davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

pleting the third round the company halt at
the door and each person proceeds in a rough
rhyme more or less extemporiZed TO eXtol the
hospitality Of the owner OF the house, upon
which all are rcgaled with bread and butter,
cheese and whisky. But the strange perform
ance has an equally curious sequel Before
leaving the house one OF the visitors, having
solemnly burned the breast part of the skin Of
a sheep, puts It TO the nose OF everyone that
he or she may smell it, There is no difficulty
In doing so. II may not be nice, but as a pro-
lection against witchcraft it Is nfallible. 1t Is
also said to protect from infection.
In Carlisle-yes, | know Carlisle is not In
Scotland but it is so close to the border that
I am not travelling very wide OF my subject I'm
mentioning a custom there. In Carlisle for
weeks before the New Year householders arc
serenaded by boys who seek to entertain them
with an odd mixture of the comic and the re-
liglous, generally winding up with a refrain
after this fashion:
IF you cannot spare a penny,
You can spare a halfpenny;
And if you haven't a haltpenny,
God bless you"
The poetry halts badly, but the concluding
sentiment is excellent.
In Elginshire and some other parts in the
north there was curious dtty called The
Thiggars' Chant" which was sung by band
OF young persons who visited number or
houses on New Years Day. IL begins:
The guild New Year is moo begun,
Besouthen, besouthen.
An a the beggars begin TO run,
An ava by southern toon."
The guidwife is appealed to be nae sweir" 10
deal her "fordels to the puir" and she is also
warned that if she has plenty and will not give
anything the dell will get ye when ye dee"
Even were she dsinclined to be generous such
a therat would, of course compel hospitality.
The party is invited to enter:
Come in, come ben, you're welcome here,
Besouthen besouthen;
Yell get a share o oor New Year cheer.
An away by southern toon."
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

One Of the most common rhymes was the
following brief couplet. Sometimes 1t was
tackled on TO one or other OF those already
given:
"Oor feets caud oor shoons thn
Giles piece an let's rim"
Another version has IT.
"Ges oor cakes and let's rim"
Still another old greeting is:
"Hogmanay.
Trolloday,
Giles o. your white bread. an name o. your
gray"
There many others; the children In some
places singing a long dltty.
Hogmanay custom OF a very curious kind
Is peculiar to certain parts OF the highlands
Young and old In the district gather at the
house OF some substantial farmer, and one OF
the stoutest Of the company drags the dried
hide OF a COW round the house behind him.
three times. The rest follow beating the hide
with sticks and singing the following extraor-
dnary rhyme:
"Hogmanay, yellow bag.
Beat the skin.
Carlin in neuk. carlin In kirk,
Carlin ben at tie fire,
Spit In her two eyes, spit in her stomach.
Hogmanay"
This is supposed TO have something 10 do
with warding off fairy spells, the evil eye and
the effect OF wItchcraft generally. After COM
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

Hogmanay was the chief night for the per-
pormances OF the guiseC-, of gysards. or gui-
yards, although they did ~ conine themselves
TO that evening their season" continuing right
through the Daft Days In places in which
guising still goes OF the performances, how
ever, are nearly always on the evening OF Hog
manay. The guisers are masquers. and their
drama bears some resemblance TO the old
Twelfth Night mumming in England, and like
1t. is believed TO be a relic OF the mystery
plays.
The versions found In different parts OF the
country are not identical, but they bear a GER
tain family resemblance TO each other. The
dressing was not by rule. but entirely
dependent the available wardrobe"
Sometimes the boy performers donned shirts
which had belonged TO their fathers. adorned
their heads with paper caps. and had brilliant
sashes round their waists in which were hung
swords OF lath, metal If they could be OBJ
tanned The most simple form OF guising was
that In which two boys sang while third, who
was dressed a girl, and known Bessie.
engaged in q number of antics
But a more ambitious form was that OF the
Galashans. or Galatians or Galoshens-the
name varies. The Galashans wore hideous
masks, paper caps, and such odd garments as
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

