Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-19
HOLIDAYS IN BRITAIN
June 4 Is Now Added to the
Long List.
KING GEORGES BIRTHDAY
It Falls on the Date Fixed for the
Big Festival Day at Elton.
Empire Day Observance.

BY curious coincidence the birthdays
of both the late King Edward and OF
George fall on days of considerable
local importance in England. King Ed
ward. as became a Londoner born and
bred, first drew breath November 8, Lord
Mayors day, on which occasion every
year the new lord mayor proceeds in a
quaint procession to the law courts to take
as the most important event in the whole
twelve months.
King George has favored the most
famous school of England. He was born
June 4, and to that day every one con-
nected with Elton College looks forward
to as the most important event in the
whole twelve months.
1t is the historic festival of the school.
and is known as Montem day, because
from times lost in obscurity the Etonians
were accustomed to proceed in fancy
dress lad montem'-that is. to certain
mound known as Salt hill. The old boys
of the college used to come down in great
numbers to see the ceremonies, ana were
expected to give contributions known as
salt to the boys then at school these
were used to pay the expenses OF the
ceremony, and any surplus became the
peruuisite of the captain of the college
TO help him through his university course
Procession Abandoned.
In 1s47 such large and disorderly
crowds came down from London to see
what was going on that the historic
march was dropped. But still every year
Montem day is observed, not only by the
formal speeches." which are not very
different from the conventional COM
mencement of an American school. but
also nv a procession of boats on the
Thames.
In this all the wet bObs." or boys who
60 in for rowing, take part. and the
coxswain Of each of the college Fights
is deliberately costumed I'm the full-dress
uniform. cooked hat and all. of BRUSH
admiral and carries as well huge pou-
ouet of flowers. King Georges choice
OF Montem day for his birthday is par
ticularlv appropriate at Elton college,
which is within a mile of Windsor CAS-
tie. and it's boys always receive posi-
ton of advantage at all state cereihohiais
taking place there.
Rut after ALL whatever may be the ac-
traI dav on which the reigning sovereign
of Great Britain was born, throughout
the empire the long reign OF Queen VIC
toria has fixed forever the GATE on wLiicm ~
be celebrated as May "a. In Canada es-
pecially is this day consecrated.
A Curious Superstition.
The people do everything summerlike
for the first ime on 1.-The twenty-fourth."
They go out to their country homes
thew make their first fishing trips, and
they start all such sports as lacrosse
cricket and yachting on the same sacred
day Visitors have wondered whether
the whole population would not have died
majesty had been born at the end of
April instead Of May, SO unanimously are
thew Informed that it is correct to dis
card winter underwear on queens birth
day
day been interviewer I'm the national life
that it was decided to retain 1t as the
great spring festival Of the year. even
though the queen had been gathered to
her fathers. 1t was renamed Empire
day, and taking as an excuse patriotic
exercises held by the school children.
with much waving of flags and singing
of national ballads, the good Canadians
continue to go in swimming and out boat
ing, and to alter their apparel and their