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udCuflBoms '00 Bus 172 â€"' tor the Christmas sum. which was originally 'a celebration, un- der maniacal” of nrlous unions] tar llglous forms, 0! the turning of m Inn at the winter oolstlce, and the con- sequent renewal cl life on the earth. When Constantine in: converted. he seized upon every underlying like- ness. however remote, between the old faith and the new. Every mun cymbal that might be stretched to fit the strnnxe lnlth; every old “atom the: would help to reconcile his lotely, Ind sometimes forcibly. converted people to their unaccustomed belief, was ndopted and re-explalned. And the return of the sun, brlngln; lite nnd light to the winter-bound earth, become the prototype of thean of the Son of Man, bringing life and light to the non] of the “halo-bound World. 80 that It first all the henthen observnneel were returned u for as ‘p‘oulhle. end merely given n new meenlng. ‘ . . At the Christmas {entice}, the ivy and holly still made a summer screen of the stone walls, as in ancient Ger. many they had turned the huge halls at mld-wlnter, to hovers or greenery, wherein the sylvgn sprites, who‘dwelt in summer among the forest trees, might pass the trosen months without too much discomfort. An echo from Scandinavia is still heard in the say- ing current among the peasants of the old world that it any hit of holiday decoration is left in the house after Candlemas day (February 2), a‘ troop of little devils wll enter and sit, one on each withered leaf. every} one bringing its own small curse upon the house. These little devils are merely the old forest sprites detained against their will by their undestroyed winter refuge and fretting to return to the awakening woods of spring. The churches were still green with Christmas garlands in those early the hutheui people, which decked their Idol: and bounce inrnuche array." And' a time went on, Ind it became no more neeeuary to make conces- doll tint would help reconcile the people to their changed faith, these “heathen" cutouts become distaste- lul to thechurch. Ono ot- theeuly council. forbids men longer “to deck up their homes filth lam-ell, yvle, nod ,,,,,,, j 4.- 1-- dnyu, and mm with candles. in the temples of Saturn had 8.1"]! been during the corresponding Roman fel- tivd of the sum-mun. But. as Poly- Eon-199ml]? 7 rethinks, «mmmynx the mp,“ .m. human. “bum' homo! and garland“. 139 We“. 9‘ la. now ll con. our Joyfull'n mm. but every mm b. jolly; ' m room with Ivy lave: it duct. Ana every post with Holly. “thout the door lot Borrow 110. And If for cold no nap to,die. V We'll bury him In a Chriltmu Pyo. And cannon be merry. LL of the overgrecn plants hug ion; keen; consid- Volume. 2 I ’ NORTH s BORE NEWS -LETTER alumna was observed in the but In Quintana! halls she cred symbolic of immob- ulity, or rebirth. Hence they, and they alone. are i ivy but little. in American deconuona [ at Christmas, elm both planta an exceedingly rare here. But in England ! the use oitheivy at leaatla universal, ‘1 and the references to it in Christmas song and atery alone onld ill] a email . volume. [' Beside: its claim to appropriate- nesa for the Christmas ieaaoh which it holds in common with other ever- green, it has two especially strong ‘ recommendation: of m with Omar 1 count of its habit of clinic: strongly 1 to its supporting tree~or wall,'it in in popular symbol of triendahip and ’ fidelity, and an such. an excellent deco- ration tor the season of good will and universal brotherhood. And it was. in Roman days, sacred to Bacchus. who, when a baby, was hidden by his aunt. Inc, among its leaves, to save him" from Juno's destructive wrath. Prynno lays; At Christmas men do alwaya Ivy at, And in each corner '9: the hence it act: But why do they then use that Bacchu- weed? straw With Ivy men. and sacred Ill-noun.” greens again are admitted , , to the strictest chfirch, so that we again on say at Christmas, "Now with bright flouy} All the temple- menne. the Ivie and Honk barrio. no teens. And Yule lo: “4 Want". come round old customs lived 011;,"1‘1ved down their questionable past; won “an the tol- erath of the priests who hld steruly banished them. and today all the over- The "Early Calendar of English mowers," an old poem wherein ach month is recognized by its Ippropfllto plant symbol. ends with than Enos: Beudséflthoy man then Buchu-flko’ho This nth-{cal explanatlop was but too true in the earlier dnyl, when Christmas hated for weeks. and we: given over to I. revolt-y must wholly heathen in chuuter. Toâ€"dey, in America, the Christine decorations almost exclusively ere of holly, which, fbr all its populerlty, is less consecrated by legend than my other holiday greenery. To he sure *6 make a sperln‘g use of the mistle- toe,_ which, from the ancient Druidieal meaning of purity given to ite we:- white berries. and tram, its use by them in the marriage rite, has come to give e charter for kissing es j‘hnoad as the wind." And we have added the bitter-sweet, 'whlch has no traditionel signification whatever, is not .. evergreen, end is to be tolerated merely for lie heeuty’s sake, end for the slight suggestion it givee of the holly berry. Our Amerieeu holly is said to be lees beautiful then the European pleat, keying leevee of e duller green. But making ell allowaneee for poe- sihle dieedvantaxee, it still is a re- markably beautiful tree. And’ he a symbol of the immortality which it ie the meon's special mission to teach. it surely hei no rival. The leevee re- main on the branchee hr three years. Whan Catherho cm 11! leaned The laurel 13 “and not at all. and the SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1908 um In“. unv unv .vâ€"u We give the story here for the benefit of the mm folk for the same reason which Ruskin gave when he wrote “I have the greatest pleasure in commending it to the indulgence of the Christ- mas fireside, because- it relates nothing that is and and portray! nothing that Is ugly.” rémerks that “in the old book no account is given of what tin can lemme}! when they went to echool! He added. therefore. the third. fourth, eight and ninth stanzas end marlinâ€"“But my rhyme. do not ring like the real.” ' I . It is not generally known tint the famous Art Critic cud Litterateur, John Ruskin.