in length and is the rocks all the way. At each
end goal marked by huge boulder. The yettlins,
which give their the game balls Of iron
and onehalf inches in diameter and weighing
about a pound and half Each player has a ball and
the object of the game is by repeated throws to
the distance between the goals The who reaches
number of halls constitute game. The yettlin goes
immense speed when 1t is thrown Esd the delivery
pretty high
Another very remarkable local custom connected
with the New Year is burning of the csavie takes
place in the little vlase of Burghead the southern
shore OF the Moray Firth few miles north of Egin
and quite unique The ceremony is held Invariably
New Years old style The cave. which is built
cording regulations rigdly fixed by ancient CUSTOM
consists of half archangel barrel supported
a pole 1t is packed with wood which Is piled up
a foot above the brim. after which is poured
II copiously Into space which has been left in the
piece turf is put II being imperative
match should be employed While the fame Is gather
ing strength the gives three for the king
the provost the town. the harbor and the railway Then
a stalwart fisherman seizes the blazing clavie and
res IL off AS he reaches the junction OF two
streets he relieved and in this way the clavie
round the At street the bearer
is changed There Is keen competition for the honor Of
carrying the clavie but II light task Not only is
Il heavy burden but the bearer runs some risk OF be
ing scalded by the boiling which bubbles and drops
Moreover imperative the bearer TO run I'm spite
OF the that stumble implies his own death dur
ing the year and misfortune 10 the town
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

TuSneS OF 10 oe HTStIoot 10 some OF MS Com
friends" Bes,
and daughters who have gone forth TO -
the battle Of life return the old home and al
the old hearth; when ancient feuds healed;
when friends abroad remembered with love
and friends home entertained lis spirit OF gener
hospitality which, the year draws to close leads
the guidman and the guidwfe lay In their kebbuck
Ga cheese) and stock of shortbread curran bun and
Sther indigestble luxures.
The first and in parts OF Scotland the greatest
the Daft Days Hogmanay. photographers have
uzzed greatly this term, and many guesses have
made as to its derivation and origin. II is said by
ONE TO come from the Scandinavian hoggu.nott, hoge
at hoggnight while others. perhaps the majority
hold that Il from the French. The opening words
OF old Scots ditty "Hogmanay, Trooday," are sup
posed be corruption of Homme est ne-Trois Rois Ia
And Hogmanay is also said be derived from Au gui
France when visiting houses the last day of the year
jameson the great authority the Scots language gives
a big selection OF derivations and writer who quotes
several very ingenuousy that "the reader
select for himself that which he considers the prob
able"
Il used TO be customary 10 Scotland and is stl in
some places bands Of children TO visit the houses
OF the wetodo on day OF the year for the pur
pose OF receiving "Hogmanay piece" The piece
ssts sometimes OF oatmeal cake end cheese but
frequently Of richer danties such shortbread II is
not regarded by either gyers recipients a dole
u is a hosptable gift in recognition Of the
RHYMES are by the children but these vary In
different localities which IS still in In Aber-
deonshre and the north Of Scotland rur~ thus:
IN eudwife an shaE your feathers,
An dinna think that are beggarss
For We are berns come GOT to play;
Gst ~ an gc's Hogmanay"
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

A mouse is afraid of a man, man
is afraid Of a woman, woman Is
afraid of a mouse-and there you are.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29


