The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-19
MTSTLE-TOE IN WICHITA.

AS brief time as ten years ago mistle-
toe, when seen in Wichita. consisted OF a
meagre twig of dilapidated berries. sent
by some friend in the east TO some
| Wichita acquaintance. Oklahoma was
not yet open and mistle-toe. OF course.
does not grow on the Kansas
prairies But with th0 opening of Okla
homa mistle-toe becamep ientiful here
during the holiday season, as IL is today.
The use of the mstle-toe in our Christ
mas festivities is generally conceded TO
| be a survival OF Druidic ceremonial.
Looking back now We can see that 10
this worship of the mistletOe and the
wonderful cures the Druids effected by
means of it was due much of the veuera-
tion in which they themselves were held.
To them it was OF divine origin, one OF
the tightening plants. possessing powers
FOR healing and curing disease that gave
it the name of 'cure OF all ills" or ";he
all-heal." Not only was the oak on
which it grew held sacred. but the very
birds that carried the seed were suppos-
ed to be the messengers OF the gods, or
even gods themselves; the birds carrying
the seeds most frequently was looked
upon as most highly favored OF the gods
and received the name OF the thistle
thrush" The ceremonial rites connected
with the worship OF the mistletoe were
performed on a scale OF great msgnifi-
cence, in the sacred month of December.
during the feast that ushered in the new
year. This was called in Great Britain
the Nauihuilig. which. in the Irish Ian
guage. is still the name for Chris.mas
and scenes 20 come from a Celtic word
meaning The new all-heal,' or ''the new
miscle,oe"
The time for the beginning Of these
rites was announced by the priests. who
went about shouting outside The houses.
New an-heal: re wall-heal.' or. The
new year is at hand: gather the mistle-
toe" In Brittany the cry was 'kal."
"tne first day OF the year" or "Gui. >"
which meant tnat the holy ceremony OF
"Gui" or "mistietos'' of the new year
was about 20 begin. In either case the
cry vas followed by the congregating o,
the people ia great crowds. 70 follow the
priests in solemn procession. as al went
into the woods 20 search for the sacred
plant. Two white bulls were taken FOR
sacrificial purposes, while the three mozi
ancient pO1tifTs carried. respectively, a
bowl ~ bread. vine and Ezter. and
hand 0s ivory attached % a wand. this
representing power and justice. Il must
have been an imposing procession. with
the ancient poa;iffs in fuH ceremonial
costume leading the way. followed oy the
baris and priests o. variogs ranks. eaca
in he costume of his order. and foIlox-
ing rhess ne people. al eager 20 find the
mystic plant thaE was panscea sgains:
all lis and the true source % happiness
20 all VINO could possess Il.
waen il VAS found. especially T. on he
sacred oak, loud shouts o. tsy snnounc-
e5 its discovery. and Z. then became ne
duiy. as Esa a. the privilege. % ne
pres; higheSs IN authority. = ascend the
tree and cut the r1szTietoe- IN Brittany
he tree from Ehich Il = AIKEN mus -
a. least tat-ry years Old The prizes;
Whose duty >; Kss "a perform this ME
xss all IN white. save To- garland -
oak leaves that adorned his aea3 His
hair vas sao-i. Dot his b@ari Ess ionz.
and ssring q Tsiie gas 3ezts bgrz
round he n=ck- HIS roe zzs ot pure
whs.e lneu. reaching from iae ss3a,1e-
% me ankle. one sise f0lie3 0ger in front
and fastened by loo2 ana o5.ton = shs
sscai5er. T1s sleeves Ser@ open on ihe
upper ssde. siso sing xhite jake x.sTn
an4eTassih. Nhies hsi iig5s s,e@r=s z8'h
cuffs cai IN g1iais and ;asBe3 - AZ ghe
xEists. he ErTe rae mysterious egg
without Saica g. ceremonial rig5as acre