The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-01
OLD CUSTOMS SURVIVE.

London Mail.

London Mail.
1.-The esthetic person" is wont to deplore
the decadence i'm Great Britain of ancient
and picturesque customs. He sghs for the
garlanded Maypole. the dand-fied morris
dancers, the dauntless archers of bold
Robin Hood and the other departed or
departing customs OF "Merrie England.
Particularly In spring docs his mind turn
sadly to thoughts OF things that were,
eschewing the things that are-such as
meat trusts and shipping rings"
But utilitarian though the age is. IL stil
treasures many customs that delighted the
youth of Queen Elizabeth's days. Scotland
is especially fruitful in this respect Why
Scotland should be conservative In its
habits is not readily explainable. IL IS
partly attributed TO the bagpipes, though
the average southerner would never invest
the bagpipe with romance. Even the least
reasonable of the highland clans admit the
skirl of the pipes may be an acquired taste,
as the wine" of their country is The bag
pipes are almost old as Scotland itself,
and in time one can grow reconciled 10 most
things.
So il happens that .ayont the Tweed"
where many ancient customs still prevail.
the bagpipe, so TO speak, invariably plays a
part in them They accompany the demoli-
the last of the clan chiefs every morning.
The pipers perambulate the dining room
when the chief eats. and follow him up
stairs when he retires.
Indeed. one well known Scottish knight Is
so addicted to the bagpipes that on his ire
quent visits TO London he brings with him
six feet of killed piper who stolidly walks
behind his master through the streets. his
instrument ready TO be inflated at a mo-
ments notice II is related that the musi-
clan was once waiting for his master 10 is
sue from a Strand shop when policeman,
fearing the worst ordered him TO move
on" as playing was not allowed there
hnr fhxrS
fashionable square of Piccadilly. has a
piper play at the rear OF the house every
morning. His next door neighbor Is not a
Scotchman. and has the sympathy of the
rest of the square.
Several Scottish noblemen upkeep TO this
day small armies of retainers, who wear
the tartan of their chieftain's clan Many
of these fine fellows have served their King
in South Africa. The retainers OF the Duke
of Fife are probably the most numerous:
| Scotland, however, has not monopoly or
| this survival of warlike customs. AT Bel
! voif Castle. near Grantham, the Duke OF
tH &c keeps fP do sa round fs
| castle night and day, whether the duke rs
| in residence not.
The night watch begins at IL O'Clock. A
watchman-silent, alert, soldierly-paces
| the battlemented walls which command a
view of great stretch of country far be-
low. Formerly he wore an Elizabethan uni
| form, with tightly-fitting breeches, a
| feathered hat and a cloak. A huge halberd
i sloped at his shoulders. AS he patrols the
walls he calls the hour and the state OF
| the weather but the distinctive uniform has
| been done away with. A second Waterman
guards the castle below.
The dukes guests who may be unaware
| of the custom are sometimes startled at a
| solemn voice outside their bedroom door
proclainming "One o'clock and a rainy
morning." Picturesque custom though IL Is.
| the tired visitor. after, perhaps. hard
day with the hounds can be excused for
manifesting little interest in the CLIMATIC
conditions at ! a. m The duke. however,
| cient castle, and generally warns his guests
beforehand. At Oagham castle, too. the
quaint custom Is still preserved which re-
| quires a peer riding through the village
for the first time to leave at the castle
| a horseshoe from the horse he rides. Usu-
made, it may be, OF silver or bronze.
Among the contributors of the hundreds
| of shoes at the castle are their Majesties
| the King and Queen. the Duke of Con-
naught and the Duke Of Cambridge.
| Lancashire, which is usually associated
| in the public mind with factory chimneys
| and blast furnaces, still clings TO many
medieval customs. One is known as rush
bearing" being survival Of the days when
rushes were strewn in the aisles and pews
of the churches TO keep the worshipers
warm. A feature of the present festivities
is a rush cart, draped with sheets and
adorned with flowers. streamers, copper
KETTLES, silver tankards, cream jugs, tea
pots and spoons.
In late years something like a concerto
effort has been made 10 revive the pleasiHe
the elements have exercised a depressing
effect. To pirouette round a Maypole weary
ing overcoats and carrying umbrellas Is
not conducive 10 the picturesque.