ful distinction which she enjoyed till within
the past few years OF being the only Christian
country In the world I'm WHICH the greatest OF
the Christian festivals was ignored. Ignored
IL was absolutely. Christian observances and
Christmas festivities were anathema TO the
true-blue Scot of generation ago. Not. be IL
noted, because he objected TO mirth and 10
Vitality In themselves. Those who imagine that
the old life of Scotland from years end to
years end was dull. gray and colorless make
profound mistake. The observance OF Christ
ignored because 1t offended the relig
ious susceptibilides Of the Scot.
Even yet non-o observance Of Christmas
must, in truth be reckoned among the pecul-
iaritles OF Scotland A better, kinder and more
tolerant spirit exists, but the old feeling is not
quite dead. Moreover national customs and
the usages of centuries are not TO be changed
quickly. Christmas observance in Scotland is
at the best, only in its infancy.
1t is when Christmas festivities have come
to end, and roast turkey. goose, plum pud.
ding and mince pies but memories (more
or less pleasantly, that Scotland enters upon
her great annual saturnalia From time i'm
memorial boisterous and In many cases bac-
ohanalian revery has been associated with the
close of the old and the opening Of the
year. Formerly the period was distinguished
by the significant title OF The Daft Days" The
name was given more particularly to the sea
son between Hogmanay (the last day Of the
year, and Handsel Monday (the first Monday
after New Years day., but, like the generos-
ty which characterized 1t, the time was not
strictly limited.
The name indicates very expresslvely the
nrth. fun and uproarious joviality OF the pc
fod and the responsibility OF the revelers.
While the Daft Days have now been shorn OF
some of their glory, much OF the spirit re-
mains. And although 1t is still, as it has been
in the past. associated with foolish errors OF
Judgment, II is, on the whole, a spirit TO be
cherished For It is a genial spirit, a spirit OF
good will, Of generosity and OF hospitality. It
is the Spirit Of Christmas-a trihe belated
The New Year In Scotland sees the union
II sundered households. Now Is the time when
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

The miserablest day we live there's
many better thing to do than dying.
barley.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-29

dicates the nature OF the place, for Skelleys is
an old Scots word used TO describe a stretch
of flat rocks of a shelving formation. The
course. IL such Il can be called, is about mile
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
AGE OF SMALL MEN.

LONDON, November Professor
Arthur Keith, the conservator of the
Royal College of Surgeons, whose lee
lures have been creating a stir, said
the other day:
We all want to be tall, but the
ideal of great stature is absolutely
wrong. This is the time of the small
man. More than ever before in the
worlds history, energy, alertness and
quickness of brains are required and
those are the characteristics of short
men rather than of tall men. Great
stature brings its burdens. Giants
usually are dull of wit
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
THIS RAILWAY Run BY SAIL.

VALPARAISO, Chile. November +.
The most remarkable railway Of its
kind in The world Is that between
Antafazsz-a and Orouro in Chile. An
engineer in charge Of some important
government coast Improvements
found the time spent by workmen in
carrying materials from the little
town 10 the place OF operations
costly item He hit upon a most
novel scheme TO overcome the diff
Guilty which proved successful from
the start.
He took advantage of the trade
winds which prevail in these regions.
Finding that during eyeraI hours ii
the morning and evening there Was
a sri1 breeze blowing, he had a large
number Of fair-sized box cars built
which not only accommodated The
men coming and going to work, but
also proved amply sufficient to trans
port the material needed for con
structiOn OF the works. Each car is
provided with good sized sail-there
is no other propelling force The
speed is regulated by the manipula.
ton of brakes and to prevent acct
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02

the wind impels from many miles in
the interior insects Of all species, noe.
| turnals as well as diurnals, out over
the ocean, into which they fail. and
the waves cast them back on tie
| beach Female butterflies and moths
and other insects traverse endless
miles in search OF the appropriate
food plant upon which to oviposit. and
often find solitary specimen of the
plant sought for in a back yard in
the midst of a great city. The male in
seeking a mate easily finds her
through many miles distant and leaf.
eating insects by some unerring in
stnCt readily discover their favorite
tree or plant, no matter how remote or
segregated. If a rare insect is de-
sired, it is only necessary TO cultivate
its food plant. A hundred miles a day
would be sport for some Of the larger
dragon flies. and they traverse vast
areas in search of pools in which to
oyiposit or for prey. Bees gather
honey from flowers five miles distant
from the hive, etc.
There would be nothing to prevent
the salt marsh mosquito which breeds
in the extensive salt marshes border
ing Long Island and New Jersey, when
they arise in the air at night, from be
ing borne far inland any number of
miles with a favorable breeze. Bill
lions of mosquitoes may emerge one
day in these marshes and the follow
ing night would find them distributed
in swarms far inland. If there were a
salt marsh fifty miles from the sea Il
would soon be populated by this spe-
cies Of mosquito. Until these marshes
are wholly and thoroughly drained or
filled in this species viii continue to
infest Long Island and extend far into
the interior of New Jersey, and to rid
these localities thoroughly from them
will require much time, labor and a
large expenditure of money.
The West End at Coney Island,
when covered with wild growth, and
before the filling up of stagnant pools
and leveling of the surface, was a
place to avoid during the mosquito
season; now the difference is very no
ticeable AS to houses found to be in
tested with mosquitoes in the spring,
this is due to the fact that mosquitoes
hibernate, that is to say, as hundreds
of other species of all orders do in the
fal of the year, the last brood if ma
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02

