The L'Anse sentinel., 1910-01-01
Holy Innocents'


mas fDecember 28)- commentaries the of the
children in Bethlehem under Herod This In itself Is
sufficient to explain its early recognition by the church
The superstition that the day is an uniucky onea aes
nefastus-is not only widely spread all Europe, but
deeply rooted and be traced back many hundreds
Of years.
The superstition was strong all through the middle
ages In England the fifteenth century 1t was thought
so that day for the coronation OF Ed
ward w. (Sunday) happening to be Childemas the cere
mony was postponed until the following day. In the
County Suffolk this day the superstition Is carried
even further and whatever day of the week Chide
may happen to fall that day is held to be unluoky
throughout the year. The commencement OF any new
is thought to be certain to be followed by failure
Addison gives an of this belief in the Spectator
of March 1, 171O11 Thursday, says she. NO. child
II 1t please God! You shall not begin upon Chdermas
day. Tell writing master that Friday VIII De soon
enough" 8
The custom whipping the children reminder OF
the event commemoraed by Childermas was common In
France parts Of Normandy to-day there is still
existing among the country folks but the re-
gious significance has been partly lost This method
assisting the Of the luckess urchin by scor
ing his epdermis was formerly In vogue on otner occa
sions than Holy Innocents day In England 1t was for
mery common practice during the riding OF the boun
daries OF parishes and manors day to whip
the youngsters at important or disputed point
christening In the days of his youth remem
bered afterward and the particular sone cairn or
marking the metes and bounds between adjoin
ing parishes thus ndelibly mapped his mat
ter-a proceeding quite enhcacious survey.
Although the festivities connected more closely with
the celebration Christmas day have completely
shadowed those of the New Year. still there not
few corners in Chrisendom wherein the latter
held in much greater repute In Scotland. in parcu
lar II is the great holiday Of the year. and the
day of New Year the canny Scot let's himself out
with VIM It would II his spirits pent UP for
whole twelvemonth hnd vent at this patcuar
In France, Roman law and custom have impressed
themselves perhaps strongly than elsewhere in E
rope not excepting Italy itself, and the close
ltcal friendship which existed between Scotland and
France previous to the ascension OF James VI to the
throne still finds expression in the country to the north
the Tweed in much stronger fashion than is gener
ally believed Many Of the owland terms Of to-day
merely French in Scottish guse. It s perhaps
to this political than to the spread Of the
Puritan NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which held everything In
abomination that smacked in the slightest degree Of
church festvasthat many of the customs and super
stitions current the canny Scots 30 closely
resemble those OF France. Christmas 1t one time
almost a. much Of festival n Scotland the south.
OF the border that n the cities at least Il
Il again showing recrudescenoe But among the rank
and e Of the people, with the Man In the Street, Il d
e New Year that hode is heart and ct the same time
disturta his diGeeen anA add1es his brain. Any one
who has been - the "canny Tom O. Hdinbro" or 0las
row on New Years reallses the spirit q Goctwilt
that rolsns evQ hs Be spt BY the pondemonium
Of noise ana HIS ey usr by the rsek Of the torches
and u Il rarely hat the Scot in an his 5o1oaoo q
this period construes liberty q ucense the custom -
vyoomlns m tht Nsv Ysaf AAs hoWev,t; - oeen1ioo