The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-12-24

dining table was a cut-slass bowl,
filled with gorgeous yellow roses
Notes to Tampa Tribune.
The Xmas Stocking.
Most children hang up their stock
ings at Christmas, but few know" the
origin of the custom. Long ago in
Italy lived good St. Nicholas, who
used to go about throwing knitted
purses filled with coin into the win
dows of the poor. These purses were
long and looked not unlike fOOtless
stocking In time the people hung
these purses out to receive coins be-
fore Christmas. When coins were
scarce toys were left In them for the
children.
The custom went to the countries
farther north, where good st. Mich
olas became Santa Claus When the
long knitted purses passed out of use
stockings themselves were employed.
Because of the cold the stockings
were not hung outside, but beside the
great chimneys, through which 1t
was supposed the saint came. In
this form the legend and the custom
came across the sea to America.
Now, how many children can re-
member this when they hang up
their stockings this Christmas eve
Mistletoe Legends.
There are several pretty legends OF
tho mistletoe. The custom Of deco
rating the home with 1t goes back
centuries to the ceremonials OF the
Druids of Briton. 1t Is reminder
of their winter custom of keeping
green things indoors as a refuge for
tho spirits of the forest, existed by
| the seventies of the weather. AS
with the ivy, it was forbidden in
the church because of its pagan as
sociations. But five centuries ago as
scmblies were held in public squares
to greet the plant even that late con-
sidered sacred. TO this day in cer-
tain parts of England it is used as
a protector against spells, the farmer
altering il to the first cow that calves
after the new year, thereby securing
his stock against illness and trouble
for a wear In Germany it is thought
that if YOU carry sprig OF II into
on old house the ghosts abiding there
will appear to You and answer suef
Questions as you may shiveringly ask
The symbolism of mistletoc in Druid
zeal rites was spirit; SO 1t relates u
spirits. for it grows in the air and no
On the earth.
Mistletoe, may say, is a parasite
existing on both deciduous and ever
Green trees. In Europe 1t abound
on apple trees, and is rare on oaks
The berries are eaten BY frugivorou
birds. and through their agency, par
ticularly that of the thrush, tn
rlant is propa gated The sowing I
affected by the bird wiping its beal
to which the seeds adhere, agains
the bark OF the tree on which !
alights. The growth of the plant
slow but it usually lives as long a
the tree if not removed.
AS it is rare on oaks. the ancien
Druids, when they required it at tn
J end of the year, had white-robe
,,riest to cut it with golden sickle
. il was not allowed to touch tn
. ground, but white sheet was sprea
to catch it. Two white bulls wer
, then slain beneath the oak where
had grown. The twigs of the pars
site were distributed among the pee
pie, who placed them over doors. Q
twined them into rings or bracelet
: to keep off evil, or as We would no
say, bad luck. The Druids, also, col
E siGered it as great cure-all as SON
e folks today regard various pater
A rostrums; it was remedy aealn'
!. witches, fits, poison, apoplexy, u
q rlors and consumption.
S But why is it always SUSPENDED
e our homes? The reason is trace
f rack to an old myth of the Norseme
e The mother of Baldur, the god OF a
J, good things, exacted a promise fro
8 the vegetable, animal and miner
s kingdoms to preserve his life fro
{ lhsrm. From somS cause. hoMsye
: She did not make an appeal to Il