wild horse in the Cobb desert, in the
south of Mongolia a herd of thirty
colts were captured and landed in
Europe. Most Of them were sent to
Russia, but a few were shipped TO
the estate Of the Duke OF Bcdforu,
in England Thoy we're ragged Of
coat and Of awkward gait All eff
forts to tame them have failed They
will not submit to mans rule ana
are therefore unseryiceable. They
become badly frightened when a man
approaches nearer than TWO or three
rods Of them.
The Russians claim that by meth
DDS Of comparative anatomy and in
other ways they have proven that the
Gobi desert horse Is distinct spe-
Cies Of the genus horse The name,
forelock and tail are not unlike tue
domestic animal and, ike them. they
neigh and snort. Most nauralists
have. until now, believed that the
true wild horses with an unbroken
line OF wild ancestry were extinct.
Il Is the general opinion that the
domestic horse Of today was mainly
derived from three wild species,
which have been named the steppe,
forest and plateau varieties. The
Cobb horse is a representative Of The
steppe variety. This horse in its Wild
state lives in the level districts and
goes at night 10 the pasture lanls
and drinking places. Al break OF
day il returns to the desert where it
rests until sunset
When there are nursing colts 10
the heard the animals always rest
in the same place. They usually
walk one behind the other, so that
the region where they live is covered
with deep tracks.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02

ture seeks secure place in which to
pass the winter, under stones, bark,
grass, heaps of leaves and other re.
fuse and even under ground, Mosaui-
toes find shelter in hollow trees and
similar places. but like their cousins
the flies are also partial to cellars, and
if access be afforded in the fall enter
and remain all winter. ready to vel
come the householder when he opens
up in the spring.
While the great destruction Of birds
and their eggs may not entirely &C
count for the undue increase Of many
noNious insects. including mosquitoes.
it has undoubtedly been a great factor
in that direction. The flocks Of insec.
tiyOrous birds. notably the wren. Swal.
lows Of various species. martins and
many others, which fifty years ago
freQuented this locality in great num-
bers. are now rarely seen. Every OBJ
scure village has a hunting club" so
called, composed mainly Of irresponsi-
bic persons mostly boys who do not
own a foot OF fround. but the moment
the season is open" they trespass and
poach on the neiEhboring woodland
and farms, often without license
and slaughter everything wearing
feathers which comes within range.
This inordinate craze 10 destroy use
ful birds and animal life should be rig
idly terminated everywhere. There
should be no open season at any time
to encourage cunning. not even for
Quails, partridges. etc, as these birds
injure no crop. but on the contrary do
a vast amount of good a. destroyers
of injurious insects and weed seeds.
and are worth more 10 the farmer
alive than dead. The despised bat
should be severely protected every
where. as there IS no more efficient
consumer Of nocturnal insects than
this little creature. and il does not
disturb fruit The crow also is wor-
thy Of consideration and protection.
1t is easily kept away from a recently
planted cOrnheld during the first few
days. and during the remainder of the
year it renders valuable services in
the determination Of insect life.
ARCHIBALD c. WEEKS.
Secretary EntomoloEical Department,
Brooklyn Institute Of Arts and Sci
ence
New York, November 10.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
TANNING OF WILD EoRsEs.

LONDON, November Southwest
ern cowboys have always had their
own peculiar methods of breaking and
handling horses. and they have
proved highly successful During re-
cent years, however, they have had
little opportunity to try them on wild
horses.
1t is more difficult TO domesticaie
the wild horse than it is any other
wild animal. The southwest will read
with interest, then, of the experiment
now being conducted in England.
Some years ago Prjevofsky, a Rus
sian explorer, discovered distinct
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
FIND s1,25o,ooo IN OLD HOUSE.

