Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
soveranco in meeting Bolbacks and un
foreseen disasters.
Ulustratod booklets which the vari
ous young agriculturists have made,
giving an account of "How 1 Made Mj
Crop," contain tnnny stbrlos lndtcatini
C
WEST IKE VISIT 10 WASHINGTON
that youhg America is not exClusl?&"
ly bont on city life, but finds much foi
Champion Potato, Corn and Tomato Growers Are Handsomely
Entertained at the National Capital Along With Prize Winners
From Southern States Work Encouraged by Agricultural De
partment In Various States of the Union.
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S unites in tho observance of what are rightly f 1Jv VH lfiWS 1jU . 21 SH I; X V
before Christ- WMfC'P W'MWzk
Washington.- -When tho CannlnG
club girls ant ho Corn club boys from
tho Bouthorn atatos arrived in Wash
luRton rccontly thoro wcro boy and
girl representatives of tho potato, corn
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HERB are two days of supremo Importance to
all Christendom when, no matter what tho
difference in creeds, tho wholo Christian world
unites in tho observance of what are rightly
regarded as the most significant annlvorsa
rles in the year. On Easter and Christmas all
the churches are at one.
Tho story of tho first Christmas is so uni
versally known that it needs no repetition,
and one hesitates to repeat it for tear of mar
ring tho beauty and simplicity of tho original narrative
The story of tho origin of the observancO of Christmas 1b
quite another thing, however, and may bo approached In
a more mundano spirit. Wo take part in the time honored
customs which are so intimately associated with the day
without stopping to consider whether they had their Incop
tlon tn the OhriHtmnB Idea or whether thuy ever had any
other, significance than they now have. Wo trim tho
Christmaj tree, distribute our present, decorate with holly and mistletoe and
sit down to a big dinner, and if we ever stop to think why wo do theso things
(and it is more than likely that wo don't) why, it is Just tho ChriBtmas cus
tom and that's all there Is to it.
But it is very far from being all. Tho customs which seem such an In
tegral part of the festival are inextricably tangled up with Uoraan, Scandi
navian, German and Celtic ceremonials, in which very many of them had
their origin. Our Christmas, when we investigate it, is found to bo a melting
pot of pagan traditions and practices without number, purged of their old
significance and adapted to tho higher faith.
Tho observer halts before the contemplation of tho countless variety of
customs associated with Christmas In all lands, both in the past and the
present day. To describo them all would fill a good sized book, so we can
only refer briefly here to some of the most prominent of them.
Tho early fathers of tho church, however much they might have doslrod
to banish all pagan practices from the exercises of religion, were perforce
obliged to allow their converts to retain part of tho old usages. It was an
Impossibility to put an end to them, so they wisely decided that it was better
to let the people follow their bent along certain lines rather than to antag
onize them by insisting too strongly on a courso which they wero bound to
oppose. Tho more glaringly heathenish rites were eradicated, and those
which remained weres purged of their more objectionable features and infused
with a new spirit.
Christmas was not observed at all, so far as we can find any record, for
200 or 300 years after tho birth of Christ, and as the event had occurred in
such an humble fashion men wero quite unable to determine its date when
they began to interest themselves In keeping tho anniversary. There Is not
a month In the year for which some authority has not claimed tho honor of
tho nativity. Ono thing is certain, and that is that it could "not havo occerred
on tho 2Bth of December, as this date Is the height of tho rainy season In
Judea, as in California, and it is quite unlikely that tho shepherds could
have been watching their flocks by night under those conditions.
The first attempt on record to assign any date for the nativity was made
in Egypt about 200 A. D., when May 20 was the date mentioned. From that
time forward claims wero made for various dates, January 6 and December
25 being the most in favor up to tho tiino of Chrysostom in the fourth cen
tury, when the latter gained the preference.
This date was not chosen entirely without reason. The celebration of
tho wintor solstice was one of the chief fpstlvals of Romo, and among tho
Celts and Germans it was regarded with oven greater significance. Tho sun,
as the giver of light and heat.Nind consequently of life, has been an object of
worship and adoration from tho remotest times down to the present day;
therefore tho period of the winter solstice as marking tho renewal of tho
power of the sun was a time of rejoicing among all peoples who either wor
shiped tho sun directly or who regarded It as a manifestation of one of their
deities. The 12 days between December 25 and January 6 were regarded as
extremely important by the Teutonic races, who believed that at that time
the influenco of tho gods was more powerfully directed toward the earth than
at any other. Nothing could be moro natural, therefore, than that these peo
ples, on turning to Christianity, should fix tho commemoration of the appear
ance of the Saviour on tho earth at the same time of year they had been ac
customed to acknowledge the glory of the sun. Tho significance of tho two
,.), ents is parallel; tho ono heralds new life to the physical world and tho
other tho deliverance of tho human race from tho powers of evil.
