Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1911-12-15
M4I&|l5(lERR!E{k@s
.& E&%&IANP3 e.
JGLAND and Scotland have 70
tanned many Of their interest
ir~ c,,a<oyuo ~ oldan fimoa

w. tanned many OF tn01r mt0EesC'
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-ths.way places and re-
hearse their favorite ballads. As the
time draws near they don improvised
masks and 60 about from house to
house singing and cutting many
quaint capers.
The thirty-nrst Of December Is
called "Hogmanay," and the children
are told that If they 60 to the cor
ner they will see q man with as many
eyes as the year has days. The chill.
dren Of the poorer classes go from
house to house In the better districts
with large pocket fastened to their
dresses or a large shawl with a fold
In front Each one receives an oaten
cake, piece of cheese, or sometimes
4 sweet cake, and goes home at night
with good supply of homely New
Year cheer for the rest of the family.
The Scottish elders celebrate tho
day with supper party, and as the
clock "chaps" IL, friend greets friend
and wishes him "a guide New Year
and mony o. them" Then, with great
lormality the door Is unbarred to let
the Old Year out and the New Year
b, and all the guests sally forth into
the street to FIRST foot" their &C.
ouafntances.
In Edinburgh 4 great crowd gathers
around the church in Hunter square
and anxiously watches the clock.
There is absolute silence from the
first stroke of IL until the last.
The old folks now 90 to bed but
the young have other business on
nsand!' Each girl IL 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
1t this season, for it is supposed to
betokens that which is to come There
Is, a. rhyme current in Scotland which
runs thus
II New Years svs tho night wind blow
eth south
II betokeneth warmth and growth;
II west much milk, and fish In the sea:
II east. the trees will bear much fruit;
n northeast, fee it, man and brute.
= During the last century al work was
hid aside on the afternoon of the
thirty first, and the men Of the ham,
Get went. to the woods and brought
home loads of juniper bushes. Each
household also procured pitcher OF
water from tho dead and living ford"
meaning the ford in a river, by which
passengers and funerals crossed. This
was brought In perfect silence and
without being allowed to touch tho.
Eound in its progress, as contact
With the earth would have destroyed
The charm. .
The rites next morning were sup
Rosed to protect the household
against witchcraft. the "evil eye," and
ether devilments. The father rose
first, and taking the charmed water
and q brush, treated the rest Of the
family to q vigorous baptism, which
vas generally acknowledged with any.
Thing but gratitude. 49,,
Coming back. the thrifty Scotch.
nan closed all the doors and windows
and put the juniper bough on the hrs.
When the smoke reached the suteocat.
Ing point, the fresh air was readmit-
ted. Then the cattle were fumisatel
p the same manner, and tho painful
ioleAnities Of the morning were over.
On New Years day \ superstitious
fcotchman will neither lend nor give
anything whatever ont: Of bis house,
Tor he fears that his luck may 20 too.
apd for the same reason. the loor
must not BE- swept. II the IRE goes
mt It IL . sign Of death. q