Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-12-30
Holy Innocents'

mas December 28) commentaries the massacre OF the
children in Bethlehem under Herod This In itself Is
sufficient to explain its early recognition by the church
The superstition that the day is an unlucky one-a dies
nefastusis not only widely spread all Europe. but
is deeply and be traced back many hundreds
of years.
The superstition strong all through the middle
ages In England In the fifteenth century, 1t was thought
so nauspcous that the day set for the coronation OF Ed
ward w. Sunday happening to be Childemas, the cere
mony was postponed until the following day In the
County of Suffolk this day the superstition is carried
even further and whatever day Of the week Chde-
may happen to fall that day is held to be unlucky
throughout the year. The commencement OF any new
task is thought to be certain to be followed by failure
Addison gives of this belief in the Spectator
of March /, 171O-11 Thursday, says She No. child,
If it please God! You shall not begin upon Chdermas
day. Tell your writing master that Friday Will be soon
enough"
The custom of whipping the children reminder of
the event commemorated by Childermas common in
France and parts of Normandy to-day there is still
remnant existing among the country folks but the re-
gious significance has been partly lost This method
assisting the memory of the luckess urchin by scor
ing his epdermis formerly in on other occa-
sons than Holy Innocents day In England 1t was for
mery common practice during the riding of the boun-
dares of parishes and Ascension day to whip
the youngsters at every important disputed point
This christening in the days of his YOUTH was remem-
bered afterward and the particular stone cairn
streamet marking the aud bounds between adjon
ing parishes thus indelbly mapped his gray mat
ter-a proceeding quite as effcacious as survey.
the celebration of Christmas day have completely
Swallowed those of the New Year, still there not
few corners In Christendom wherein the latter
is held in much greater repute In Scotland in partcu
lar it is the great holiday Of the year, and the
the day of New Year the Scot let's himself out
with vim. 1t would If his spirits, pent up for
a whole twelvemonh, find vent at this paticular
In France, Roman law and custom have impressed
themselves perhaps strongly than elsewhere In Eu-
rope excepting Italy itself, and the close po-
itical friendship which existed between Scotland and
France previous to the ascension of James W. to the
throne still finds expression in the country to the north
of the Tweed in much stronger fashion than is
ally believed. Many of the lowland terms Of to-day
merely French in Scottish guse. 1t is perhaps more
to this close political entente than to the spread Of the
Puritan doctrines-doctrines which held everything in
abominaton that smacked in the slightest degree Of
church festivalshat of the customs and super
stitons current among the Scots closely
resemble those of France Christmas at one time was
almost much of festival In Scotland the south
of the border, and that In the Cities at least 1t
Is again showing recrudescence But among the rank
and file OF the people, with the MAN In the Street. 1t Is
the New Year that holds his heart and the time
dsturbs his digestion and adde's his BRAIN Any
who has been in the "Canny Toun o. Edinbro" Glas
cow New Years realizes the spirit of goodwill
that reigns If his be split by the pandemonium
of noise and his suffer by the reek of the torches
and 1t is rarely that the Scot in all his jollifcaon at
this period CONSTITUTES liberty license The custom Of
welcoming In the New Year has, however. occasions