TTTE SUNDAY OHEGOXIAy, rORTLAXP, DECEMBER 21. 1913. ; - 7
TV
SO now la come our JoyfuUest feaat;
Let every man be Jolly.
Each room with Hry leaves is dreat
And every Pt with holly.
Though aome cnurla t our mirth re
pine. Round your forebeada garlands twine;
Drown Borrow In a cup of wine.
And let us all be merry.
Now, all our nelghbora chimneys smoke
And Christmas blocks are burning;!
Their ovens with baked meats choke
And ail their spits are turning.
Without the door let sorrow lie.
And If for cold It hap to die.
We'll bury it in a Christmas pis
And evermore be merry.
(From an early 17th century poem.)
Ola Tina Waits.
It is not clearly known whether the
term "waits," associated wtih Christ
mas, denoted originally musical Instru
ments, a particular kind of music or
the persona who played under apeclal
circumstances. At one time the nam
"waits" wss given to minstrels at
tached to the King's court, whose duty
it was to guard the streets at night and
proclaim the hour. A regular com
pany of waits waa established at Ex
eter as early as the year 1400 and In
t relation to the duties and emoluments
of such personages In the reign of Ed
ward IV, Rymer says: "A wayte that
Blghtelye from Mychelmas to Bhrove
Thoresdaye pipethe the watche wlthen
this courte fower tymes. in the eom
re nyghtes tymes; and make the ban
gay te at every chembere dore and of
fyce as well for feare of pyekeres and
plllers. The eateth in the halle with
mynstriellea and tketh lyverye st night
a loffe. and for somere nyghtes 1J can
dles plche, a bushel of coles, and for
wintere nyghtes half a loafe of bread,
a galone of ale. iiij candles plche and
a bushel of coles.
This statement shows that the wait
at court was a kind of page, paid part
ly in money and partly in board wage,
When the waits became town must-
( elans instead of court pagea they were
' aometimes civic servants, employed as
watchmen to call the hour at night
aometimes serenaders or nocturnal
minstrels who looked for a living
from private liberality.
Christmas Feasts.
Vanv itnHniiB fpnnta irnM In (VmnAA-
j tlon with the celebration of Christ
mas in early days. Thua, the asa on
which Balaam rode In the "Reims Mya
tery" won for the feast the title "Fes
tum Asinoruro,' tho Feast of the Asses.
As It was celebrated in France, accord
ing to William Bone, it consisted almost
entirely of dramatic show. On one oc
casion the clergy walked on Christmas
day in procession, habited to represent
the prophets and other eharaotsra.
"Moses appeared in an alb and cope,
with a long beard and a rod. David had
a green vestment. Balaam, with an Im
mense pair of spurs, rode on a wooden
ass which inclosed a speaker. . There
were also six Jews and alx Gentiles
Among other characters the poet Vir
gil was Introduced, singing monkish
rhymes, as a Gentile prophet and a
translator of the ethylene oracles. They
thua moved in procession through the
body of the church chanting verslcles
and conversing on the nativity and
kingdom of Christ till they came into
the choir.
This service, as performed In the ca
thedral at Rouen, commenced with a
procession in which the clergy repre
sented the prophets of the Old Testa
ment who foretold the birth of Christ;
then followed Balaam mounted on tn
ass, Zachariaa, Elisabeth, John the Bap.
list. toe tuoyi. crynree.
Virgil, Nebuchadnezzar and the
three musicians in the furnace
After the procession entered the ea
therirul several groups of persons per
formed the parts of Jews and Gentiles,
to whom the choristers addressed
speeches; afterward they called on the
prophets, one by one, who came for
ward successively and delivered a
passage relative to the Messiah. The
other characters aavancea o ucuupy
their proper situations and reply to
the questions of the choristers. They
performed the miracle 01 tne furnace;
Nebuchadnezzar spoke, the Sibyl ap
peared and then an anthem waa sung,
whUh concluded the ceremony.
