Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-01-01
NEW YEAR PORTENTS
ANCIENT sUPERSTITIONS REGARDING
THE WEATHER.

The IWelvC Lays SucceeulnR OnrlDs1nes
Supposed to Be Indices For tho Ensuing
Year-Curious Customs and Beliefs Of
Many Lands.
The 12 days from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6
have long been recognized as indices OF
the weather during the following year.
The ancient texts referred to distinctly
assert this, Sanscrit proverb running
thus, ''rhe IL nights are an image OF
the year. Another text from the same
sources evidently refers to he,same Pc
riod, "The Rhibhus (storm demons)
sleep for ~ nights and days in the
house of the sun god Savitar. !"
In northern Germany it is said that
as the weather is during each OF the IL
days, SO it will be during the CORE
spending months of the year to,come.
A like belief exists to this day in Lam
cashire and Northamptonshire, Eng
land, and very old writer (159O) re-
cords the current notion in his day that
the 10 days served as an index of the
coming years weather. 1t was said i'll
one English port that if the wind blew
hard on the fifth night Dec. 30), ships
at sea would be in great peril the COM
ing year.
The inhabitants of the Vosges noun
tains restrict this prophesying period to
that of our holidays, from Christmas to
New Years, and are willing only to
say that these Elk days indicate the
character of the weather for the succeed
ing six months.
In one part of our own country it is
said that s'the first three days Of Janu-
ary rule the coming three months, :"
while in another place the IL days are
said to be the 'keys of the year.
OF New Years day itself we have
the authority Of very old weather
prophet-the author of the Shepherds 3
Kalendar for the generally ominous
portents to be drawn from the weather
on that day, ''H New Years day in the
morning open with dusky red clouds, it
denotes strife and debates among the
great ones and many robberies that
year, More recently it is said OF this
day, eff the morning of New Years
day is red, it portends foul weather and
great need" While Of the second day
Of the year it is said, Gas the weather
is this day, so it will be in September. +"
In the Book of Presidents" (prece-
dents). 1914, Jan. 1, 2, 8, 4 and are
set down as unlucky days. Another
chronicle says: "January.-0 this first
month, the opening day, and seventh,
like a sword will slay. -
The first day Of the year is often re-
Rarded as the proper time to make GER
tain divinations with reference to many
events affecting the future. In North
amptonshire the master of the family
then tempts fate by opening the Bible
with his eyes shut and obtaining from
the passage first touched with his finger
some indication of the events Of the
coming year.
Among the Wends young maidenl
hasten the advent of the chosen husband
by going to the henhouse on New Years
eve, striking the perch right among the
hens, while repeating to themselves
the following doggerel:
If cackles the hen,
You will have man;
If cackles the hen,
Who knows when?
Certain observances are supposed tC
obtain luck for the year following. Ii
one part of modern Greece all in the
house 90 out early New Years morn
ing. then return to the dwelling bearing
each q branch on which the leaves are
we'll dried. These are cast on the oper
fire, each wishing at the same time
good luck to the family. The drier thu
leaves, the greater the flame and the
better the augury.
In the north of England new clothes
are nut on for luck the first day OF tht
year.
An odd ceremony is recorded Ct ont
locality in England. Bands Of straw
were put under the feet on New Year,
day while at table. When the meal wa
finished, one person got under the tabl'
and another one sat on his back ant
drew out the bands Of straw. Thes
were taken to the orchard and bouns
round trees, which were thereby insure'
to bear full crop cf fruit the max
T year.