Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-12-23

December 2S) commentaries the massacre of the
children in Bethlehem under Herod This in itself is
sufficient explain its early recognition by the church
The superstition that the day is unucky one-a dies
nefastus-s only widely spread all Europe but
is deeply rooted be traced back hundreds
of years
The superstition was strong all through the middle
ages England, the fifteenth century it thought
nauspcous that the day for the coronation of Ed
ward ". Sunday happening to be Chdemas the
mony postponed until the following day. In the
County Of Suffolk this day the superstition is carried
further, and whatever day of the week Chide
happen fall, that day is held to be unlucky
throughout year. The commen cement any new
task is thought be certain be followed by failure
Addison gives an instance of this belief in the Spectator
of March l, 171011 Thursday, says she, No. child,
if it please God! You shall 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 Childermas common in
France parts of Normandy to-day there
remnant existing the country folks but the
ligious significance has been partly lost. This method
of assisting the of the uckess urchin by
ing h~ epdermis formerly vogue other occa-
sions than Holy Innocents day. In England it
merly practice during the riding the boun-
darie of parishes and Ascension day whip
the youngsters at every important disputed point
This christening in the days of his youth,
bered afterward and the particular stone, or
streamet marking the bounds between adjoin
ing parishes thus indebly mapped his gray
ter-a proceeding quite as eficacious a survey.
Although the festivities closely with
the celebration of Christmas day completely over
shadowed those of the Year, there are not
few corners in Chrstendom wherein the latter
is held in much greater repute. In Scotland, parcu-
lar it is the great holiday of the year. the
and the day of New Year the Scot lets himself
with vim. 1t would if his spirits pent up
whole twevemonth find vent at this pacular season.
In France, Roman law and custom have impressed
themselves perhaps strongly than elsewhere
rope not excepting Italy ITSELF and the po-
htlcal friendship which existed between Scotland
France previous to the ascension of James VI to the
throne still finds expression in the country north
OF the Tweed in much stronger fashion than gener-
ally believed Many of the lowland to-day are
to this close political than spread of the
Puritan doctrines-doctrines which held everything
abomnation that smacked in the slightest degree
church esvals-that so many of the customs and super
stltions current among the canny so closely
resemble those of France Christmas at time was
almost much of festival in Scotland south
OF the border, and it that cities least it
is again showing recrudescence. But among the
and file of the people, with the Man in the Street.
the New Year that holds his heart the
dlsturbs his digestion and adde's his brain Any one
VINO has been in the "Canny Toun o. Ednbro" Gas-
gov on New Years realizes the spirit of goodwill
that regns even If his be split by the
OF noise and his suffer by the torches
and 1t is rarely that the all his joifcation at
this period construes liberty license The
welcoming in the New Year has however occasions,