The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-12-21
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- DAOOAs SEX .[ M E
There is a tree very much like our
cottonwood, called the "Quaking
ASPEN" The legend says that the
cross was made from its wood, and
from that day to this its leaves have
never been allowed to rest, but must
tremble, tremble, in grief, except one
hour of the year. Then-from twelve
to one on Christmas Eve-it may
rest, because its wood, also furnish
ed the manger.
From the Saxons came the Yule-
tide. Some accounts say that "Yule"
means "jollity;" others say it means
"tthe sun wheel It, too, was a
festival to- commemorate the return
OF. spring, and in many ways it very
much resembled the Saturnalia, es-
pecially in giving freedom to the
slaves. In the Southern States dur
ing the time of slavery, the slaves
were allowed freedom so long a the
Yule log (back log) continued to
barn, and it was u own ingenious
"Uncle Ned" who thought of the
plan to soak a green gum log "nine
days in de creek" before burning it
to lengthen their days Of freedom.
The wassail-bowl held a mixture
of wine, or. ale, sugar, nutmeg, and
roasted apples. The word itself
means, Health be to you" The
custom originated in England.
Mince pies were eaten SO solemnly,
in the early days, as bread and wine
are now at our Lords Supper. Each
part Of it had a meaning. The crust
was Christ's body, which vas broken
for sin; the meat was an ox's heart,
and called to mind the oxen in the
stall, and the Manager where Christ
lay; the spices were to represent the
offerir gs of the Wise Men of the
East, the Magi. If we stop to
imagine these gifts Of incense, and
Myrrh were the first Christmas gifts.
Instead of cider, and sweet cider at
that, a kind of sour vinegar vas CIV
en- TO Christ when he said, II trust"
You can imagine these pies were not
like the delicious things your mother
makes.
A great many legends, also have
grown up about Christ's birth. You
will find this quotation in Shake
spears:
-Some say, that ever against the
seasons comes,
Wherein our Saviour's birth is cele-
Sbrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all
night long,"
and do not be astonished to learn
that this bird "that singeth all night
long," is not a nightingale, but a
rooster-the bird of dawning. All
witches must vanish upon the crow
ing of the cock, so to keep the whole
night sacred the ROOSTER crows "all
night long," Our own poet, Long
fellow, closes his "Tales of a Way
side Inn" ON Christmas morning.
Tennyson closes "The Idyls of the
King" on Christmas morn, as does
Chaucer 1.-The Canterbury Tales"
and all three speak Of the Growing
of the cocks.
"And then they say, no spirit can
walk abrod,
The night is wholesome, then no
planet striked,
No fairy talks, no witch hath power
to charm,
So halIowed and SO gracious is the
time."
Even the lower animals are allow
ed to talk with one another from IL
to / on Christmas Eve, and the
whole world gives back the song,
which then the angels S ang.
Whatever Christmas may be-. ITO
us who are grown up, it always has
been, is yet, and always will be, a
children's -day-and, too, for other
reasons than just because it brings
fun and frolic ,and presents. Be-
fore the birth of Christ children had
no place in the family; no rights that
any one was bound to respect; NO
laws to protect them from over
work; a parent could kill his child
and no law could call him to account
for it. A child could be left at the
foot Of any of those great statues
in Rome, there to strave, or else
Ito be adopted by bands of beggars
lor robbers. Children could be driv-
en- into che streets, to stink about
as the dogs of Constantiople do. But
after Christ said these word, "Suf-
fer little children to c m unto me,
and forbid them not for such is, the
kingdom of Heaven" all the world
opened their hearts as well IS their
ears. A sacred life was given ia
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