The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-07-09

Nowhere else in all the United States
are such odd customs observed as In
the anthracite coal regions by the Slav,
Lithuanian, Russian, Pole, Italian and
Hungarian inhabitants, says Wilkes
barre correspondent of the New York
Tribune. They have been brought from
the only country and represent hun
slredS of years of tradition. The OBJ
seryance of them is as regular as the
holidays. The oddly is interesting at
first. but when they are so consistent
as to celebrate all the various feast
DAYS of their church. both Greek and
Roman Catholic, with the customs OF
the old country, it is decidedly annoy
ing to the English speaking miners.
The Greek Catholics have twentynine
feast days and the Roman Catholics,
among the Poles, Huns and Italians.
nave twenty-siX, and nearly all are eel
ebrated The result is that many mines
have to be idle because half the force
remains away from work, TO the de
SPAR of the operators and the disgust
of the men who want to work.
About Easter especially there is much
time spent in merrymaking. Good Fri
day is first observed with a great deal
of ceremony. In the Russian Catholc
churches there are built tombs repre-
senting the one in which Christ was
Iyaid, and these are watched for twenty
-four hours by guards in elaborate uni
forms, usually red, with gold bands and
braids, q big shake and glittering
sword. They are members of military
societies connected with the churches.
-Four men form the detail on duty each
tnOur. They stand at each corner OF the
tomb, rigid as statues, never moving IN
all the hour they stand on guard. Dur
dng the twenty-four hours the men,
bers of the congregation enter the
church on their knees and so proceed
all the way to the altar.
On the Saturday before Easter the
congregations take to the churches
great baskets of food to he blessed for
the Sunday feasting. The priest
sprinkles holy water over it and it Is
Borne away in triumph ready for the
morrow.
On Easter Sunday the first thing eat
en- is a piece of egg. However many
or few there are in q family-and in
some of the boarding houses there are
twenty or thirty-only one egg, special
ly blessed, may be used 1t is hard
boiled, and each gets a piece to break
his fast, delicate and skillful carving
being needed where the family is large.
All Easter is spent in feasting and
merrymaking. which frequently lasts
all night
On Easter Monday the women are
privileged to throw water on the men,
and they do this with such eagerness
that the poor fellow who escapes with
cut q cold is lucky. 1t is form OF
wishing good luck and is also believed
TO show partially. Thus If young
woman empties a bucket Of water
down the back Of young man she is
supposed to indicate her affection for
him, and If on Easter Tuesday, when
the men have their turn. a young man
throws a girl into the creek and drags
1er out by the hair he is presumed to
he much in love with her. The custom
arose from the habit of wishing little
extra joy at the conclusion of Lent to
ones friends, this being expressed
among the higher classes with a deli
cate spray of perfume on a friends
coat or dress. The poorer classes, I'M
able to buy perfume, used water. and
gradually became more and more prac-
tical jokers in the use of it. The Eas-
ter jollity lasts all through the week
following Easter.
Christmas time is another period of
merriment. One of the most pictur-
esQue customs then is for several men,
known as "Kosa" and somewhat SIM
5lar to the mummers of England, to so
about from house to Louise. Their mis-
sion is to toll of the birth of Christ,
and the performance is carried on with
considerable dignity and also much
fun. There are three Brothers of the
Church" (Starsy Bracia) to represent
the three wise men of the east. One
carries on the end of a stick minia-
zure house to represent the church, to
which ali must look up. The other
two walk by his side and with songs
tell the story of the Nativity. They
are accompanied by grotesque figures
dressed to represent the devil. heather
and unbelievers Of all types, and these
dance and grimace and indulge in ludi-
crous performances to furnish the fun
for the occasion. The brothers of the
church play at trying to persuade these
Nnbelievers to worship. and their eff
forts are rewarded with money or
cakes The money is placed in box
and is all turned in to the priest. it be-
jng q Christmas gift for him.
The week between Christmas and
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