The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-12-15

that great loosely knit empire. Where the Greek
church prevails the celebration occurs fortnight
later than ours that Is, on January 7. II Is ac-
companed by feastng and by various local Gus
TOMS The Sloyacs OF Bohemia and Morayia have
curious Christmas usages In which superstition
has entirely trumphed over religious Significance,
This is the great day OF the year when the peas
ant gppeases all the Invisible world OF spirits.
On the afternoon OF Christmas eve the whole
household marches In solemn procession to the
stables and houses carrying bread. salt and
beans These are offered to the animals with Ger
tain hallowed words and great Is the dismay II
any cow or chicken IL Indifferent 10 the Offering.
Returning to the house. the parents sprinkle
all their unmarried daughters with water sweet
ened with honey. thus insurlng them honest good.
tempered husbands The entire family then sip
Of slivovitza. strong native liquor distilled from
plums. A small quantity OF this Ia then poured
on the floor to concilinte snch other spirits
may have been overlooked Everyone then falls
on the Christmas feast without ceremony
But this year war has reached out to the
mote districts and hllghted 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 will 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 will be Christmas feast!ng for
food was long ago reduced to the smallest quaint.
~ that will sustain life. And every day, In every
village, the list OF the widowed and orphaned
grows longer and longer.
Vienna Is known as gay, light.hearted city.
It's Christmas observance Is ordinarily n happy
combination Of religious ceremony and Teutonic
good cheer But this year the brilliant midnight
masses viii be attended by black,rohed monrners
and there will be no good cheer In Vienna.
The Christians 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 A
highly important character. In many parts OF
Russia. especially In the cities, the gifthung
=, christmas tree has been borrowed from the Ger
mans, while pudding Of rice and rasins Is the
feature Of the Christmas eve feast From this
feast has now been taken its crowning glory the
vodka bottle,
In only one other part Of Europe has the heel
OF war pressed 50 hard as In Russian Poland; In
only one other place has the land been so utterly
devastated by fierce and continued fighting: In
only one other place with the season Of peace
and good will 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 an entire people.
fugitive before hated and terribly feared invad-
ers. During three years Serbia has been swept
so overwhelming as literally 10 wipe out the ordl.
nary relationship OF the people TO life. They have
ceased to have homes: they have ceased to pos
property they must hnrrow In the earth for
shelter and forage for their uncertain food IKE
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 last are more OF the spirit than Of the flesh
The voice Of Christmas, OF peace and good will
does not speak very loud 60 captive people.
with It's army terribly ieclmated Its beloved king
all but driven out Of his country with its
daily life subject TO the scrutiny and the con-
trcI Of a stern captor there is room In Belgium
for any Of the old nght-hearted Christmas spirit
that used to show itself In crowded churches for
midnight masses and gay all.nIght supper parties.
Belgium waits as all Europe waits for the end
Of the war-waits with faith and hope and de-
termination rs grim 1t must be silent.
Happily the physical condition OF the stricken
people Is better than last yeer There Is not the
frtghtful confusion, the separation OF families
the pltitul terror and want that went with the
fight heforr tire INVADERS, All relief measures
are organized. Belgian is no happier this year
than last, but she is less cold and hungry
II the Belgian people again hive united
Christmas they viii find themselves with many new