"The Xlta-sal of an Archbishop on
Sens" Indicates that during sucn a
service the animal Itself, clad with
nrecious Driestly ornaments, waa sol
emnly conducted to the middle of the
choir, during wnlcn procession a nymn
In praise of the ass was sung, ending
with:
"Amen. bray, most honored Ass,
Sated now with grain and grass;
Amen repeat, amen reply.
And disregard antiquity.
Hex va! hex va! hex va! hex!
The service lasted the whole of a
night and part of the next day, and
formed altogether the strangest, most
ridiculous medley of whatever was
usually sung at church festivals.
When the choristers were thirsty
wine was served in the evening, on a
platform before the church lit by an
enormous lantern, the grand chanter
of Sens led a Jolly band in perform
ing broadly Indecorous Interludes, At
respective divisions of the service the
ass waa applied wtih drink and prov
ender. If you will go to the crossroads
between 11 and 13 on Christmas night
you win hear what moat concerns you
In the coming year.
If on Christmas eve you make a lit
tle heap of salt on the table, and It
melts over night, you will die the next
year; If. In the morning, it remains
undiminished, you will live.
If a shirt be spun, woven and sewed
by a pure, chaste maiden on Christ
mas day it will be proof against lead
or steel.
If you are born at sermon time on
Christmas morning you can see spirits.
If you burn elder on Christmas eve
you will have revealed to you all the
witches and the sorcerers of the
neighborhood.
If you eat a raw egg on unnsimas
morning., fasting, you can carry heavy
weights. '
It is unlucky to carry anything forth
from the house on Christmas morning
until something has been brought
lnto , .
If the fire burna brightly on Christ
mas morninir it betokens prosperity;
if it smoulders, adversity. .
Bralaalna; t Christmas.
When did Christmas begin? So old
a festival is It. so intimately have we
ben associated with it from earliest
childhood, so completely do Its asso
ciations and activities and spirit per
vade the world that it seems aa if it
must be as old as the very earth
Itself.
Of course, we know thst it ia an
anniversary of the birthday of Jesus
of Nazareth, and that It is not nearly
so old as that event, for in the early
days of the Christian Church there
was no such celebration. The very
word Christmas, is of comparatively
late origin. The word is first used in
luJS. its form then being Chrlstes
Wactse. the mass of the Christ.
Origen. an early father of the church,
said that in the Scriptures it was the
sinners alone, not the saints, who
celebrated tljeir birthdays. Another
early writer referred to the fact that
the birthdays of the pagan gods were
kept by the people. The very first
evidence of a feast having been held
In honor of the birth of Christ was In
J t',1 atSsJ' CJ U
it it ...... ' 1 " " "'
mi Baaataex BKii5fSSf r
ill mmmm -immmmmj
I feM - ' - ; - -. I ;
cMlCS C4-gTTtrJgrnr--7r--5S Prawiv Trederick' Kulz. 1 L 1 " 'r"",r rj
Egypt about the year S00. Clement
of Alexandria said: "Certain Egyp
tian theologians over curiously assign.
not tha vear alone, but the day 01
Christ's birth, placing it on May 25."
Another date assigned to the event
was March 21. because on that day
the materlul sun was created.
The double commemoration of tho
Epiphany and the Nativity became
popular partly because the apparition
of the shepherds was considered as
one of the manifestations of Christ's
rlory.
Because -of the increase of merry
making King Canute gave order about
1110 that there should be fasting In
stead of fessting from Christmas to
Epiphany. At various times both civil
and ecclesiastical authorities con
demned vsrious forms of celebration,
many of them because they had been
carried to excess. In England in 1644
all Christmas observance was forbidden
by Parliament. The day was to be a
fast, a market day, and the shops mere
compelled to be open. Worse than
all, plum puddings and mince pies were
condemned aa heathenish. Lovers of
Christmas resisted the measure and at
Canterbury and some other places there
was bloodshed. After the Restoration
all of the lovers of old Christmas
customs revived them to the full and
the Dissenters contented themselves
with dubbing Tuletlde Foolttde.
Ia Peyya' Days.
