The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-12-09

that great loosely knit empire Where the Greek
church prevails the celebration occurs a fortnight
later than ours; that is January z. It is
cOmpanied by feasting and by various local Gus
TOMS The SlOvacs of Bohemia and MOravia have
curious Christmas uSageS in which superstition
has entirely triumphed 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 dsmay If
any 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 SlivOvitza, strong native liquor distilled from
plums. small quantity of this is then poured
on the floor to cOnciliate such other spirits as
may have been overlooked. Everyone then falls
the Christmas feast without ceremony.
But this year has reached out to the re-
mote districts and blighted such simple
Christmas celebrations as this. The men of the
families all gone. Only the very young and
the very old remain. There will be 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 feasting. for
food long ago reduced to the smallest quanti-
ty that will sustain life. And every day. in every
village, the list of the widowed and orphaned
grows longer and longer
Vienna is known q gay, Iight-hearted city.
It's Christmas observance is ordinarily a 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 a 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 padding of rice and raisins is the
Of no hriS oaCf lie
feast has now been taken its browning glory the
vodka bottle.
In only other part of Europe has the heel
of war pressed so hard as In Russian Poland in.
only other place has the land been so utterly
devastated by fierce and continued fighting; in
only other place will 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
bia with its whole population, entire people,
fugitive before hated and terribly feared invad-
erS. During three years Serbia has been swept
by three wars, the present relentless and
overwhelming as literally to wipe out the Ordi-
nary relationship of the people to life. They have
ceased to have homes; they have ceased to pos
sesS property; they must burrow in the earth for
shelter and 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 unbroken, 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 of the spirit than of the flesh.
The voice of Christmas Of peace and good will
does not speak very loud to a captive people
With it's army terribly decimated, its beloved king
all but driven out of his country, with it's
daily life subject to the scrutiny and the
troll of stern captor, there is room in Belgium
for any of the old light-hearted Christmas spirit
that used to show itself in crowded churches for
midnight masses and gay aIl-night supper parties.
Belgium waits all Europe waits for the end
of the war-waits with faith and hope and de-
termination as grim as it must be silent
Happily the physical condition of the stricken
people is better than last year. There is not the
frightful confusion. the separation OF families.
the pitifuI terror and want that went with the
flight before the invaders. All relief measures
organized. Belgium is no happier this year
than last, but she is less cold and hungry.
If the Belgian people again have a united
Christmas they will find themselves with many new
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