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

mas December 2S) commentaries the massacre OIL tne
children in Bethlehem, under Herod This IN ltsen IS
sufficient to explain its early recognition by the chch
The superstition that the day is unlucky onea des
nefastusis only widely spread all over Europe Out
is deeply rooted and be traced back many nuhueos
of years.
The superstition was strong all through the middle
ages England in the fifteenth century, 1t was tnougnt
so nauspcous that the day set for the coronation OF Ed
ward ~ Sunday happening to be Childemas, the cere
mony was postponed until the following day In the
County of Suffolk this day the superstition is carried
even further and whatever day of the week Childe-
mas NAV happen to fall that day held to be unucky
throughout the year. The commencement OF any new
task thought be certain to be followed by failure
Addison gives instance of this belief in the Spectator
of March l, 17O-11. Thursday, says she, NO. child
if it please God You shall not begin upon Chldermas
day Tell your writing master that Friday will be soon
enough"
The custom whipping the children reminder OF
the event commemoraed by Childermas was common IN
France and parts of Normandy today there IS still
existing among the country folks, but the re-
gious significance has been partly lost rms metnou
assisting memory of the uckess urchin by scor
ing his epdermis was formerly in vogue on oher occa
sions than Holy Innocens day In England 1t was lot
merly common practice during the riding of the boun'
darie of parishes and manors on Ascension Gay 10 whip
the Youngsters at every important disputed point.
This Christening in the days of his youth was remem
afterward and the particular stone cairn or
streauet marking the and bounds between adJon-
ing parishes thus ndeliby mapped on his gray mat
ter-a proceeding quite as effcacious as survey
Although the festivities connected more closely with
the celebration Of Christmas day have completely over
Swallowed those of the New Year still there are not
few in Chrisendom wherein the latter season
is held in much greater repue. In Scotland, in partcu
lar the great holiday of the year and on the eve
and the day of New the Canny Scot lets himself out
with vim 1t would his spirits pent up for
whole twelvemonth find vent at this patcuar
In France, Roman law and custom have impressed
themselves perhaps strongly than elsewhere in Eu
rope not even excepting Italy itself and the close po
ltca friendship which existed between Scotland and
France previous to the ascension of James VI the
throne still expression in the country the north
of the Tweed in much stronger fashion than gener-
merely French in a Scottish guise 1t is perhaps more
this close political entente than to The spread of the
Puritan Observation-Disclosures which held everything in
abominatlou. that smaCked In the slightest degree of
church festiyals-that many super
stitious among the Cauny Scots closely
resemble those Of France Christmas at time was
much OF festival in Scotland the south
of the border and it that in the cities least 1t
Is again showing recrudescence. Eut among the rank
and file OF the people with the Man in the Street is
the New Year that holds his heart the same time
dsturhs his digestion and adde's his brain. Any one
who has been in the "Canuy Toun Edinbro" or Glas.
New Years realizes The spirit of goodwill
that reign ii his be split Ivy the pandemonur
of noise and his eyes suffer by reek OF the torches
and it is rarely that the all his tonfcation at
this period construes liberty license The custom OF
welcoming il tbs New Year has however on occasions