In Pepya Diary there la an interest
ing account of the way that Christmas
was spent In 1662:
"Had a pleasant walk to Whitehall,
where I Intended to have received com
munion with the family, but I came s
little too late. So I walked up Into the
bouse and spent my time looking over
pictures, particularly the ships in King
Henry the Eighth's Voyage to Bullaen.
marking the great difference between
those built then and now. By and by.
down to the chapel again, where Bishop
r 1 . HHAaAl.u1 An th, vAni. nf the
angels, 'Glory to Ood on high, on earth
peace and gooa win towara men. ,u
thought he made but a poor sermon,
but long, and reprehending the com
mon Jollity of the court for the true
Joy that shall and ought to be on those
days Particularized concerning their
excess in plays and gaming, saying that
he whoso office it is to keep the
gamesters in order and within bounds
serves but for a second in a duel,
meaning the groome porter. Upon
which It waa worth observing how
far they are come from taking the
reprehensions of a bishop seriously,
that they all laugh In the chapel when
he reflected on their ill actions and
courses. He did much press us to Joy
In these public days of Joy and hospi
tality. But one that stood by whispered
in my ears that the bishop do not spend
one groate to the poor himself. The
sermon done, a good anthem followed
with vialls, and the King came down
to receive the sacrament,"
lEFORE the Puritans condemned plum puddings and mince pies as heathenish and passed lawi prohi -iitimr
Christmas merriment on the same grounds Christmas in England was a sorgeous season, richly
.ln.?.-?.,!l t,h . h itatelv ceremonies of the church, the palace and the baronial hall, riotous some
times even to the point of excess in its cruder forms of revelry. , ' lt
The ceremony of the Yule log, which is generally agreed by authorities to be traceable to the pagan rites
whn were performed "at that season of the year before the coming or Christianity was "'he'e"
most JoT-ous of the ceremonies observed on Christmas Eve In mediaeval times. From the time : that ha huge
block left the woods until it burnt in glory on the hearth, the log was the center of the Christmas activi
ties When it made Its triumphal progress from the woods each wayfarer raised his hat as " passed
It was believed that its flame would burn out old wrongs and heartburnings, and the wassail bowl which
bubbled Ir i the heat that It sent forth, waa quaffed to the wiping out of ancient scores and an mt,e,;
Gentle and simple joined in these ceremonies with equal ardor, and when the noble log had hurned itsell : out
itrcharred remains were put where they could be carefully preserved until another year aince it was a
t i?m Tbelief of those who gathered at the Christmas hearth that, the new Yule log must each season i be
lighted at the remnant of the old one, in order that the happiest results might follow the seasonal fY"e
Otheuperstitiona also attached to the Yule log with equal firmness.- It was thought that the house
whUh possessed this charred bit of log was safe from fire for another year. A still more curious belief waa
that wnch limited the hospitality of the festal hall while the log was burning to those who c ame with f ee t
shod Shou d a barefooted person enter the hall on that night after the Yule log had begun to burn he
was Tant to receive anything but a warm welcome from the other revellers, for his coming was regarded as
Tn in omen likely to bring disaster in aome dim shape, none the lesa dread because of its vagueness.
WhCthe great lo cast ao warm an illumination from the hearth a candle of monstrous size also shed
its Hght on the Chrfstmas Eve gathering. The Christmas, or Yule, candle burned for twelve nights, and was
P,anhw.f.?obamo,UKrtaM feature of the season', festivities In the year 1400 says ,n ancient
chronicler Hen" IV.. holding his Christmas at Eltham, was visited by twelve Aldermen and their sons as
mummer, and these august personages had great thanks from His Majesty for their performances -
historian set. forth the fact that a conspiracy to murder the K ng
waa oJganized under -the gui.e of a Twelfth Night mumming. The plot was discovered only a few hours
Tefore It was to have been put into execution. Henry VIIL issued an edict against mumming because of
the crime? committed under its cloak, but even this edict failed to lessen participation In this form of
ChTne8mumme7s appeared in different sorts of costumes and took part in all manner of performances.
Some of Xm merely indulged in generally riotous behavior, with no definite acting of any aort.
(Copyright by the N. Y. Herald Co. All rights reserved.)
Santa.Ciaus and Little Eillie
Continued From Page 6.)
Billee's papa went out of the house
together.