It has been pointed out that In the early period of the church it was con
sidered wise to allow tho converts to retain somo of tho old customs. The
observance of Christmas was therefore encouraged as a substitute for tho
pagan festivals, In particular for tho Homan saturnalia, which occurred in
December and which was so popular that while it originally lasted for one day
only (tho 17th), it was first extended to throe days and later, under tho Em
peror Claudlus.'to soven. The festival was opened by public sacrifice beforo
the temple of Saturn, followed by a great public banquet, In which all classes
participated. From this time all tho peoplo seemed to go mad; tho com
pletest liberty prevailed and It was a time of universal festivity and merry
making. Crowds swarmed through tho streets shouting "To Saturnalia." a
form of greeting similar to tho modern, "Merry ChristmaB." It was a holiday
time In tho widest sense; schools and law courts vero closed and the seuato
adjourned; no criminal Vas executed and no war was proclaimed. The slaves
enjoyed an equality with their masters, and even Berved them at tho table.
The people occupied themselves In calling on ono another, In exchanging
prewents and attending banquotB. There was always one day especially de
voted to tho children, a custom to which wo may trace tho particular sig
nificance of Christmas to children down to tho present tlmo.
Certain other practices of the Saturnalia which Christmas has preserved
reldtod to cundles, Images and cakes. Candles wero alwayB In vldfnc M
this time, as wero small Images made either of baked clay or dough. Tho
Germans today always mako a practice of baking great quantities of all kinds
of Christmas cakes, which aVe; an Important and indispensable adjunct to tho
occasion.
Tho custom of decorating with evergreens at Christmas has the tradition
of ages back of it As far back as history goes .peoplo havo been in tho habit
of using flowers and greens in all sorts of festivals Tho uso of tho mistletoe,
however is a survival from the ancient Celts and Scandinavians, to whom
it was an object ot particular veneration at all times vm especially when it
erew on an oak When found growing on this troo the Druids cut it with
eolemn ceremonies and used it in their sacrificial rites. It was believed to
possess magic qualities ot potont power. It is still potent, but only in tho
' matter of conferring privileges , , ' , . nt ,
The first historic mention of a Christmas troo was made in Strasburg
In 1605 but tho Danes go farther back than that. They havo n sweet old
legond relating to tho timo whou Ansgar first preached Christianity to tho
Danes wherein is told bow tho Lord sent his three messengers, Faith, Hope
and Charity, to help light tho first Christmas tree. They sought for ono that
should bo as high aB hopo and wide as love, and that boro the sign of tho
cross on every bough and they finally found it in tho balsam fir.
Ueliofs which havo been cherished for ages genorally dlo hard, and tho
church, realizing this, introduced other practices Into tho old customs which
survived from paganism. Such wore tho miracle plays and dramatic repre
sentations of early events In Christ's life, which recolved great attention
during tho middle ages and ot which the Christmas carols may bo considered
an offshoot. Theso enjoyed great popularity throughout all Europe, but par
ticularly in England, where in many villages today it is customary for
troops of men and boys, called tho waits, to go from door to door singing
As an cxamplo ot tho lntorost ta
ken by individuals, tho work of a woll
known society loader ot Cleveland, O..
may bo cited. Sho has devoted from
thrua to four months of her tlmo dur
ing the past year to organizing aud
promoting girls' conning clubs. Sho
has paid visits to tho 12G girls in her
county who havo taken up tho work,
nnd among the glrla who will shortly
visit Washington nro two champions
of that district who como at hor ex
pense. Hor two daughtora, ogod four
teen nnd sixteen years, nro among tho
club members, nnd, although not com
peting for a prlzo, thoy have dono, tho
work of raising tomatoes on a ono
tenth ncra plot nnd canning tho piod
ucts. In districts whoro corn ' docs not
grow rcndlly, but whoro thoro are
plenty of young peoplo eager to grow
something. It has boon found that po
tato clubs aro mora satisfactory than
corn clubs. An organization of boys
nnd girlB was started Inst year In
Massachusetts to grow potatoes, and
thero nro now 18,000 young peoplo en
rolled In potato work, most of them
being boys, as tho glrla nro encour
aged rather to tnko up tomato raising
and canning. Somo girls, howevor,
havo shown interest in potato grow
ing and" havo dono particularly woll in
manufacturing home-made potato
carols
nights
maB.
Similarly In somo of
tho country districts in
Franco the ' children
mako tho rounds of the
vlllago, carrying a lit
tle cradlo on their
backs and singing
carols for pennies.
Santa Claus is not as
familiar a figure in
France as ho is among
us. There, instead of
hanging up their stock
ings to bo filled by him,
they place their shoes
In front of tho fireplace
on Christmas eve, so
that tho Chrlstchild
may leave their pres
ents in them.
