The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-01-01
MODERN OBSERVANCE
OF ANCIENT FESTIVAL
Suggestions for Celebrating Twelfth
Night in the Old-Time Spirit-How
the Copley Society, Famous for
Its Exhibitions, Conducts
Its Annual Artists Fete.
Fun and Froiic.

Boston, 81, Ioo4.-l Wei11h Nisii''
old and new-for centuries it has been
the iollv ending of the jocose holiday
season. frowned upon by the primitive
church but finally accepted as inevitable
and honored in every European country
down to this time with entertaining Oh
seryances. It's customs to an extent have
been preserved and revised in this coui1-
trv. Many Twelfth Night party this
wear will attest the growing popularity
of cake-cutting, king and-queen-crowr-
ing festivities. Coming twelve days after
Christmas and very shortly after the jan
uary dividends have begun to come IN
it has perennial claims upon the pubic
interest There are, indeed, organlza-
tons which pay great deal OF attention
to it. In New York City there is the
famous Twelfth Night Club, organized
about 1890 by group Of actresses
professionals, of course, they CAN
thernsclves-ard accustomed to give each
year d iSlC NNlItl 10 oliN VI lin
events Of the season in Gotham,
1t is probable, however, that boston,
tho ancient capital of American Puritan
ism. witnesses annually the greatest
Twelfth Night celebration held in any
American city. The Copley SOCIETY,"
famous for its international loan exhlbl-
tons, such as the Whistler memorial
exhibition of last year and the great COL
lection of works by Monet which Will
be opened in March Of this year, has tor
| more than twenty years maintained
reve1s and antics that have grown IN
splendor and reputation until they are
now recognized as the best of their kind
presented anywhere.
These Twelfth Night celebrations OF
the Copley Society are, in fact, locally
almost important as are the large
exhibitions which annually bring hun
dreds of visitors to Boston The artists
take the work of preparing for the fes-
tivities very seriously and spend scarcely
less time and energy upon the costumes
and other accessories than goes into
securing from art collectors all over the
world the best samples of the works OF
Whistler and Monet and giving these
I the most artistic possible setting. Soc
tally and artistically these pageants have
always been of such marked success that
| it seems strange more Of the art soc1e-
tiles of other American cities have not
Taller, into the habit of celebrations Of
! a similar sort.
For the essential features OF the
Twelfth Night revel are few and simple
and have been about the same IN al
times and places. There is room tol
great variety in the details. Nothing
certainly is easier to get up than q
Twelfth Night party-give energy ant
enthusiasm OH the part of few people
land willingness of many to particl
Ipate. A few of the particulars may b.
/ given.
Of course. there is a cake, which mus
HE ! generous one, and concealed in it
a particularly appropriate ingredient II
the pastry Of a Boston society-theft
/ must be two beans. One OF thes'
j should be black, the other white, Sc
i that the choice Of king and queen ma,
lie simple. The pieces for the met
|participants may be cut from one s1d'
where the black bean is known to D
concealed; whatever lady hr1ds th'
white bean in her slice Of cake become
1.-THE ROYAL consort of the evening n
8 appearance of the cake is ANNOUNCED
at $40 in the evening by highly deco
rated beadle anirit is borne in by Faith
4 Christmas and a crew Of attendants, t
ain accompaniment Of an ancient SONG
/ The cutting follows promptly, wit
shouts of reclamation, as king an
/ queen are discovered and escorted 7
their thrones.
In the old-time French festivities tn
q first act of the newly chosen king wa
always to appoint the fool OF the even
!. ing. This part Of the ceremony TO
!. some cause has generally been omitte
!, in the Boston celebration; there is n
reason, however, why il should not b
! ruade a very effective part. The fool
! business. .of course, is TO make abur1d
ant laughter by his jests and stunt!
I AT the Copley society's festivals specia
! exhibitions of dancing, sword-play an
j magic have often been introduced.
) The spirit Of the fete in the old day
when the entire holiday season was on
3 of rollicking jollifcation, is poeticall
expressed BY Herriek in his lines:
Next crowne the bowie full
With gentle lambs wool;
+ Add sugar, nutmeg and ginger,
With store of ale too,
And thus ye must doe
Il To make the Wassaile swinger.