The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-12-23

day, or Childcf-
mas December 2Sl commentaries the massacre OF the
children in Bethlehem under Herod. This in itself is
sufficient explain its early recognition by the church
The superstition hat the day is an unlucky dies
neastus"is only widely spread all Europe but
is deeply rooted and be traced back hundreds
of years.
The superstition was strong all through the middle
In England in the fifteenth century. 1t thought
inauspcous that the day set for the coronation Ed.
ward " Sunday, happening be Childcmas cere.
mony was postponed until the following day. In the
County of Suffolk at this day the superstition carried
even further and whatever day Of the week Childe
may happen to fall that day IS held be unIucky
throughout the year. The commencement of any new
task is thought to be certain to be followed by failure
Addison gives instance of this belief In the Spectator
OF March J. 17l0'll. Thursday says she No child
If 1t please God! You shalt not begin upon Chidermas
day. Tell your writing master that Friday will be
enough"
The custom of whipping the children as a reminder OF
the event commemorated by Chldcrmas common in
France and some parts of Normandy to-day there Is stl
remnant existing among the country folks but re-
lgIons significance has been partly lost This method
of assisting the memory of the uckess urchin by scor
ing his epdermis formerly in vogue on other occa.
sions than Holy Innocens day In England It was for
merly common practice during the riding of the boun
daries OF parishes and manors Ascension day whip
the Youngsters at every important or disputed point
This christening in the days of his YOUTH" was remem
bered ever aterward and the particular stone. or
streamle marking the mees and bounds between adoin
ing parishes was thus indebly mapped his gray
ter-a proceeding quite as efhcacous n survey
Although the festivities connected closely with
the celebration OF Christmas day have completely
Swallowed those of the New Year. still there are not
few corners in Chrisendom wherein the latter season
is held In much greater reputc In Scotland In partic
lar, 1t is the great holiday of the year the eve
and the day of New Year the Scot lets himself out
with vim. II would II his spirits pent I'M for
n whole twelvemonth find this paticular season
In France. Roman law and custom have IMPRESSED
themselves perhaps strongly elsewhere In Eu
rope. not even excepting Italy ITSELF and the close no.
litical friendship which existed between Scotland and
France previous to the ascension James VI to the
of the Tweed in much stronger fashion than is gener.
ally believed. Many of the lowand terms of today are
merely French in Scottish guise II Is perhaps more
to this close political entente than spread of the
Puritan Observation-Disclosures which held everything in
that smacked In the slightest degree of
church fesvas-that many OF the and super.
sutions now current among the canny closely
resemble those of France. Christmas one time was
almost as much of festival In Scotland to the south
Of the border, and 1t that cities at least It
s again showing recrudescence But among the rank
md file OF the people, with the Man the Street" ia
he New Year that holds his heart the same time
iisturbs his digestion and adde's his brain ANY one
who has been in the "Canny Toun o. Ednbro' or (las
Tow on New Years realizes the spirit of goodwill
hat reigns If his be split by the pandemonium
md II is rarely that the in all his Notification nj
his period constructs liberty license The custom of
Welcoming In the New Year has however, on occasions