'Christmas morning dawned and Lit
tle Billee awoke from wonderful
dreams of rich gifts and of extraordi
nary adventures with his new-found
friend, to find the reality quite aa splen
did as the dream things. Later, what
was his delight when a small boy not
much older than himself a pale, thin,
but playful little fellow arrived at the
house to spend the day with him,
: wi, htm xl lAttAr from Santa
Claus himself! This was what the let
ter said:
"Dear Little Billee:
"You must not tell anybody except
your papa and mamma, but the little
boy who brings you this letter is my
little boy and I am going to let you
have him for a playfellow for Christ
mas day. Treat him kindly for his
papa's sake, and if you think his papa
is worth loving, tell him so. Do not
forget me. Little Billee. I shall see
you often in the future, but I doubt if
. Boa ni. T am not en in tr to re
turn to Twenty-third street again, but
shall continue my wr& m mo jauu v
Yule, in the Palace of Good Will, whose
v..,tfMi it-indnwa look out upon ' the
homes of all good children.
''Good-bye, iittie rwuee. aiii in Hap
piest of happy1 Chrlstmases to you and
all of yours, affectionately,
. "SANTA CLAUS."
When Little Billeee's mamma read
. , - . v;M that nhrifltmiDi mornin? a
Lais w ' , ' ,
stray little tear ran down her cheek
and fell upon x-illib xjiuci? a auu.
Why. what 'are you crying for,
mamma?" he asked.
"With happiness, my dear little son,"
nln mother answered. "I waa afraid
yesterday that I might have lost my
little boy forever, but now "
"You have an extra one thrown In
for Christmas, havn't you?" aaid Lit
tle Billee, taking his new playmate oy
the hand. The visitor smiled back at
him with a smile ao sweet that any
body might have guessed that he was
the aon of Santa Claus.
As for the latter, Little Billee nas
not aeen him again; but down at hia
father's bank there is a new messenger.
named John, who has a voice ao like
Santa Claus' voice that wnenever .Lai
tie Billee goes down there in the motor
to ride home at night with his papa,
he runs Into the bank and has a long
talk with him. Just for the pleasure of
pretending that it is Santa Claus ne
is talking to. Indeed, the voice la so
like that once a sudden and strange
idea flashed acroia Little Biliee'e mma.
"Have you ever been on Tewnty
third street, John?" he asked.
"Twentv-thlrd street?1 Tepllea tne
messenger, scratching his head as if it
very much puzzled. "What's that!"
"Why, it's a street,- said utile oiuee
rather vaguely.
"Well, to tell. you the trutn, uuiee.-
said John, "I've heard tell of Twenty-
third street, and they say lt la a very
beautiful and Interesting spot. But, you
know, I don't get much chance to
travel. I've been too busy all my life to
go abroad."
"Abroad! roared Little Billee, grin
ning at John's utterly absurd mistake.
"Why, Twenty-third street ain't
abroad! It's uptown near oh, near
Twenty-second street."
"Really," returned John, evldenly
tremendously surprised. "Well, well,
well! Who'd have thought that! Well
If that's the case, some time when 1
get a week off I'll have to go and spend
my vacation there!"
From which Little Billee concluded
that his suspicion that John might be
Santa Claus in disguise waa entirely
without foundation in fact.
(Copyright, 1913.)
"Plain Lnck Says Ance
(Continued From Page .)
like it, she says, but they are. getting
used to it now. '
Evan the English cousins, who live
near London and who reflect her
father's prejudices againsi me siage.
are being won over. Last Summer she
spent three weeks with them.
"So you see," she concluded, "that
thore'a nothing to know about me. I'm
the despair of the press agent. He
comes and asks me in a desperate sor:
of way if I can't think of something
th it he can use to advertise me. And
I think and I think," she laughed, "and
there's nothing I can recall.
"There'a not even a romantic atory
of my struggles for recognition. I
never had any hard times in my life.
If I had been poor as a church mouse
and entirely dependent on my own re
sources to And a position, I'm afraid
I shouldn't even have landed in the
chorus.