In north Germany,
however, it is not the
Christchlld who gives
tho presents, but his
servant, Knecht Ru-
precht. This individual is usually represented by a man who clothes him
self in a whlto robe and high buskins, a mask and an enormous wig. So
attired he presents himself at the door and announces that he is sont by
tho Christchlld to distribute gifts among, tho children. Thoparents receive
him ceipmr.nlouely, and he Inquires whether each child has been good, nnd
1 tho answer Is In the affirmative tho child receives his prcsontB; but It
not, Kpecht Ruprecht gives tho parents a stick with tho ndvlco to uso it
often,
in Rolgium iho children go about carrying paper stars with a lighted
caadlo in tho center from Christmas to Epiphany, to commomorato tho ap
poaranno of tho star of Dethlehem. Thero Is a similar practice among soma
of the natives of Alaska belonging to tho Greek church. A procession ot
men, women and children li formed, at tho head ot which is carried a largo
figure of a star covered with brightly colored paper. Two men also march
ut the head, carrying lanterns on long poles, Tho procession makes tho
rounds of the village, stopping nt each houso, whoro tho marchers aro In
vited to como in and tako refreshments. They always accept and after
singing a carol or two they march on to tho next houso. This performance
Is kept up through Christmas week, but aftor tho second night It is varied
by tho Introduction of a now feature. Tho star bearers aro pursued by
men and boys, who try' to catch them and destroy their stars, and while
the significance ot tho gamo is supposed to Ho In the fact that it Is a repre
sentation of tho soldlors of Horod killing tho children of Bethlehem, the
players aro mainly concerned In tho opportunities for a frolic which it af
fords and bother themselves little about tho ovent it is supposed to com
memorate. Tho old custom of burning tho yule log still endures in certain parta of
Europe. It is nn outgrowth of tho feast of Jul among tho ajjeiont Scandi
navians, when every winter at the solstice thoy kindled enormous fires in
honor of tho god Thor. Among the Slavonians of southeastern Europo th
bringing in and burning of tho yulo log Is an elaborate coremony. Somo
time during tho week beforo Christmas, or on tho day beforo, an oak or
beech tree is selected, but on account of tho superstition that such trees
aro endowed with bouIs it is necessnry to observo certain precautions whlla
cutting it down. Tho hewers must wear gloves throughout tho wholo pro
ceeding and beforo they daro lay an ax to tho treo thoy muBt faco tho east
and cross themselves three times, and in felling it thy muBt tako care that
it falls toward tho east. Evil consequences will follow if they do not chop
off a chicken's head on tho fresh stump, using tho same ax with which they
cut down tho treo. Tho first chip is tho prlzo of tho housewife, who pro
serves It to put under tho cream dish, so that tho cream will bo rich nnd
abundant during tho year.
After sprinkling tho nowly hewn log with barley to insure good crops
for tho coming year it Js ready to load on tho ox wagon and tho homeward
Journey is so timed that tho houso Is not reached until aftor twilight fails.
Tho housewlfo Is on tho lookout for it and as soon nB sho sees It coming
Bho hastens to hldo tho table, tho spoons, tho flro shovel and tho dining
chairs, which are not brought to light again until tho log has been klndlcdi
It is generally about midnight when tho log Is brought into tho houso,
and it is received at tho doorway by the father, who wishes his family a
"Oood morning and morry Uhrlstma9" threo times. They, on greeting him
In turn, shako over him some barley and, this ceremonial having been ob
served, ho drags the log up to tho hearth by means of n chain wound around
it. In case tho log is brought into tho houso beforo evening threo sticks nru
cut from It and leaned against the eastorn wall, whoro they remain, crowned
with ivy, until the log is burnod out
Tht log mu3t bo paid marked rsppct by everybody up to the very last
If good luck is to bo enjoyod during tho year, and no ono had hotter ap
proach It barefooted unless ho wants to condomn hlmaolf to a wholo yoar'a
suffering with soro feet.
Christmas ovo is distinguished by feasting and if a visitor appears ho
Is sprinkled with grain from a slovo by tho master of tho houso. In return
for which greeting ho places threo candles wound around with gold and
silver thread in tho bottom of tho sieve. Theso nro lit at tho beginning of
ino meal anu wnon ovoryoony naB nau nis nil tno master of tho house ex
tinguishes thom with n bit of breud dipped in wine.
