The Elbert County tribune., 1909-12-23

mas December 2s) commentaries the massacre Oh tne
children in Bethlehem under Herod This In Itself is
explain its early recognition by the chu
The superstition that the day is an unucky one-a DIES
neasus-is only widely spread all over Europe put
is deeply rooted be traced back many hundreds
of years
The superstition was strong all through the middle
ages In England in fifteenth century it was thought
nauspcous that the day set for the coronation oil Ed
" Sunday happening to be Chidemas the cere
nony was postponed untfl the following day. In the
County of Suffolk this day the superstition is carried
even further whatever day of the week Chide-
may happen fall that day is held to be uniucky
throughout the year. The commencement of any new
task is thought be certain to be followed by failure
Addison instance of this belief In the Spectator
of March L. 171O-11 Thursday, She No. child
If 1T please Cod shall not begin upon Chldermas
day Tell your writing master that Friday will be
enough"
The custom of whipping the children a reminder of
the event comm emorated by Childermas common in
France and some parts of Normandy to-day there is still
a existing the country folks. but the re-
gious significance has been partly lost This method
assisting the of the luckess urchin by scor
his epiderms formerly In vogue on other occa
sions than Holy Innocens day. In England it was for
mery common practice during the riding of the boun
daries of parishes and manors day whip
the youngsters every important disputed point
This christening in the days of his youth was remem
bered aerward and the particular stone caifn or
marking the metes and bounds between adoin
ing parishes was ndelibly mapped his gray mat
ter-a proceeding quite as ehcacious as survey.
Although the festivities connected closely with
the celebration of Christmas day completely
in Christendom wherein the latter season
is held greater repute In Scotland. in parcu
is the great holiday of the and on the eve
the New Year the canny Scot lets himself out
with vim would If his spirits, pent for
a whole twevemonth find vent at this paicular season
In France, Roman law and custom have impressed
themselves perhaps strongly than elsewhere in Eu
rope excepting Italy ITSELF and the close
ltical friendship which existed between Scotland and
France previous the ascension of James vi. to the
throne still finds expression in the country to the north
the Tweed in a much fashion than is gener
ally believed of the owland terms of to-day
merely French in Scottish guse. 1t Is perhaps
this close political entente than to the spread of the
Puritan Observation-Disclosures which held everything in
abomnation that smacked in the slightest degree OF
church festivals-that of the customs and
stitions among the canny Scots 80 closely
resemble those of France. Christmas at time was
almost much of festival in Scotland to the south
of the border 1t that in the Cities at least 1t
is again showing recrudescence. But among the rank
and file of the people, with the Man in the Street 1t is
the New Year that holds his heart and at the time
disturbs his digestion and adde's his brain. Any
who has been in the "Canny Toun O. Ednbro' or Glas
gov on New Years eve realizes the spirit OF goodwill
that regns If his be split by the pandemonum
of noise and his suffer by the reek of the torches
and 1t is rarely that the Scot in all his jofcation at
this period construes liberty license The custom of
welcoming in the New Year has. however occasions.