nat
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WIN ii"'''.
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SANTA VI '.' ''''''.'
showerlH. dehght ana happiness ~ wa
Dpoplc of 1innron. lands. But While
.ba ,,.,,- ,,..- lac different the result is
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the Saue' an" P", 'l' 49,.
to men rCighS wherever tue No''Ii"'
nf Christianity has been taught
p,s,io j. nartirulor,, rcplete with old
- ,I,, ,,or, ,ribos
which 90 10 make up rhc great nation
ep;ov The season in Il way which puts
10 the lie the popular belief that the
peosautry Of Russia are miserable,
characterization race. If they have troubles
.tr..i, ~. roroo, tb,m vbcn
'uu ''i'''''''-''' '"'. - AL ano no
Christmas comes around ana are ~
light-hcarted ana merry as an. people
on earth
The Star of the East is the pre-emi-
ncnt symbol of Christmastide in the
Ukraine district II can be seen moving
across the SNOW covered hills and roads
Of the Ukraine IN numberlesS professions.
The star is the guide OF hundreds of
childish professions in honor OF the
blessed festival. As soop as midnight Is
near and the blue sky bending above
the snow fields is sown with stars, com
panies Of boys set forth. One marches
at the head with the sacred symbol IN
and mounted on the end of Il stick. The
Transparent nnpcr which couceals thc
candle i. PAINTED with a scene from
Rnthlnhru. 4 Young guard. armed with
a halhord marches beside the holy ikun !
and hohind him trndres another how. car
ryina n small paintcd theatcr on his
hack
AMTISE THE FARM FOLKS.
A. c,.b farm bousc thev halt and ask I
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peru!Hsloh " 5N'
which is usually very simple. y rev pup I
net. representing the three kings, are
shown. and some couplcts are sung about !
the nativity. After the spectacle and ,
songs. the little artists take up a col |
lection,
Ia some sections of the Ukraine the
procession of children is less scored in
character. 4 few boys disguise them
selves as animals. and. held in leash 10y
their companions. giving gTOtesque eu-
TIM stprl< and the hear are flC gTp9 q
lures principally portrayed ana they
sometimes snug comlcai couplelS togG'hc!.
ne Ia "" ,,a,, o 49,, rbmI, family
nsscmhles in gala costumes upon the ,
threshold
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CHOOSING THEIR Bel no HE'D.
Another and a curious christmas night
custom in Russia IS the choosing OF lne
fancee, which might one would thllk,
now and then lead to some serious ms
adventures. On Christmas Eve the gtt
tree is set up III the house OF the chlrl
official Of the neighborhood, and ali
worthy persons in the village are invited.
At Il given time all the unmarried women
leave the festivities ana go ana Jake 'l'if
seats on benches in she'd There heir
faces, arms and shoulders are sWathcl IN
linen. SO as pretty titcctualiy 10 conceal
their identity, and after a time young
peasants are admitted one ny one ia
to the girl from whose brow he lifts the
veil. and the engagement can not hr
broken without the payment by both
lovers of heavy fine To- the village funds
But So odroit are the maidenS in Civ
ing some sign of identity to their SWANS
thar the fines are rarely levied
| = | y D.
A,,,o,i, ,rdip,riIv is nm interesting
'', -, 49,, ,,,,4 :. III ia
place At 'hf'SlllaN liH'' p"' IT WE ''
sad festival for tens of thousands OF enc
ne,nIe of fhis troublp-torn country This
wear
One nf tb. uuinue Christmas customs |
or The rmutry is that practicpd hy the |
young rirls and women They climb to
the Gat roofs of their houses. and, pac- |
inc nlares Of corn cakes in the sun. they |
Wa'Cm a,i tilS o ol,,a,, u hovoring ne,r
If crow nlunges down on piece of |
corn ,osa and flies away ont of sight |
Ny;rH H. rrny in its greedy beak. then |
y.,... ... ... hlDniness is conc for the |
-..,
El. If .l, bird flies only lie way |
and ii,bts cn a neirhboring ,oof then |
il il from beneath thai roo, that she |
rxnIots her husband 10 come. within the |
vna,.
IN SPAIN AND ITALY.
Christmas in the churches of spain and |
nljy Z. always the time for some of those |
wonderful pageants which seem to have |
boon f1rsutpn or ignored elsewhere. |
In Southern Italy in particular the bam- |
hiuo is the object of passionate adoration. |
and the sacr,dness of Christmas sheds its |
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