The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-12-30

stipend from the records of his rule that have been
handed down 1t would rather that he himself
sadly in need of being regulated and disciplined,
Each city had its similar funconary and his jurisdiction
limited this festive season. he had the
ation of all the festivals of the The reign of the
Lord of Msrue may be said to have ended when Crom-
well and his "cropeared Puritans took charge of the
government and while there attempt revive
his ordshp after the restoration Charles H. the bones
had become too dried and the flesh shrveed up-he
a mummy of his former self In Scotland the Alb
bot of Unreason suppressed much earlierl555-by
the legislature. but whether such action due
to the spread of Puranism to the unbrdled
of disorder is question Under Henry VIII, Q540) the
procession of children Chdermas, nnocents day,
forbidden in England by proclamation. There are,
however still few traces of the Lord of Misrule The
English Christmas pantomimes open December 90
Boxing day-and have now become much of an estab
lished institution the Lord of Msrue in his
pamest days OF recent years the institution has found
favor this side the Atlantic The masquerading on
the of the Lord of Misule and his followers
been merely transferred to the boards of the theaer In
parts of France masqueradng by children is still
during the three days following Christmas
in countries something analogous is be found
Sometimes the feature is kept up until Twelfth day
while in sections the fun does not commence until
New Years day.
These first three days have been specially
to the of saints and martyrss stephen the
26th St John the Evangelist the 27th and holy
cents or Childermas on the 2Sth.
The fact that the day next after Christmas dedi
Gated to St Stephen. the protomartyr shows with what
veneration he held by the early church day.
in many parts of Ireland and in the Isle Of Man, it is
still the custom of the boys to hunt the The origin
of this curious but cruel custom is hidden in the mist
of and thus offers another difficulty of getting
results from small data" One legend current in Ireland
and told by Lady Wilde is to the effect that
casion, when the Irish troops approaching to at
tack PARTON of Cromwe's army the came and
perched the Irish drums, and by their tapping and
noise aroused the English soldiers who fell the Irish
soldiers and killed them all This tale is close analogue
to that in which the cackng is said have
saved Rome from capture which the staid Roman
historian Livy to treat with show belief The
CUSTOM however, dates back much further than Crom
well and his ronsdes In County Letrm the dead birds
carried from house to house tied a pole bunch
of furze covered with ribbons boys chanting:
The wren the wren, the king of all birds
On st. Stephens Day he caught furze:
Although he is little his family great.
So rise up mistress and give treat.
The mistress has turn in few pence to the boys
the Jackpot thus created being opened by the boys
the end of the day
In the Isle of Man the boys give feather of
to each good wife who contributes the necessary coin
and 1t well be imagined that by the day
the appearance of the bird dapidated 1t
then buried the shore with mock cere.
monies In former years the inerment made in the
churchyard.
1t and Is still the custom in many parts England
to bleed the horses St Stephens day The efficacy
this treatment on this particular day, preventive Of
all equine ailments, thought be undoubted
even old Tusser seems to have had his doubts on the