Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1902-05-23

The pilgrim along the pathway Of
curious customs thcAearcher after sim
gular obServarcsS. 6n6s many things
TO interest him. Some are great ma
tional festivals with odd rites injected
into their ceremonies. others are
bizarre municira. affairs, others have
lived their life in the past and exist
but as a memory to-day, others are viz
lage or pari,h customs scarce known
beyond the borders of the brief dis
trici OF their observance. but rome have
a prettier legend for their origin and .
more rational elebration In the l,'es-
ent day than the annual charity offer
ing and charity dinner held at Itch
borne. Hampshire. England. on ST.
Cronan's day. January 20. IEyS the st.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
Many years ago At = time not par
ticular.y set forth in the legend. the
story runs. there lived in the manor
house of Tichborne the rough. bear
Ike and uncharitable Sir Roger Itch
borne. lie "a fono of riotOuS living.
card playing. hunting and rough
sports, but had not the saving grace
possessed by So many of his kipd-oc-
casiona. CLEANS OF kindness, charity
and large-hearIcdness. Mean. crafty,
cunning and bruta.. he took particular
delight in irfiicting misery upon the
poor and those over whom he exercised
authority, and he MAS heartily hated
throughout the length and breadth of
Hampshire. His wife. the Lady Ma
ha11a -. ~;
and was as much loved by the people as
her husband WAS ioathed. Kind and
gentle in disposition. her charitable
acts had been many. but the one in
which she took the krcnest delight was
the giving OF a dole or portion OF bread
TO the poor OF richhorne from the steps
OF the village church on St. Crunan's
day. During the closing years OF her
life. however. she lost her estates. her
private fortune WAS swept away. and
her acts OF charity were thus brought
10 an untime!y end. She begged her
husband for the means Ia at least con-
tinue her ST. Crnran day charity. but
he only Knocked her tears and PRAYERS.
During her inst illness. in a moment Of
rare compassion, however. Sir ROGER
agreed TO acccdc TO her rec. :. tut
hesitated when she insisted !i.al he
give her enough to endow it ard ihus
make the festiva! an annual occ r
renee. At last he told h,r ,agi he
would give her Tor the prr:..r 49,; so
much land as she could r.u-r n A
walk while a knot of wood ~. r..iuy.
The Lady Mabella was 80 60 he could
scarce stand ~ her feet. and Sir Roger
must have chuckled when he named tn.
condition, but She accepted IL. and was
Al. once carried in h-r bad to a large
field. determined to fulf'! the condi.
lions Of tn" opposition. Des spite her
spirit IbG lou. ! She oow.G u"i ,~.c;usI!y
walk. and therefore asked hrr HUSBAND
20 pcrni; hcr to crnN'. This was
! agreed Ia; tn brand VI, lighted and
thr courageous lady started TO per-
form her task. Though ;hc biz OF wood
selected by the husband wasapparent-
y perfectly dry. an old rhonic!c states.
Il xmolcered as II il were damp. and be.
fore ithad finally been reduced to ashes
the wife had cumpnssed g acres OF
good !aud-a tract which is sill known
IS the "Craw!," and il pointed out with
J 49, - - ~ NJ ~
borne. Fearing that thc agreement
might later be violated Lady Mnbella
laid a curse on the family just before
she expired that ii such n hing should
ever come to pmss the mauurial home
would crumbls away. the lord OF the
day would have seven daughters, and
the family name become CHtinc. Blu,
Sir Roger faithfully kept his agree.
ment. The proceeds from the crops
raised on the % acres were donated 10
} the parish. and the distribution OF the
bread purchased with IL made every
st. Cronan's day. In the year 1895 the
custom was SO much abused that the
Tichborne Of the day decided to dis.
continue IL. When he marie, q his Chi.
dren were all daughters. and the name
became extinct. as he was the last male
OF the line. In 1903 the house was
blown down. and the daughter who
was then In possession Of the estate
she had married a man named Doughty,
was moved by this occurrence to es,ab.
lish the endowment again. hut in the
form OF a dinner TO the poor Of the par
ish Instead of n general distribution
OF bread to all who might apply. and In
this form The custom Is ,tilI observed
every January 20. Co!lec. ions OF
money are also made on this day by the
church authorities for the further re.
lief "f'h" """dy living IN tho Parish.
THE EDISON MUToSCopE.