The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-12-25

been marked by unpleasant features On the eve of
rear 1917 the hooduns of Edinburgh took advantage or
te festival to rob unsuspecting citizens. Two OF the
citizens died from the effects the mareatment
hands OF these rowdies OF whom three executed
an example This unfortunate incident threatened to put
an end to the celebrations
With the Scots the of New Year is known particu-
lary as "Hogmanay." Throughout the northeastern
counties of England it is known "Hagmena" but in
many districts OF the latter is the entire week
ding the New Year rather than the last day of the
There have been attempts by phioogiss to get at
the derivation of the term and has been suggest
ed that it is corruption of two Greek words signifyng
the holy moon month" Opinion, however, leans to-
ward its French orgin-"Au gu menez" (brng in the
nisetoe), and "Au gu Ian neuf Ito the misetoe the
New Year, both in allusion to the ceremonial gathering
of the plant by the Druds In almost every district in
France we find the term in or less corrupted
dalectal form The Scottish cr,stom of the children 60
ing from house to house singing short and beg
gng the gud wife for small present is identicay the
same as that known all over France.
up. guild wife md shake yere feathers,
An dnna think that beggars
For w, re we're BARNS come DOT the dav
SO rise and ges DOR Hogmanay.
chants the little Scotch kiddie and the analogue of tho
doggerel be found in village of France AS the
Scottish verselet shows the "hogmanay" applies to the
presents to the children, and has custom Civ
ing presents at this endured for Ovid
in his Fast, audes to the among the Romans
his day. Then the presents do seem to have
at all costly and synbolical than otherwise
The pamdae and dried fig with the jar of honey and
the small coin were the gifts, and it not need any
great stretch OF imagination to guess their symbolic
Inc cakes, trult and luckpenny still
the children-they are their 'hogmanay"
The superstition that the first person entering the
house on New Years morning, the first dur
Ing the day, presages good bad luck during
ing year Is almost universal. The first the
threshold or first foot" has thus peculiar significance
and many are the precautions taken that he be of the
lucky variety. We mention "he" EXCEPT very
Isolated instances the superstition that should
be the hrstoot iluck will follow almost universal
Moreover, he must be dark mana relheaded man is
anathema a splayfooted, a pgeontoet, squinteyed
an individual whose eyebrows closely approximate
TACT any bodily or mental reformation carries bad lick
with 1t. Yet here find a few execution which
rather tend to disturb belief in the 1abitv of the
rule IN the Bradwen District of Northumberland a
HshtAaeu ana spiayiooted individual is preferred In
parts OF Lancashire and Yorkshire blonde first foot
Is reckoneo quite lucky while in the Maritime Alpine dtt
ulctS a hump-backed visitor New Years day is he'd
70 oFlng IN great luck with him. In Scotland the pre.
ulce against red'hared first foot Is very strong and
III the Isle OF Man and all through Irand it is quite
pronounced.
The superstition OF iuck being attached to red hair
is very ancient Among the ancient fgvpans and Jew.
Ism people 1t was known. Typhon / said have had
TINS particular color TO his 'thatch land redhaired
were abused at certain festivals plutarch tells in
MS Morada Cain and Judas Iscaot are both said
nave had the crimson topknot, while welknown leg.
end current among the Jews says tat this peculiar tint
was the effect OF falling and yorshipng the golden
calf In Morse and Gaelic legend se find that the hero
IS warned against a 'gingerha0d e" individual