LONDON, November Treasure
trove to the value of $1,250,O0O is Ie-
ported from Jersey, where it was I'M
covered by Athelstan Riley while he
was pulling down the ruins of an old
manor house built in the thirteenth
century with the object of using the
stone to enlarge his present manor,
The discovery includes ancient urns
filled with spade guineas bearing the
British arms on a pade-shapeG
shield. One urn bears the monogram
Of Emperor Vespasian, the Roman,
who flourished in the first century.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
A NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGIST
ON THE WAYS OF MOSQUITOES
How the Insect Breeds, HibernateS and
Travels Great DiStanceS---Sea
Casts 1t Back

The following is a letter in the New
York Sun:
Editor Sun: Concerning the editor.
ials about DISCRIMINATING mosquitoes
in the Sun Of November s, the reason
why mosquitoes, comparatively few in
the tropics. are found to increase pro
portionately toward the higher lati.
tudes, is probably due to the fact that
the number of insectivorous birds, ami
mails, reptiles. fish and insects, plenti-
full in warm countries, decreases
nOTthWard in the same proportion.
Water seems 10 be essential to the
breeding of mosquitoes, and as the in
sects can complete their transforma-
ton in a few days, fresh water sRf-
Cies can always find hollow stump
or knot holding water, a shallow pool
well shaded in a hollow, where the
water evaporates but slowly; deeply
indented hoof prints or other slight
depressions in clay or other imperme-
able earth where water remains for
some length Of time, puddles, and a
thousand other similar cOigns of want
age.
Should the eggs be deposited in
water which disappears before the
wrlgglers emerge or afterward, the
eggs or wrigglers, as the case may be,
lie dormant in The moisture and
further development is suspended IN
til a shower enews the water, when
the transformations are resumed This
will account for the sudden appear
ance of swarms Of mosquitoes after a
heavy and prolonged rainfall As to
the distances mosquitoes may travel,
personally ] do not believe that there
is any limit All winged insects are
transported enormous distances by
the wind. Great flocks Of butterflies
have been encountered hundreds Of
miles at sea off the east coast of
South America. The large red butter
fly, popularity known as the Monarch,
assemblies in large numbers in this
latitude in the fall and is believed to
migrate 10 he Southern states, 1t or
its progeny returning again in the
spring. Many insects, especially
some of the stronger winged moths
and butterflies, indigenous to the
Southern states, are occasionally cap
tured here
All through the spring and summer
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02

took place recently, when, in spite
of wet weather, nearly 1907 guns
were posted in covers all over the
island. In some cases sport was
rather poor, but many good bags werC
secured.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
FARMERS WAR ON PIGEONS.

LONDON, November 1.-The first
combined shoot of the Isle of Wight
farmers and their friends to rid the
island of a plague of pigeons, which
have been so destructive to crops,
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02
MAKING LANDsMEN WONDER.

BOSTON, November l. People
are so much accustomed to see ships,
when they are in port, sitting on an
even keel, as sailors term it, that
when one is seen leaning up against
a dock, or appearing to do so, 1t az
tracts instant attention.
A landsman walking along Atlantic
avenue not long ago saw a steamer
beside a fruit companys dock, whose
deck was so sharply tilted that he
held his breath.
Surely, thought he, something was
awry; the ship might at any mo.
ment complete her acrobatic stunt
and turn right over. The landsman
waited to see the worst happen.
He thought it strange, but nothing
did happen. The ship remained
poised gracefully on one toe, as it
We're. Then he learned that his was
no unusual occurrence.
He found that the ships list"
was due to the unloading of cargo
from one side and that this was done
TO facilitate the unloading.
Waterfront people are accustomed
TO such thing, but to the stranger
there is wonder, and suggestion of
heavy seas in the leaning ship.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-02

dents large buffers are provided.
On account of its cheapness and
practical worth the idea of sail rail
ways has become popular and num-
Der are now being installed between
many small towns along the coast
where the trade winds blow with
clock-like regularity. The average
speed attained by these strange craft
is about thirty to forty miles an hour.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-06-30

diamonds and many pearls. The chief
value Of the brooch lay in the great
size of the diamonds, two of them be-
ing 10-karat stones.