Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-20

sunshine and the protector Of all the
fruits of the soil
The harvest celebration in old England
was known as the Harvest Home" At
the present time the Harvest Home is
connected with the final gathering in Of
the crops. but it began with the gathering
of the first fruit and even now the GUS
tom of offering first fruits is still prac-
ticed. The customs concerning this ''Har-
vest Home are curious and oftentimes
differed both as to their nature and the
method of carrying them out. Some are
of extremely ancient date, as in the case
of shouting of the churn." This is a
relic of the days when Apollo was wor-
ship ed in old England. The shouting
of the churn" is constantly done in some
form or other by the reapers today. The
churn, or kern. means circle or ring,
formed by several people joining hands. 1t
also means a chaplet or crown worn on
the head or carried in procession on a
pole. This English celebration is claimed
oy some to be almost Identical in many
respects with our Thanksgiving.
Several quaint customs were carried out
In Scotland when the reaperS had finish
ed their tasks, some Of which still exist
in a modified form. The celebration was
somewhat similar to that held in England,
but was called Kern" The custom Of
"Kemping" in England is the same as
the "Mell'' In Scotland, or Melee as 1t
is sometimes spelled. Inasmuch as this
ing is anything but inappropriate. This
feeling was caused by the desire on the
part of each reaper to be the first to
finish the last days work AS they went
about reaping, though, they were careful
to leave a good-sized handful OF grain un-
cut When the field had been finished
these were decorated with bright colors
and hailed as corn babies" Then the
honniest lassie in the vicinity was allow
ed to cut these down, after which cere-
mony they were brought home In triumph
ACCOMPANIED by the music of fiddles and
bagpipes or some other instrument, and
conspicuously displayed at the feast or
mel supper which followed. They
were also preserved for the remainder of
the year. The bonnie Lass who had
been chosen to cut down one of these
corn babies" was the harvest queen"
at the mel supper" at which she was
present.
A somewhat different version of the
same principle is still carried on to some
extent. Instead Of calling the handful
Of grain left uncut doll, 1t is tied I'D
and named mare After the reaping
has been finished the reapers gather and
each throws his sickle at it in an en-
deavor to cut 1t down. When one finally
succeeds ne cries out Il have herv'
What have you goty' call out the other
and less fortunate reapers. "A mare, a
mare, mare" comes back the answer
What will you do with her?' then cry
the reapers. We'll send her to Dayy
Macintosh" Is the final CALL in which the
name of some farmer not yet finished
cutting down his corn is substituted.
In some parts of England these Gus
toms regarding the last handfuls of
grain still exist. but the names are diff
ferent. In Yorkshire 1t is a Harvest
Dame that is the prize. while in Bed
fordshire Jack and Jill' is the chosen
name. At the suppers which are invari-
ably held the same spirit is carried out
as in this country, and while it may not
necessarily be turkey and cranberry
sauce. pumpkin pie and all the other good
things which make the eyes Of American
boys and girls grow big in expectation,
at least the things are those which have
the same effect on the boys and girls OF
England and Scotland.
When the French reapers have finished
the task of cutting down the grain they
get together and arrange upon some day
when they will have a general jollifica-
ton or little "regale-'' This is called
THE Harvest Gosling." and Is the time
when the French reapers have their au-
tumn festival.