‘published I nursery story in rim. He attributes the original of the no ry to a Miss» Grammy and mung their hold only when they are pulled a! at but by the flowing buds of sprint. Dame Wiggins 6f Leé' Was a worthy old soul. As e’er threaded a rice- die, or washed in a bowl: She held mice and, rats In-suCh anti-pa-thy; That seven fine cats . Kept Dame-Wiggins of Lee The rats and mice scared By this fierce whisker’ d crew}. The poor «Wen cats Soon had npthingto do; So, as any one idle _ . She ne’er loved to see She sent them to school, Did Dame Wiggins of Lee' The Teacher soon wrote That they all of them knew How to read the w'ord milk" And to spell the word mew" And they 'all wash'd theirfaces Before they took tea; 'Were there ever’such 'dears! ’ Said Dame Wiggins of Lee ‘ He had also thought well To comply with their wish To spend all their play- -tim¢ In learning to fish For slitlings; they sent her A present of three Which, fried were a feast For Dame Wiggins of Lee But soon she grew tired Of living alone; . So she sent for her cats From school to come home, Each rowing a Wherry, Returning you see: The frolic made merry Dame Wiggins of Lee 31111111 Bunkin’a Nursery Entry Dunc Winn: of Leo uni In! Seven Wow Catt ' legend connect. the holly fill the crown at thorn; thll ulna. ulnreel among the Germanic peoples, am he merely the melt at In um end of Its Christan popularity. '- betore suggested. ' our popular name. nony. pro-arr haeorruptlonottho'oldholy.u Turner ln hla herbal all: It holy, and holy tree. Tho thorny toll-q; and the borrlea like dropa at bruit blood. oouqacaroolyulltoronlndacadn- unnotthecmwnotthommandthu. together with the unlvorul nae at tho plant In the churches at (Bhutan anally would account for the BID..- ’In Germany It to known aa Christ- dorn. The Danlah name In curt-torn and the Svedloh Chdattorn. TI. some lllllo.'Cllfll¢'I thorn, la found In The Dame was quite plea’d And~ ran out to market; ' When she came baCk They were mending the carpet. The needle each hahdled As brisk as a bee; . ”Well done. my good eats." Said Dame Wiggins of Lee To give them a treat She ran out for some rice; When she came back They were skating on ice. ”I shall soon see one down. Aye. perhaps. two or three ”I'll bet half-acrown" Said Dame Wiggins of Lee When spring-time came back They had breakfast of cumls; And were greatly afraid Of_disturbin¢ the Birds, "If you sit. like good can. All the seven in 'a tree They will teach you to sing!" Said Dame Wiggim of Lee 59 they sat in the: And said "Beuntiful! Hark" And they listen’d and look’d In the clouds fot the Iark.‘ Then sang by the fireside , ‘ Symphoniousfly A song without words . To Dame Wiggins of Lee They called the next day On the tomtit and SW. And wheel' d a poor suck lamb Home in a barrow ‘ "You shafl have some sprats For your humanioty My seven good cots” Said Dame Wiggins of bee. She wished them good Ind“. ; And went up to bed When, lo! in the morning The cats wen all led. But soonâ€"what a full! “Where can they a“ be? Here. puny. mm. on Cried Dame Wm; of Lee The Dames hem weighbroke - So she sat down to veep. ' When she saw them come back Each riding a sheep:, She fondled and W Each putting Tom-my “Ah "home. my dean.” Said Dame Wiggins of Lee The father soon heard When: his sheep neat ntny. And a‘m'ved at Dahe's door With his (dithful dog Tray He knocked with his cmk. And the stranger to tee Out of the‘window did look Dame Wiggins of Lee Eat their kindneu‘he had them All drawn in his team; And gave them some field-mice. And raspberry cream. , Said he. "All my dock You shall presently gees For I hone: the cats . 0f Dame Wiggins of bee" While she no to the field To look for its dam. They were warming the bed For the poor sick lamb: They turn 'd up the clothes All as neat as could be; “I shall ne’ er want a our-a.” Said Dame Wiggins of Lee The Dame was unable Her pleasure to smother; To see the sick Lamb Jump up to its mother.‘ In spit: of the goat. And a pain in her knee She vent dancing about Did Dame Wiggins of Lee He sent his maid out For some muffins and 9mm: And when he turn'd round They were blowing of “unmet:- Said he, ‘I suppose. ' She's as deaf as can lie, Or this ne'er could be home By Dame Wiggins of Lee ‘ [‘0 show them his poultry He turned them all loose. When each nimbly leap' d On the back of a Goose Which frizhtened them so that they ran down to theses. And half~drown5d the poor at! 0f Dame Wiggins of Lee For the case of his lamb And their comics! mm. He gave them a ham And abundance of thanks. “I wish you good-day. My fine fellws “said he "My compliments pm ' {‘0 Dane Wiggins of Lee {on see {hem arrived it their Dame's welcome door: they show bet their plenum Knd l“ theit good “030' 2 'Now come in to :1pr \nd sit, down with me All welcome once more” Said Dame Wiggins of Lee SOCIAL GENERAL ECONOMIC INDEPENDENT Numbpr 5 l