The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1912-05-03


lean war To be sure. Il 10 not the custom Of the
oatlon to indulge In spectacular obseranccs OF
Dewey Day" but there Is n general display ot
he lag on residences and public buildings In
honor Of the occasion and n N fayOfto occasion
or banqucts and speech making
To 60 nj once to the other extreme In cata.
ogung the functions Of May Day II may be- noted
hat May hay IL also moving day" meaning the
late on which expire most leases Of residential
property and when In consequence. there Is n
general fitting 10 and fro Of the folk who live In
''utod houses and In apartments or fats 10
some communities Aprli I Nv moro generally OBJ.
served us moving day than Ia May I. but In
most sections of tho country the later date Ia
preferred Ia more recent years. too. custom has
given October some Significance q moving
lay but for tho great majority ~ our people who
move only once year. 90 most. May ] stIll has
ho cali as fixed festival for tho shifting Of
household shrlnos
May Day ~ q date marked for lis own by or
,nnizod labor not only In the United States but
pretty much throughout the civilized world In
many cities there are on this day each year
monster parndcs ~ tho union labor organizations
ana II has long been accepted as tho most auspi.
cious occasion for inauguratlng great general
strikes IN the various trades Some May DAYS
have been rendered memorable by rlotous da.
'"re"nees. oas dur,"s the past few years the Oh.
aerNance OF the holiday has. for the mos, part
passed On quietly
To all American children May Day IL an event
to be looked forward TO- There are May.pole
dances and trollcs of various kinds In the parka
" the weather permits and these are so Organized
AZ TO enlist the participation ~ tho kndergart.
encrs and the smallest children ~ well ma thu
D. older ones When weather or other conditions
prevent the festivities In tho open mir specinI
exercises are held In the school rooms In short
May Day IN for tho whole body of American ynup,
people M occasion ~ relaxation and jnllity hut
/ Tor all that there are 30 many frolics dancing
HHFN Iaa and .IuIs a..
ono discurdant note In tho doarth Of weddings
May l. and. indeed. every day In May. would sccm
/ TO be Ideal for weddings. but the old superstItion
that May marriages are unlucky rcFtrlcts the
number Of brides ON May Day and on the thirty
days that follow
May Day, although not always of course. known
by that name. Ia one Of the oldest holidays on the
calendar In the church calendar tho first of
May s tho combined day Of 81 Philip the Apostle
ana ST. James the Less but the festivities which
marx the day In Great britain. France Germany
and other countries are what may be termed tho
dlfect descendants of the ancient Roman Floralla
and the DruIdlc foasts IN honor Of the god Rel
The Ranl Of the Scriptures Indeed. the origin Of
the holiday seems 10 date still farther hack IN
the history Of India and Egypt and In both Of
ihofo ancient countros the Mnypolo was a rccog
nif"d and conspicuous emblem
History relates that tho nrulda celebrated m,
nrst Of May by lighting immense fires I'm homo,
OF this deity and II rs ntcroatine To note that
this same custom uor ain that II has lost lis re-
llrious arnincancol Is yet followed by the Irish
ana tho Scotch llghlandCrs Among these rom
nnnts Of the Celtic stock the festival ia to mi,
day referred 20 as ncltinc or Uoaltaluc-mean
ing. literally the day of Bol's fire" There mr.,
other reminders ~ the ancient May Day riics yc
10 be observed In certain portions Of ireland an,
Scotland, but these have apscd to a certain cS
tent with the advance of time and the invasion
on new population ana tho curious person VIII,
would behold the Observance ~ the tradition
of May Day IN all ~ pristine glory must pene
lraie nowadays 10 some remote or isolated ham
let IN the Highlands
Where the old customs yet obtain all the YOUTH
Of a township or village meet on May Day OF
the nearest moor A round table or altar ia Gu
In the green sod and the entire company station
themselves In trench which Is formed aroun,
the table fire Is klndled and a custard IRE
pared OF eggs and milk. a huge cake OF natmca
being meanwhile kneaded and baked on the en-
hers. The custard is eaten but the cake is mere
divided into as many pieces rs there are person
In the company and these pieces are all throw
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