"My story rather bears out the old
negro saying, Them as has gits. But
it's more than that. I am not con
ceited enough to claim anything for
myself. I haven't worked for success
as other girls have worked for It. I
haven't perhaps deserved It so easily.
Just the same I've had my dreams come
true because I've always been lucky.
"I waa born in April," she replied to
my question. "Maybe a lucky star doea
reign then. It must be an Indulgent
birthday saint at least. One who por
tions out luck.
Thinks Dreams Come True.
"But I rather think," she grew se
rious, her dark curls bobbing about her
sensitive, high-bred face, "that there
Is something in dreaming a dream
nt.Titlw .nri hnlrilnsr to one thought
and saying nothing about lt. The dream
I have dreamed from those far-off days
when I parroted Shakespeare at my
dignified father's knee was that I'd go
on me stage ana uo wnut x am uoms
now. I am one of the people who
think that what 1 1 one's own will come
. . V. .. fr T t Vl Q t nlftlirA AM ThA
saying Is, and life supplied the other
essenuais.
"That's all any one has to do, I truly
believe," she said. "I didn't have to
worry about It coming true. I kept on
dreaming lt, and suddenly when I least
expected It, appeared the man who was
."-I A TAA W.har anri milnlc as A
a iiiciiu vi . uvu " ,
wink all the dream was transferred to
life as a reality and I zounu myseii
rehearsing.
"It never came as a strange experi
ence to me. Acting seemed to be what
I was meant to do. I think I had been
on the stage so many years in my
mind that the real footllghta seemed
no more material facts than my dream
footlights had seemed.
Wants to Slntr In Concert.
"Ye, I know," 8he eaid, "that there
are those who claim that such an ex
perience is only carried forward from
another life. Maybe In some former
incarnation I waa an actress. I'm not
- 1 . T havA nn r Anl 1 Afttf On
BUIO OU. " " - -
of it," she laughed, 'but I do feel that
life, in tne last analysis, is mensu m.
crystallization of one's favorite dream.
"And I haven't reached my real am
bition yet," aha confessed. "I want to
be a concert singer. A lleder singer
that is one, you know, who sings love
songs. I have a hope of one day doing
that singing love songs, aa I hear
those love songs sung in my dreams.
"Of course I believe it is coming
true," she said. "I am not conceited
enough to believe very much in my
self, but I 'have the most fixed and
abounding faith in my luck."
May she never lose it the luck of
laughing Ann Swlnburnel
Country Schools.
(Atchison Globe.)
One of the present educational fade
is a great concern for the welfare
... .v. - ,..... .hnnl From tha f USB
made you would be led to believe they
are institutions of educational crime
and the teachers are a lot of incompe
tents. While there are alwaya excep
tions ,the general rule is that, after a
.1.114 Vam ananf A fV VCRfH in a COUtl -
try achool and then enters a city school.
he is a few laps aneaa in xne worn mt
really amounts to something. Of course
v. .. t.A .hi. in dance ana ao a
no ma. uwb -
good many other things that do not Im
prove his mental sirengin or mat "
ultimately assist in his making a llv
inr. hut he has the foundation laid sol
idly for receiving a good education.
And it is also tne general ruie uiai, n
eountry scnooiieacner seio unnwv
- .1... ..hnnl bHa mAkAfl ffOnd. Re
in a L J Aw.vw.. - " , . ---
quirements of a country schoolteacher
are greater tnan tor a cny kuouiw
er. In order to pass the county exam
ination she must dig. If ahe doea not
dig she fails, and failure means a can
cellation of her certificate. Whoever
heard of a city schoolteacher failing In
examinations? Returning to the coun
try achool boy and girl, their mind, are
on that race. They get the necessary
. . .T.rplflA cnin? to enrt from
I ftmguiu ' T, ,
kchool and doing chores aa well aa real
W4)Xk at Dome. Al hjbml. nioicua
tending picture shows, attending par
ties, or sparking, they are at home go
ing to bed at reasonable hours and get
ting up in the mornings rested and
equipped for a day's work. Really,
there are other things that are more
entitled to sympathy than the country
schools, and it is hoped the faddists
will not destroy the great part they
play in making good men and women.