Year: 1878

May-Day Customs.


Olive Thorn, St. Nicholas for May.


Though May-pole and Norris dancing
were the most common, there were 9TH
er curious customs in different parts of
Great Britain. In one place, the May
ers went out very early to the woods,
and gathering green boughs, decorated
eyerv door with one. A house contain
ING sweetheart had branch of birch,
the door of scold was disgraced with
alder, and a slatternly person had the
modification to find branch OF nut-tree
at hers, while the young people who ov-
erslept found their doors closed by a
nail over the latch.


In the Scotch Highlands, in the eight
eenth century, the boys had a curious
custom. They would 90 to the moors
outside of the town, make round ta-
bic in the sod, by cutting a trench
around it, deep enough for them to sit
down to their grassy table On this ta
bic they would kindle fire and cook
custard of eggs and milk, and knead a
cake of oat meal, which was toasted by
the fire. After eating the custard, the
cake was cut into as many parts as
there were boys one piece was made
black with coal, and then all put into a
cap. Each boy was in turn blindfolded,
and made to take a piece, and the one
who selected the black one was to be
sacrificed to Baal, whose favor they
wished to ask for their harvest. The
victim in that day had only to leap
through the fire but there is little
doubt that the whole thing was sur
vival from the days when human beings
were really sacrificed.


In the island of Lewis, in the west of
Scotland, there prevails a custom OF
sending man very early on May-day to
cross a certain river, believing that if a
woman crossed it first the salmon would
not come into the stream Tor year.


The Dutch May pole was still differ
ent, being surrounded by trees stuck IN
to hower-pots, and ornamented with gay
colored flags, and hoops with garlands
and gilt balls hanging. Another sort
had wooden dolls made to represent the
figures of peasants, nailed against the
pole by their hands and knees, as
though climbing it. There were also
figures of birds and people. In some
parts of Germany it was the firm be-
lief of the common people that certain
ill-disposed beings met on high noun
tain on May day to dance and feast,
with no good intentions to their human
neighbors Accordingly on the day be-
fore, every family was careful to have
thorn of a certain kind, which was
stuck into the door as protection.


The Scandinavians, whose first OF May
is not very balmy, had Of old a curious
fight between Summer and winter
Winter-or the man representing him
was dressed in skins, armed with fire
forks, and threw balls and pieces
of ice. Summer was dressed in green
leaves and summer dress. They had a
mock fight which was called Driving
away Winter and welcoming Summer,
and in the Isle of Man, where Norwe-
gians had rule for many years, this Gus
tom fingered until very lately.


But, as the years went on: these mer-
nv games died out, and few years ago
May day was in London simply the fes-
tival of chimney-sweep and milk maids,
certainly falling off from the times of
King Henry VIII. The only traces of
the old custom of going a-Maying We're
the garlands of the milk maids and the
Jack -in-the green of the sweeps. The
garland ESQ called) was made OF silver
plate, borrowed for the day, and fasten-
ed upon sort of pyramid. Accom-
panying this droll garland were the
maids themselves in gay dress, with rib
bons and flowers, and attended by mu-
sicians who played for them to dance in
the street Sometimes cow was dress
ed in festive array, with bouquets and
ribbons on her horns, neck and tail, and
over her back net, stuck full OF flow
ers. Thus highly Ornamented, the meek
creature was led through the streets.


The sweeps brought out the Jack-in-
e-green, which was tall cone made
of green boughs, decorated with flowers,
gay streamers and a flag, and carried by
a man inside Each of these structures
was followed by band of sweeps who
assumed certain characters, the fashion
of which had been handed down from
the palmy times of May day,


There were always a lord and lady
who wore ridiculous limitations of fash
ionable dress, and made ludicrous at
tempts to initiate elegant Manners
Mad Moll and her husband were anoth-
er pair who fourished in tawdry, gay
colored rags, and tatters. he brandishing
sweeps broom and she ladle. jim
Crow and a fancifully bedizened ballet
dancer in white muslin, often swelled
the ranks, and the rest of the party
rugged out in profusion of gilt paper,
flowers, tinsel and gewgaws, their faces
and legs colored with brick dust, made
up comical crowd. But even these
mild remains of the great festival are
almost entirely banished to the rural
districts, and are almost exstinct there