The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-12-31

f2 -ESzEEr0 ~
~ IGLAND and Scotland have re-
~ tanned many of their interest
ing customs of Olden times.
this being especially true Of Scotland.
Weeks before the New Year begins,
the village boys, with great secrecy,
meet in out-of-the-way places and re-
hearse their favorite ballads. AS the
time draws near they don improvised
masks and 90 about from house to
house singing and cutting many
quaint capers.
The thirty-first of December is
called "Hogmanay," and the children
are told that if they go to the cor
ner they will see man with as many
eyes as the year has days. The chill
dren Of the poorer classes 60 from
house to house in the better districts
with large pocket fastened to their
dresses or large shawl with a fold
in front. Each one receives an oaten
cake. piece of cheese, or sometimes
a sweet cake, and goes home at night
with a good supply Of homely New
Year cheer for the rest of the family.
The Scottish elders celebrate the
daS with supper party, and as the
clock chaps" II, friend greets friend
and wishes him "a guide New Year
and mony O. them Then, with great
formality the door is unbarred to let
the Old Year out and the New Year
in, and all the guests sally forth into
the street to first foot" their &C
quaintances.
In Edinburgh a great crowd gathers
around the church in Hunter square
and anxiously watches the clock.
There is absolute silence from the
first stroke Of II until the last.
The old folks now go to bed but
the young have other business on
hand. Each girl is expecting the first
foot from her sweetheart, and there
is much stratagem displayed in out
whiting her occasionally, and having
some serving maid or grandmother
open the door to her lover.
The weather is carefully observed
at this season, for it is supposed to
betoken that which is to come. There
IS a rhyme current in Scotland which
runs thus:
If New Years eve the night wind blow
eth south
1t betokeneth warmth and growth;
If west much milk, and fish in the sea;
If east, the trees will bear much fruit;
If northeast flee 1t, man and brute
During the last century all work was
laid aside on the afternoon of the
thisty- first, and the men of the ham,
let went to the woods and brought
home loads of juniper bushes. Each
also procured pitcher of
water from the dead and living ford"
the ford in river, by which
passengers and funerals crossed. This
was brought in perfect silence and
without being allowed to touch the
ground in its progress. as contact
with the earth would have DESTROYED
the charm.
The rites next morning were sup.
posed to protect the household
against witchcraft, the EVIL eye" 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, which
was generally acknowledged with any.
thing but gratitude. - } d. r.,
Coming back, the thrifty Scotch
man closed all the doors and windows
and put the juniper bough on the fire.
When the smoke reached the suffocat-
ing point, the fresh air was readmit.
ted Then the cattle were. fumigated
in the same manner, and the painful
Of the morning We're over.
On New Years day a superstitious
Scotchman will neither lend nor give
anything whatever out of his house.
for he fears that his luck may 20 too.
and for the same reason, the floor
must not be, swept If the fire goes
out it Is a sign of death.