The evening world., 1912-05-01
THE R N

monethes glad" May Of the darling buds; May Of tn
welcome flowers"i The poets have certainly outdonc themselves t
be nice to May!
From earliest times Nay seems 10 have been regarded by all Lair
end Germanc peoples as the happist month of the year, the montl
Of merriment and revel. Its jaunty little name, which suggests bithe
ness and gaiety, it gets from Maia, Latin goddess of fertility and
growth. From April 2s to May 2 the Romans celebrated their Flo
ralia, a feast consecrated to Flora, the flower goddess. Gay costumes
dancing, dramatic performances and q distinct looscning Of decorum
are known to have marked these rites. This was undoubtedly the
rude'and bohterous origin Of the seemlie May Day festivities Of
modern times.
In the Middle Ages the celebration narrowed down to the actual
FIRST day Of the month, and "bringing in the May" became Q regular
spring festival. An important feature Of this celebration in Medieval
times was the beginning Of our almost forgotten custom Of hanging
Nay baskets. The young men salled forth the night before into the
forest and brought back branches, bushes and flowers which they
planted in streets in front Of the houses Of their lady loves.
Also It became usual to bring back one tall straight tree, stripped
II fs boughs, which was set up in the middle Of the green or market
place, painted, bedecked and ~beribboned, and st~raightway made the
centre Of III the dancing and mer1iment. This was, Of course, the
Nsye P0e-that frivolous, sinful, device Of the devil 90 frowned upon
BY the Puritans, which the godly Deacon John Stubs referred 10 as
that "stinckyng idol" about which the people ~leape and daunce as
the heather did" When the Puritans got their chance they abolished
il with zeal.
On May /, 1861, however, after the restoration Of the gay Stuart
king, the London populace showed their delight at escaping from the
gloomy square toes by erecting in q conspicuous part Of tho Strand an
enormous cedar May Pole 1874 feet high, covered with gilt crowns and
gorgeous paraphernalia. This May Pole Of May Poles stood, one OF
the sights Of London, until 1717, when, having grown old and de-
sycd, it was sold to Sir Isaac Newton, who took it down and used it
axa support for his great telescope at Wanstead.
The Queen Of the May was q survival Of the Roman habit Of
having a living foxer-crowned representative Of the Goddess Flora!
Usually, in later times, tM, was . live girl eehcted for her good
looks, but sometimes in England and France esboratey dressed dolls
served the purpose.
tastic dresses, going about town with . Aowerdecked COW, and dancing
around the animal to the sound Of violin or clarinet. May Day in
Medieval England ws in fact one Of tho great public holidays for
all classes.
~ regarded, even in Roman times, as an unlucky month to be mar
ned. This was mainly because Of the Lemuria or festival of the
unhappy dead, which occurred on the 9th, 18th and 10Th.
We find the poet Ovid saying:
as II srovsrbs soeoA vaA ys. people COY that May IL the
month to MARRY bod Wtvsa
xsry N xsy
- Rps~t ~ sv
~ English saw has II.
And in spite Of II beauty smd il promise of summer our wise
@ssston realized that after oil May b very much Of a spring month
~ hat cold treachery often lnrlu beneath ia smiles.
Tu xv ~ or
be9n sound sdvice - 10 light clothing.
Other old saying. suoh -:
4 eN xAv sa6 . ws~Iv
xskss . hp Nam and . Nsdv.
4 not ksv ~ssss . fat oASrcA yorA
4 lesky xy o~d Q not June
Kssps Es p~r we~'s hcdd aou~e;
and tho Spanish provsrb:
RslW IN key mskss breed for the waoe yeo,
an prove thst May has never been all warmth and sunshine.
Ceasbstions Of the gay month and is opening day have badl
fallen off since the old dsys Of "Msrrie England" It is curious t
find our own Washington Irving early the last century lamenting that
-tAs rs's' Sesos ." the GREE" and the Aomsy Noy Dy pageant
hoVe gradually dtsoppeossd N proportion y the peosontsy have
become expensive and artificial IN thsr pIeasvrcs and too know-
so for smps enjoyment. Some astsmps' indeed have been
made Of late years BY men Of both taste and learning to ruuv
bock the popular feeling to these sto1dards Of primitive sim
pNeay; but the s~s 10. gone blythe feeling ~' become
chilled BY habhs Of gain and trcffic-thc country apes the
manners and amusememss Of the toWn. and little Is heard Of
May Day at present cscept from the lamentations OF authors,
WAo Sigh efer II from omon0 the btck auIs Of the chp"
Must al times sigh for the cold times?
Letters from the People