Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-12-23

stipend, but from the records of his rule that have been
handed down to us it would rather seem that he himself
was sadly in need of being regulated and disciplined.
Each city had its similar funcionary, and his jurisdiction
was not limited to this festive season; he had the regu-
lation of all the festivals of the year. The reign of the
Lord of Misrule may be said to have ended when Crom-t
we'll and his "cropeared' Puritans took charge OF the
government, and while there was some attempt to revive
his lordship after the restoration of Charles II, the bones
had become too dried and the flesh shriveled up-he was
a mere mummy of his former self. In Scotland the Abb
bot of Unreason was suppressed much Enthusiastically
the legislature, but whether such strong action was due
to the spread of Purtanism or to the unbridled scenes
of disorder is a question. Under Henry VIII, (1540) the
procession of children on Childermas, or lnnocents day,
was forbidden in England by proclamation. There are,
however, still a few traces of the Lord OF Misrule. The
English Christmas pantomtmes open on December 20
Boxing day-and have now become as much OF an estab-
lished institution as ever the Lord of Misrule was In his
palmiest days. Of recent years the institution has found
favor on this side of the Atlantic. The masquerading on
the streets of the Lord of Misrule and his followers has
been merely transferred to the boards of the theater. In
many parts Of France masquerading by children is still
in vogue during the three days following Christmas. and
in most countries something analogous is to be found.
Sometimes the feature is kept up until Twelfth day,
while in some sections the fun does not commence until
New Years day.
These first three days have been specially consecrated
to the memory of saints and martyrs-St. Stephen on the
26th, st. John the Evangelist on the 9th, and holy inno-
cents or Childermas on the 28th.
The fact that the day next after Christmas was dedi-
Gated to st. Stephen, the protomartyr, shows with what
veneration he was held by the early church. On this day,
in many parts of Ireland, and in the Isle of Man, it is
still the custom of the boys to hunt the wren. The origin
of this curious but cruel custom is hidden In the mist
of ages and thus offers another difficulty of getting great
results from small data" One legend current in Ireland,
and told by Lady Wilde, is to the effect that on one oc.
casion, when the Irish troops were approaching to at
tack a PARTON of Cromwells army, the wrens came and
perched on the Irish drums, and by their tapping and
noise aroused the English soldiers, who fell on the Irish
soldiers and killed them all. This tale is a close analogue
to that in which the cackling of geese is said to have
saved Rome from capture, which even the staid Roman
historian, Livy, seems to 4 treat with a show of belief. The
well and his Ironsides. In County Leitrim the dead birds
are carried from house to house tied to a pole or bunch
of furze, covered with ribbons, etc, the boys chanting:
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
On st. Stephens Day he was caught In the furze;
Although he is little his family is great,
So rise up mistress and give us a treat.
The mistress has to turn in a few pence to the boys
the Jackpot thus created being opened by the boys at
the end Of the day. -
In the Isle of Man the boys give a feather Of the wren
to each good wife who contributes the necessary coin
and 1t can well be imagined that by the end Of the day
the appearance of the bird Is somewhat dilapidated. 1t is
then buried on the sea shore with certain mock cere
monies. In former years the interment was made in the
churchyard
1t was and is still the custom In many parts of England
to bleed the horses on st. Stephens day. The efficacy Of
this treatment on this particular day, as a preventive o
all equine ailments, was thought to be u%ndoubted, bw
even old Tusser seems to have had his doubts on thu