Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1917-12-20
ssy IDA M. BRUCE in Utica elobe.)

~NI Christmas party leads
RWf with an attempt at nom
III ASAt chalance, some charming
NJ" young lady beneath
M Ky bough of mistletoe In on
der to win q "mistletoe
S&.S4s@ kiss" he is Of the opinion
that he is Turing the young lady into
\ situation where, by the decree of an
ancient custom, she must forfeit the
aforesaid kiss.
Frnnkness compels me to confess
fhnt the Turing is done by the young
lady. For their Christmas parties they
secure and suspend the mistletoe and
sine Is Indeed most sedate and rather
Chilling young person who will not,
during the festivities, allow herself to
Dc 'iured" beneath the mlstletoe. And
an this is quite within her rights. 1t
in n custom she inherited from ances-
snas who dwelt in Britain or Scandi-
nayia. centuries ago. Today the mis-
aaeaoe and the mistletoe kiss are as
scented only with Christmas. But,
i'm truth. mistletoe had its significance
ventures before the birth In Beth
IeheEn which gave us Christmas.
Eeandinavians claim that mistletoe
rnyaonls originated with them, but
sAere Is an English legend antedatlng
those of Scandinavia, which tells how
Che girls of semibarbaric Britain, in
ahe golden age of the Druids, did them
selves hang up boughs of mistletoe
and lure young men into their en-
brace.
According to this legend Chelm, an
aneient high priest, had great temple
In the forest where he taught young
men to become priests. So popular
lid this temple become that half the
yDung men of the countryside were
seaVing their homes and people, and
sseeoming Druid priests.
There was great need Of the young
men In the camps to hunt and fish and
% plant, and, above all, there were SO
anany more maidens than young men
sesa that they decided something must
he done to reclaim them. The girls
swmght an ancient witch and asked her
heaD.
Pick yonder mistletoe that grows
without roots upon the trees, go to
She edge of the forest round about the
tire temple of Chelm and hang II
ahe9e an around and about the fc st
Staad In waiting there, well hiLJen
1slEf the young men coming forth from
ahe forest each night to bring food te
In temple, are under the mistletoe
then step forth. They will clasp yot
ana hiss you whereupon do you scream
xsgAA Justify and the young men shall
BE- yours"
Aow the Girls Won Back the Men.
The maidens followed this advice
End hung the mistletoe in festoon'
aAsnt the edge of the forest. Stand
asE under 1t, the. young men felt i'm
r,szaed to kiss the maidens who steppet
Fmsh to greet them. The maidens
M Instructed, screamed Justify ant
aaaim and other Of the old Drui'
xr1ssGs rushed forth, fearing thei
saang men were being murdered
When the good old Druids saw tn
yDang men embracing the maiden
fhey drove them away, for they woul
have no one among them who ha
sagA to do with women.
and so, through the peculiar Unfit
snre of the mistletoe, the maiden
sun back the young men, but the Gu:
auxn Of hanging up mistletoe was keI
10. Later after the introduction {
Christianity, the custom was added
the Christmas festivities.
Christmas Festivities.
From Scandinavian mythology come
sAe weird but interesting story of ii
asagin of mistletoe, that pale-berrie
parasite of the forest. One Of the be-
ID these legends Is that of Baldur, sc
uS Woiin, in the days when tho'
strange gods are said to have Wake
and talked with the mortals on cart
~ did Jupiter and Apollo and Diar
ana Latonia and the other gods al
sDddesses Of Olympus.
Baldur was the Scandinavian god
Sunshine and summer and was ne
urally beloved by all except Loki, Il
eDa IT hearth fires. For. while Il
people rushed out of doors to see B;
slnr when he brought the summer su
tAey had no use for Loki until I
next winter, consequently Loki d
EEked Baldur.
Hanna, goddess of the blossoms a
wase OF Baldur. dreamed terri
dreams Of the death Of Baldur, q
sAe vent to the great god Wodin, b
faaheE-in-law, and told him and he W
greatly troubled. But messengt
wsre sent forth throughout the VOL
0nnc AMI CMnC