The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-21
Some May Day Cele-
bratiOnS.

1t Is very Interesting to know how the
people of the oden time celebrated the
advent of May. The Romans decorated
their temples with flowers In honor Of
Flora, their goddess of flowers. Every
where there were festive offerings and
delights, happy wishing of MERRY
May" from house to house and on the
highways.
In merry old England 1t was enjoyed to
the full. The bringing In of the May pole
was n festive affair 1t was drawn by
oxen-10, 20, 40 oxen-all garlanded with
flowers, and followed by a dancing, happy
throng of people, old as we'll MS young,
for an old poet tells us that
"Old crones that scarce had tooth or eye,
But crooked back and lame thigh,
Must have n frlsk and shake their heel
As II no stitch or ache they feel
The pole WINS erected on the village
green, or some spot best suited for the
morris dancers and other merrymakers.
1t was always decorated with flowers and
usually painted The whole village was
turned into garden, for the gathered
May of towering boughs was put over
the doors and windows throughout the
music of pipe and tabor. The dancing
milkmaids were out leading cows whose
horns were decorated with ribbons and
flowers May grass, you know, brings
good milk, and the toothsome, yellow but
ter. In London streets,
when pretty mlkmalds went about
1t was n godly sight to
Their May-day pageant all drawn out"
Then came the chimney sweeps to lend
variety by their antics and grotesque cos
tunes, for we are told they garlanded
cone of Ivy and holly on hoops. and In
this a man would walk and never be seen.
The joyous Moorish dancers were there
with bells on their legs and cayorting
hobby horse spirited animal. we are
told. of pasteboard and Just the color
of the peach bloom. Like the chimney
sweeps cone of holly and Ivy. there was
a man within that made the pasteboard
horse dance, neigh snort. rear and
plunge. With them was pretty Maid
Marian, who was really boy dressed like
n girl. with guy head trimmings.
1t is generally conceded that this dance
is Of Moorish origin and Is the same as
that introduced by the negro slaves into
the West indies, whore 1t acquired the
name of Spanish fandnngo. In England
the Moorish dancers were n part of nearly
all festivals. The May pole was n fixture
for n long, long while, and on public days
would be suitably trimmed as occasion
required.
The choristers of Magdalen College,
Oxford, would make the musical bells
ring In the spring on the flrst OF May.
1t was all nature thrilling with life.
human life, bird life and flower life.
In England the Long Parliament passed
n law ordering all May poles cut down,
and imposing a fine of so much a week on
the constables for every pole standing
When a Mny pole was put up In Mas
saehusetts old Governor Endicott had II
destroyed More than half century later
another went up, only to come down.
While May poles have been rarely seen
here and our colonial ancestors, perhaps,
felt 1t was rather undignlfied to dance
round the pole or IA Maying CO." they
and their children, nevertheless cher
ished the traditions of the old May Day
and the little folk we're given happy
time out with the birds and flowers, to
which WINS added the exhlarating excite
ment of eectlng one of their number a
Queen Of May, just as they did In the
olden time.
A crown of the daintiest flowers was
put upon her head and she was conducted
to her throne. What IL the throne was
an old wooden box with chair on top
and the bow of n wagon across? The
flowers and greens made 1t a beautiful
thing, and the fair human flower was
happier far than any real queen who ever
sat on an Ivory throne under u canopy OF