The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-20

ter resting on the Druldcal affairs in the
interval, were distributed among the peo-
pie as a sacred and holy plant, the Druids
crying, 1.-The mstletoe for the new year
Many were the superstitions attaching
to this plant Among the latter day charms
associated with it, when suspended in a
bunch in the servants hall, was the trad-
tionary and flvorite observance of kissing
the maids under its branches, the sunersti
ton prevailing that the maiden who missed
being heartily Kissed under her mistlatoe
al Christmas would forfeit her chance of
early matrmony and certainly not to mar
ried in the ensuing twelve months.
HAULING THE YULE LOG.
medieval observance which always fol-
lows the gathering of holly and mstletoe
was the cutting and hauling home of the
Yule log. The favortc Yule log was
cross grained block of elm, or the rugged
| root Of a tree OF fantastic and grotesque
, form. and this was drawn home to the
Kitchen, or great hall. with the same mer-
rymakng that attended the gathering OF
the holly. Before the GROWING event Of
klndling the Christmas log from the
charred remains of its predecessor of the
year before, there were sports in plenty to
| be performed
Outlines these logs were directed to be
provided by the lords OF the manor. The
| furnishing of Christmas logs was a form
o. tenure; thus the cellaIist of st. Ed
mundsbury held under the abbey the ma =
| nor of Hardwick and was bound BY the
conditions of his title TO provide annually
! four Christmas stocks. each OF eight feet
i'll length.
| Formerly tho members of the family and
| guests sat down in turn on the Yule log f:
the throne OF the master OF the reyels;
! sang a Yule song and drank TO a merry
Christmas and happy New Year. As part
OF their feast Yuie dough or Yule cakes
were consumed These bore impressed liz
ures in the shape Of an image; sometimes
they were made In the form of an infant
/ nor was the manger overlooked
Another employment for the log ere its
conilagration. was provided by the old
Christmas gambol OF draWinS "Dun out
Of the mire,' an ancient Institution often
mentioned. The Yule stock drawn into
the middle of the floor, became Dun. the
cart horse" for the noGce; the cry was
| raised that he had stuck in the inre Two
| of the company, with or without ropes.
advanced to extricate Dun. After yari
Gus real aud feigned exertions they called
for more help. until all present were
mixed mp in the rough and tumble exer-
ton. The fun arose from the horseplay
OF the revelers falling about. and con
irving to roll or drop the log on each
others toes. This was kept up with
hearty enjoyment until. the fun being
| exhausted Dun was drawn out"
THE SINGERS AND THE WATTS.
The carol singers and waits" were a
regular feature Of the day. The former
visited the homes of the rich ana filed
the winiry air with their music. while the
waits" performed on musical instru-
ments, and were largely employed for
the Christmas plays and kindred amuse.
ments, Those who were not enployed
went from house to house dressed I'm gro
tesque costumes and received Gifts of
money for their performances
The regular watohmen als1 went ahout
shouting out Christmas verses and ever,
one MAS expected to show appreciation ne
dropping coin into the box carried bv tbs
rhymer for that particular purpose.
or course, the Christmas dinner was tbc
leading feature of the day. and the h.,
land owner was expected to entertain an ~
MS tenants and neighhors from daybreol,
10 midnight. The first dish to be placed
on the table was the boar's head and
great state and ceremony marked This
service. Musicians and trumpetars lad
the procession. in which there were h,,ntsN
men with long spears and pages with
drawn swords. Carols were intonea ss
tue procession moved into the dinIny
room and psalms we're chanted for IN
some Ingenious way the olden time neo-
PIC oohhected the boar's head religiousy
WIN the oslsbrstiou Of the Holy NATIVITY.