The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-29
MISCELLANY.
Christmas In Foreign Lands.

In Burgundy, carols are exceedingly
popular. Indeed, not more cherished
is the Germans Christmas tree, with its
glittering ornaments, and the Christ
child, or the Englishman's red holly
berries, mystic mistletoe, blazing
hearth fire and smoking plum pudding,
than are the ditties sung, all through
Advent, until Christmas eve, by the
good folk of that province. Preside
gossip mingles with the quantity
worded praises of "the little Jesus"
Bagpi pes drone in the village streets.
The strolling minstrel is always ac-
counted welcome addition 10 the
neighborly hearthside gatherings, and
when Christmas eve is past, the piper
makes the round of the houses, whence
he fails not to issue with many COM
pliment, as we'll as some small coin, by
way of reward for the playing of his
uncouth and shrill-sounding tunes.
Tea and chesnuts provide refresh
ment up to Christmas eve; then, big
supper is furnished forth 10 as many as
can assemble under one roof. Burn
ing brands support the huge Suehe or
Yule-l log, which is believed, by the
small fry of Burgundian humanity, to
fetch in its wake delectable shower
of sugar pums. Therefore are these
little people as quiet as their super
abundance of vitality will permit
for they know that, if good, something
nice will be found TO reward them, in
their slippers or wooden shoes, on the
morrow.
On the score of noise and hilarity,
the grown up folk atone for all def
ciencies of the youngsters. "NoelI'
"Noe !" echoes and re-echoes every
where until the midnight mass is said .,
to attend which the pious carry dimin'
utive, partl col tapers, amid't the
jubilation of the Ginning church bells.
In Sweden. when, at their brightest,
the ourOae Dor dles make scntillate
their crimson la chlous, which rend the
golden skv curtain to let one see the
purple fleets of cloudland pass in ali
| enchanting procession before the silver
| blink of the stars, then do the peasants
dance on the straw in honor of Yule-
| tide, and rustic damsels throw straw at
the roof timbers to ascertain, by the
number of straws sticking thereon,
how many groomsmen will 8 and be-
ensuing year. Songs and tales, nuts
and gi eat Yule-cake, cheese crowned,
apple and SIT at the base for
the three-branched Christmas candle
stick, are all objects of Importance as
Swedish Yule-tide festivities
In a country not far from where "the
two spirits of the globe, the magnetic
and the electric" according to Niche
let, do nightly hold in carnival the po-
lar circle, the poor Ics landers are al
lowed, as a rare treat, to have bread to
eat with their Christmas mutton and
milk porridge.
In Southern Lapland, should the
householder neglect to provide an
ample store of fuel for the seasons
need, in popular belief the Disguised
Yule-swains, or Christmas COLLINS, Wi!
30 befoul the wood pile that there shsl
be no getting at its contents. There
also, it is, that the girl who wishes
nuptially speaking, to learn her fate
places q table in the center of vacan
chamber, and on it two glasses-tht
one of water, the other of brandy
then, taking broom, she must sweet
the room three times carefully. agalns
the sun; and if she is to enter thu
married state, her future husband viii
appear before she completes the thirt
round, and drink from the water glass
if sober man, or from the brandy tun
bier, if he be drunkard. Again, if {
Laplander at Christmas, before retir
ing, pu Is off his boots and filings then
over his left shoulder, he shall know
from the shoes pointing towards thu
door, whether ga long journey o
death" will be his portion during thu
new year; but if on the other hand, th'
boot toes turn in ward, he can feel assur
ed of another twelve-month's lease o
his present existence.-Harper's Tia
BILE Talk.