Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-01-07

brought into more friendly and intimate
contact with their masters than at any
other time Of the year. Throughout
Scandinavia, Germany and Austria the
peasants are accustomed to erect in
front Of their cottages on Christmas
day q pole 70 which is fastened a large
sheaf Of oats or corn for the benefit Of
the little birds, while in many districts
grain Is spread outside on the Doorstep
! and window stills on the evening Of Dec.
"a. The Albanians. the Montenegrins
and in fact nearly all the races of the
southeast OF Europe, irrespective Of
creed or nationality, make Q point of
distributing their drst large Christmas
meal cake among the cattle, after hay-
ing broken IL on the horn Of an or,
while during the siege Of Paris, whom
each soldier Of the beleaguering Ger
man army managed to have his little
Christmas tree, however scant OF poor.
set up on Christmas eve in remembrance
OF the lovet oncs at home, nearly every
trooper made a point Of leading up his
horse to see his tree and to receive his
masters ration of bread in honor Of the
occasion.
Only in certain districts Of southern
Italy and in the isle of Man arc cxcep-
tions to be found to this rule. Thus in
Calabria 1t 10 customary among the
peassntxy ut Christmas time to place
cake upon . table and TO drive the oxen
around it, those who attemps to taste
tho food beirg slaughtered on the spot.
In tho isle Of Man the cruel pastime
KNOWN ~ "huntisg the wren," and
which date bsck to pagan times, is
slill pxaotioed every Chsistmas morning,
al 10 ullagees turning one every
q armed With two stioks-ope for
beating the bushss and che other -
theOwin0 Ct Ne bisd2 The origin Oh
custom b TO y founA In che Legend -
eordinG TO wAich There formerly lived
81 ~ isis Of Aaa very bssutifnl fairy
who eKsscisea great influence ovsr tho
male population BY mean Of her voice,
entiei0g tbGn into the 50 where they
wese AsOwne4- - knS did This ocntiuue
that fears wsxV entertained that the is.
land would 10 dspOpulsted. Eventually.
however. . knight Grant q King Ar
thurs Round Table appeared upon the
soens, end -. having discovered .
nsns Il overcoming the fAiry's cham.
pressed her % hard with . plot for her
destruction that she could only nave
herself BY taking Tho form Of . wren.
While she wa In this form . spell was
cast upon her which compelled her to
assume the tird's form on each Christ
mas day and decYeed that she should nj
timately Idle by human hands, hence
the cruel hunting Of the wren is kept
up, and after the birds have been killed
the children place them on ivy bushes
and carry them around in procession.
But it is in France, especially in the
western and southern portions thereof,
that the peasants mfde a point Of intro
ducing their domestic animals into the
celebration of Christmas not only at
home, but also at church, on the ground
that the poor creatures having partici-
pated in tho Joy OF mankind at the
birth Of Christ should participate in the
annual con.memorasion Of the event.
Thus in Brittany oattle and sheep may
be said 10 form part II tho congregation
that attends tho quaint yet thoroughly
reverent mass performed In most Of tho
churches u ths ssacoasl villaocs on
Ohristsnas ~. On tho night side q tho
altar . bower Il constructed Of fragrant
pine and Ar branches, with great bunch
@ Of crimson bexYied bollies and missile.
TOO glistenina among The verduro. On
der thin CANOPY there stn the most
beautiful maiden q tho VILLAGE her
hair falling On hsf loose white gar
msnts, while In hes axms thefs xeposes .
young infant Beside her stands . young
man wsas1ns : eold embroidered yobe
and leaning On . stad. while IN on, .
donkey and four shccp quietly munch
corn from = couple Of managers. Az
soon a the gospel has been read .
small chor.ster concealed In the GARD
board figure Of . rooster begins to chant
the verses, For TO us q child d born
imitating cloverly at the close Of each
the Of q chanticleer. The
deep bass voice Of another grown up Choir
lister hidden somewhere in the ar branch
bower above described ''l0ws'' the re-
Spouse Of "UbiE;kkWhere). which sounds !
= II IL proceeds from the or. A tenor
chorister concealed NJ the sheep bass
the word "Dethlehcm." and then oil
baritone voice, apparently proceeding
ne DONKEY. bsavs ~xamas'' (lse
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