The bee., 1909-12-30
iEPRIEstsl@:
= p rs GL>AND..
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GLAND aud scotland have re-
tained many Of their interest


~ tained many Of their interest
ing cuStoma OF Oldss apss
;his hcirg especially trus - Scotland
Weeks before 'the New Year Segins.
the village boys. witA Grsat secrecy,
meet in Opt-of-the.way places Aad ro-
hearpe their fayorite ballads. Az the
time draws uoar they doEsimproViset
masks and so about from house to
house singing aud cutting many
quaint capers
The thirtyhrst Of December is
called "Hcgmanay." and the children
are tod that n they go to the cor
Rer they Will see a man With as many
eyes as the year has days. The chill
aren OF the poorer classes 90 from
house to house In the better districts
with q large pocket fastened to their
dresses or a large shawl with q fold
In front Each one receives an oateR
ealke, n piece Of cheese, or sometimes
a sweet cake, and goes home at night
with good supply OF homely New
Year cheer for the rest Of the family.
The Scottish elders celebrate the
day with q supper party. and as the
dock chaps" IL. friend greets friend
aad wishes him "a guide New Year
and mony o. them Then. with great
fcEmnlity tha door Is unbsrred to let
me Old Year out and the New Year
IA. and an the guests sally forth into
the stre9i to first foot their ac-
suaintagkes.
In Bdinburgh q great crowd gathers.
around the church IN Hunter square
and anxiOusly watches the clock
fhesfe is absolute silence from ne
Nrst stroke OF IL until the last
.,-FI'hs cid folks now 20 to bed bat
lke young have other business sa
Aand. Each girl is expecting the ''first
ifuot" from her sweetheart. and there
IL much strStagem 6isplAyed IN oUt-
whiting her occasionaily, aad having
some serving maid or grAndmotAer
epen the door To her lover.
The weather is carefully observed
At this season. for Il n ssppOsed to
netokcn that which ls to come. There
"a a rhyme current In Scotland which
runs thus:
Ie New Tears eve the night wind hsOw-
eth south
q betoksneth warmth and growth:
10 west much milk. and nsh IA the ssS;
n east. the trees will bear mach fruit:
II northeast. nee Il. man and brute.
During the last century all work was
laid aside on the afternoon Of the
thirty first. and the men q the ham
let went to the woods and brought
home loads of juniper bushes. Each
household also procured a pitcher Of
water from the dead and living ford"
meaning the ford in n river. by which
passengers and funerals crossed This
was brought In perfect silence and
without being allowed To touch the
ground N its progress. as contact
With tho earth would have destroyed
the charm.
The rites next morning were sup
posed TO protect the household
against witchcraft, the "evil oye," and
other deVilments The father rose
first. and taking the charmed water
and a brush. treated the rest OF the
family to a vigorous baptism. wnich
was generally acknowledged with any
thing but gratitude.
Coming back. the thrifty Scotch
man closed all the doors and windows
and put the Juniper bough on the fire.
When tho smoke reached the suffocat.
ing point, the fresh air was Feaemit-
ted Then the cattle were fumigated
IN the same menner. and the painful |
soiemnities OF the morning were over
On New Years day a superstitious
Scotchman viii neither lend nor give |
anything whatever out of his house.
for he fears that his luck may go too.
and for tho same reason, the floor
must not be swept II the fira goes
out II is sign Of death.