Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1916-12-07

that great loosely knit empire. Where the Greek
church prevails the celebration occurs fortnight
later than ours; that is, on January T. 1t Is ac-
companed by feasting and by various local Gus
toms. The Slovacs of Bohemia and Moravia have
curious Christmas usages in which superstition
has entirely triumphed over religious significance
This Is the great day of the year when the peas
ant appeases all the invisible world of spirits
On the afternoon of Christmas eve the whole
household marches in solemn procession to the
stables and cow houses carrying bread salt and
beans. These are offered TO the animals with GER
tain hallowed words and great is the dismay If
any COW or chicken is Indifferent to the offering.
Returning to the house. the parents sprinkle
all their unmarried daughters with water sweet
ened with honey thus insuring them honest, good
tempered husbands. The entire family then sip
of slivoviza strong native liquor distilled from
pums. small quantity of this Is then poured
on the floor to conciliate such other spirits as
may have been overlooked. Everyone then falls
on the Christmas feast without ceremony.
But this year has reached out to the
mote districts and blighted even such simple
Christmas celebrations as this. The men of the
families are all gone. Only the very young and
the very old remain There wiz be no blessing
Of the kline this year, for there are no kline to
bless. All have long since gone to supply the
army There viii be no Christmas feastng, for
food was long ago reduced to the smallest quanti-
~ that will sustain life. And every day in every
village, the list of the widowed and orphaned
grows longer and longer.
Vienna Is known a gay, llghthearted city.
It's Christmas observance is ordinarily happy
combination Of religious ceremony and Teutonic
good cheer. But this year the brilliant midnight
masses will be attended by blackrobed mourners
and there will be no good cheer In Vienna
The Christmas celebration In all the countries
where the Greek orthodox church prevails are
much the same. AS the holiday itself is preceded
by severe fast the Christmas feast takes on a
highly important character In many parts Of
Russia especially in the cities the gift-hung
Christmas tree has been borrowed from the Ger
mans while pudding of rice and raisins is the
feature of the Christmas eve feast. From this
feast has been taken its crownng glory, the
vodka bottle.
In only one other part Of Europe has the heel
Of war pressed SO hard in Russian Poland; in
only other place has the land been utterly
devastated by fierce and continued fghtiug in
only other place will the season of peace
and good viii be such a bitter mockery to
the hunted and starving Poles.
And this is in Serbia, poor brave, beaten Ser
hia, with its whole population entire people,
fugitive before hated and terribly feared nvad-
ers. During three years Serbia has been swept
by three wars, the present one so relentless and
SO overwhelming MS literally TO wipe out the ord
nary relationship OF the people TO life, They have
ceased 20 have homes; they have ceased TO pos
sess property; they must burrow in the earth for
shelter aud forage for their uncertain food like
Wild animals. With her army making a heroic
and desperate struggle, with her people dying with
their spirit yet unhroken the birthday of the
Prince of Peace will not be celebrated this year
IN Serbia.
The sorrows of Belgium this year as compared
with Inst are more of the spirit than Of the flesh
The voice Of Christmas, of peace and good viii
does not speak very loud 20 captive people.
with it's army terribly deCimuted, it's beloved king
mn hut driven out OF his own country. with its
daily life subject 10 the scrutiny and the con-
troll Of a stern captor there Is room in Belgium
Tor any nf the Old Nghthearted Christmas spirit
that used TO show itself in crowded churches for
midnight MASSES and gay all-night supper paroles,
Belgium waits as an Europe waits for The end
Of the war-waits with faith and hope ana de-
termination as grim Is t must be- silent.
Happily the physical condition of the stricken
people is better than last year There + NOT the
frgltfu confusion. the separation ef families,
the pidful terror and want that Went with the
light before the invaders. An relief measures
ure organized Belgium Is no happier this year
than last but she Is less cold and hungry
If the Belgian people ever again have a united
Christmas they Will and themselves with many new