New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-01
QUAINT FOREIGN CUSTOMS.
OBSERVED BY THE MINERS FROM CEN
TRIAL EUROPE IN PENNSYLVANIA
COAL REGIONS.

served in the anthracite coal regions by the
Slav, Lithuanian. Russian, Pole, Italian and Hun
garian inhabitants. They have been brought from
the Old Country, and represent hundreds Of years
Of tradition The observance of them is regular
as the holidays The oddly is interesting at first,
hut when they are so consistent to celebrate
all the various feast days of their Church both
Greek and Roman Catholic, with the customs of
the Old Country, 1t is decidedly annoying 10 the
English speaking miners. The Greek Catholics
have twenty-nine feast days, and the Roman Cath
oucs among the Poles, Huns and Italians, have
twenty-six. and nearly all celebrated The re
suIt is that many mines have 10 be idle because
half the force remains away from work to the de
snair Of the operators and the disgust OF the men
who want to work
About Easter especially there is much time spent
in nerrymakng. Good Friday is first observed
with a great deaf of ceremony. In the Russian
Catholic churches there built tombs represent
fng the one in which Christ laid. and these
are watched for twenty-four hours by guards in
elaborate uniforms. usually red. with gold bands
and braids a big shake and glittering sword. They
are members of military societies connected with
the churches. Four men form the detail on duty
each hour They stands at each corner of the tomb,
rigid as statues moving in all the hour they
stand guard Great pride is taken in the ability
IN stand motionless and the best trained in
the society are selected for that honor. During the
twenty-four hours the members of the congregation
enter the church their knees and so proceed all
the way 10 the altar.
On the Saturday before Easter the congregations
take 10 the churches great baskets Of food to be
blessed for the Sunday feasting. The priest
sprinkIes holy water it. and ii is borne away
In triumph ready for the morrow.
On Easter Sunday the first thing eaten is & piece
of egg However many few, there is in faui
w. and in some of the boarding houses there are
twenty thirty, only one egg, specially blessed.
may be used. 1t is hard boiled, and each gets a
niece 10 break his fast, delicate and skful carving
being needed where the family is large. All Easter
IS spent in feasting and merrymaking which fire.
ouently lasts all night
On Easter Monday the women are privileged TO
throw water on the men, and they do this win
such eagerness that the poor fellow who escapes
without a cold is lucky. II is form of wishing
good, luck IS also believed to show partiallty
thus If q young woman ernpues a bucket OF water
down the back of young man, she is supposed 10
indicate her affection for him, and II, on Easter
Tuesday when the men have their turn. young
man throws girl into the creek and drags her out
by the hair. he is presumed to be mucn IN loNe
with her The custom arose from the haolt OF
wishing little Joy at the CONCLUSION OF Lent
IN oncs friends this being expressed among the
higher classes with a delicate spray OF perfume
on friends coat dress The poorer classes uIi
able TO buy perfume. used water. and gradually
became more and more practical iokers in the use
Of it.
The Easter jollity lasts all through the week FOL
lowing Easter there being much feasting ana
drinking and Outlines considerable hghtlng-
Christmas time is another period Of merrment-
several men, known as Rosa" and somewhat SINH
lar to the mummers of England 10 go about from
house to house. Their mission IS 10 tell OF the
birth OF Christ and the performance is carried on
With t GonsasaPbe Of TIE Church arsy BTaca)
10 represent the three Wise Men OF Ihe fdSt ol ~
REPRESENT the church, which all must look up.
IN .be storW of the NATIVITY They accom-
panied by grotesque figures dressed 70 m +vnes
and these and grimace and nou!ge IN n iI n
to persuade these unbelieve:s TO woIs!p aasu
The money is placed in box and IS an turned lllo
the priest i bS1g 6rEas ana an New years
the Koenda IL is called sees an SORTS OF In
s ane 10 each Diner friends distribute piroge
little cakes containing plums appeS if9eren veg
fsSIes and fruits and there is also mixed IN eacL
household an a1d several inches in thickness
which contains ali the seEen1eeh IF fbe family
must eat Barley mixed with honey Is a 6 bId
,GT Inns snoonfuI Of It against the ceiling. II it
sticks it is sign o. fhe festivities Continue
II it falls means bad luck. and ali the funfnahis
" I@ New Years it is the custom for his fellow
uountrymen TO troop into the home OF me ~taod d
MS Of Wheat corn or rye upon him. the signih,
canoe being that they wish it to grow on e gGGa
nt Of the favor He must lose money at first how
nSsb T;Il and cakes They consider it of the
ucliest of happenings if Hebrew rs tie MS -
On Ascension Day green sprgs are Pafee On bon ne
roof and about al the holy e naced about
the graves OF dead, the belief pelng Iha a as
long as they burn the dead can see, tloWers oeco-
rate the graves and something is given to the poor
in behalf of the dead. .,-u,,,.r A-,ong The
Russians there certain days Of the week wheE f
the girls are privileged to aPp109Gh the sbou}fng
Is supposed to become unbearabe linen t me IN
II he does he may make love to her Tor the re-
The girls Keep their hair down until after they
married and then on the second day after Ipe
aoST Inc Is BRIDE IS seated in the middle Of
circle Of married women, who dance and sing for
b bHdIS hair hair until the task is ended.
After the wedding ceremony the bride Is pun IN
room with 2 lot of other girls, each with a sneet
over her head. and the groom is expected to go n
ne selects her once, she, it is believed will LEAD
happy life. Usually she is clever enough to make
some sign attract his attention, and so take no
chances with tickle fortune
On the day of a wedding the orchestra at the
house IS supposed to play as long as the bride ana
Bridegroom within hearing This 1nvarlapIy
sIed SO full Of ponky that they cannot proceed
Among the Ts- PCT classes bride gets ESQ., par I
those with rec tops hey do not wear these aftep
IN SIrch or to fetivsls woman may be seen
carrying her boots on her shoulder, as an Amerl-
takes special pride. to show that she had pair.
Many OF the women save these boots TO be buried
1t is considered good luck to meet couple re-
and salt the bride and bridegroom partake and feel
assured that they Will always have plenty in the
a Polish girl cuts off bits of her veil and throws
dream Of the man thew are to marry, as an Ameri-
can girl desires bit Of wedding cake The Ital-
py oa BAGS Fun Of esnds oTeT the
ne bridal party so all the spectators may scramble
PRODUCTS FROM BONES.