The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1921-02-17
HUNGER SUPPLANTS FETES
WHERE WOMEN WORE
TWENTY PETTICOATS

WGNi ~ lAOOA >
Budapest now Is capital OF
shrunken Hungary. nation reduced
to n fourth Its former size, both In
respect to Its area and population.
The famous city which first expe-
rienced anarchy and carnage during
the era of Bella Kun and his commu-
nlstic government, now feels the pangs
OF hunger, and can scarcely hope TO
regain Its former Importance, pros
perity and gayety during the lifetime
Of its present inhabitants, II ever.
The Budapest of today offers a pa
thetiC contrast to the care-free days
Of such fetes as that of st. Stephens
before the war.
That historic celebration, when men
wore slit skirts and the women
donned 20 petticoats. Is described In
the following bulletin from the Ma
tional Geographic society, based ON q
communication from Dewitt Clinton
Falls:
For who Saint Stephen was, and
why he was thus honored, we must
go back some nine hundred aud odd
years in Hungarian history. from
which we gather the following infor-
nation: Walk came TO the throne OF
the Magyar Duchy In the year 907.
He applied for and received the title
OF Apostolic king from Pope Sylyes-
ter ii, and was crowned In Budapest
In the year 1000, under the Christian
name OF Stephen. lie did much for
his cOuntrymen TO bring them into
the established church, and founded
throughout his kingdom churches,
schools and converts. His admIns-
tratlon was a wise one, aud 80 firmly
did he deal with the attempted upris-
ing Of the Old Magyar Religion party
that when his death occurred, In 1885,
he left his country entirely converted
TO Christianity. So much had he done
for the Advancement OF the Christian
faith among the Wild hordes of east
ern Europe, and added TO the ciylll-
zatlon of his subjects, that he was
canonlzed and gladly proclaimed by
the Hungarians as their patron saint.
when the Saint passed away. In
1895, one Of his hands was amputated
and embalmed. and this sacred relic
reposes In the court chapel OF the
Royal Palace In old Buda. Adorned
with many handsome rings. II is kept
In crystal easket set I'm n beautiful
golden reliquary ornamented with
many precious stones. In special
shrine behind the high nltnr, Il re-
malned for 1904 days I'm every year,
where II could be seen only by the
royal household, and those having
special permission. On the three hun
dred and slxty-fifth day. the one set
apart 10 do honor TO Saint Stephen.
II was tnken from its resting place,
and with great pomp and a most bril-
liant escort, carried I'm a procession
to the old Matthias church for a spe-
clal memorial service.
'The first thing that attracted our
attention, as we drove by the walking
crowds, was the change of costume OF
the peasants from the day before.
Then all were I'm their working
clothes, but today they were arrayed
tained their fiat hats, but had general
~ adorned them with flying ribbons
OF the national cOlors-red, white and
green. The white dlvided-sklrt-like
trousers were now ornamented on the
bottoms OF the legs with fringe, or
coarse lace, and the dark working
coats had been laid aside In their
place were gala ones, always colOred
soft browns reds and greens-and
deliberately braided with different col
ored cords.
"Ihe women retained the colored
head handkerchief, but they we're
newer and brighter than those worn
on Saturday. Their waists were gen.
orally Of white or light cotton mate
rial. sometimes gally ornamented with
coarse-colored embroidery. It was
the skirts that were the unique things
about the costumes. OF the brightest
colors, they were accordion-plalted.
and stood out In the most remarkable
manner. How they accomplished this
was mystery TO the ladies' Of our
party, until our trusty guide and in.
terpreter had been interviewed. From
him IL was learned that no Hunga-
rlan peasant woman considers herself
properly dr., sed for gala occasion
UNI ss she hag on at least twenty pet
ticoh,s
u
MOI nAVIA