Much more could bo told concerning tho way Christmas Is observed in
different localities and many curious beliefs and practices would thus bo
brought to light, Somo can bo traced directly to a purely Christian sourco;
tho origin of others is unexplalnablo, and very many prove to bo relics of
tho ages preceding tho Introduction of Christianity, Tho featureB briefly
touched upon above nro only the skimmings of Innumerable usagOB relating
to this ono day. Thero is no other day in tho year about which such a great
varioty of traditions and observances cluster, for thero is no other day which
peoplo bo delight to commemorate and none which is regarded with such
deep and universal veneration.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston.
and canning clubs of tho northorn and
wo8torn BtateB to Join them In receiv
ing diplomas from tho secretary of ag
riculture. They also wero shown the
sights ot tho capital; their expenses
being paid by Individuals and local or
Btato organizations intorostod and not
by tho department,
Thoro wero 12 Canning club glrlB
from as many of tho northorn and
wegtorn states and 15 or 20 boB,
champion winners of tho potato and
corn clubs. Flvo states sending "pota
to boys" aro MassachusottB, Ohio,
Utah, Iowa and Michigan. Colorado
sont a "Sugar Beet club" boy, who was
tho champion BUgar beet grower of
tho Btato and was tho sole representa
tive of tho club work which has rc
contly boon stnrtod in this lino by tho
department of ngriculture.
Tho work of tho clubs which tho
dopartmont has oncouraged in tho va
rious states to lntorost tho younger
generation in agriculture has been go
ing on in tho northern and westorn
states for only about a year and a
half. The work was started sooner in
Agricultural Students at Work.
enjoyment and interest on tho farm.
A girl in northern Ohio tolls In hei
account how sho made u net profit ol
110.41 on her tomato work during tho
past floaBon. A note at tho bottom ot
her story says sho "had 80 bUBliela of
green tomatoes loft,"
POSTCARD SENT NEWLY WEDS
tMM&$??W3tiB5WfAVi?s-1&
til IiSfcHIS
Boys' Judging Contest.
Btarch out of tho unmarkotablo culls
of tho vegetable
Potato club work is going on in
Idaho, Iowa, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming,
Upper Michigan, in parts of tho Dako
tns, in Minnesota and in Ohio. Tho
young people engngod in potato grow
ing rango in ago from ton to oightoon
years. Tho basis on which tho awards
aro mado for tho potato champions
who willge to Washington is ns fol
lows: (1) Greatest yipld of potatoes per
one-eighth aero 40
(2) Best showing of profit on In
vestment 30
(3) nest exhibit of ono peek of
sood potatoes IE
(4) Best hlBtory on "llow 1 Made
My Crop of Potatoes" 15
Total scoro 100
Bosldcs showing good potatoes, well
dovoloped ears of 'corn and rows of at
tractive Jars of woll canned toma
toes, theso young peoplo have shown
a surprising amount ot pluck and per-
Hlghly Decorated Remembrance la
Inscribed With Advice
From Sender.
Denver, A wooden postenrd nearly
two feet long and more than halt a
foot wldo and highly decorated with
Instructions to nowly married couples
wob handed to E. C. Bennett, clerk at
tho Knlsorhoff hotel, by the lottor car
rier whon making his usual mall de
livery. It was addressed to -vlr. and Mrs.
Roy D. Leo of Pueblo, who were hore
on their honeymoon. Tho couple had
departed, however, beforo tho card ar
rivod. Clerk Bennett tried to put it in
the mall box and It wouldn't go. Then
ho hung it up over his desk. That
caused so many poopla to mako use
less remarks that ho shoved It under
the counter.
Then somo ono told him he was in
terfering with tho United Statos malli,
so he took it out again and handed It
to the telophone operator, who wrote
another address on It and forwarded
It after the happy couplo,
Ono motto said: "May, all the
troubloa be llttlo ones." Another said:
"Bo good to ono another." Another
card asked tho clerk, in the event he
could not deliver tho postcard, to re
turn to tho couplo addressed at Rose
lawn cemetery, Pueblo, Colo., aflj that
would undoubtedly bo their stopping
plnce in the end.
Tho card had thirty-four stamps on
It nnd numorous pictures ot hearts,
cupids and other designs which con
veyed tho impression that tho parties
addressed were in a blissful state ot
mind.
Remedy for High Cost of Living.
Now York. "Fuel for tho body
should not cost moro than twenty
cents a day for an adult," said Doctor
D. G. LubIc, speaking on "Tho Funda
mental Basis of Nutrition." Ho rec
ommended nB a remedy for tho high
cost of living a thorough knowledgo
ot what food really is.
Woman's Ashes by Parcel Post
Paterson, N. J. Under the regis
trar's permit, the nshes of Miss Hen
rietta Branning, a school teacher, will
go to Germany by parcels post
TIME OF ALL GOOD THINGS
Writer Speaks of Happiness Ushered
In With the Coming of the
First Frost.
With the coming of the first frost,
when u wind of icy freshness blows
across the fields, comes also the true
realization of what "homo" means.
With supper endod, an Intermittent
clatter of knives and dishes comes
from the hidden regions of tho kitch
en where Lizzie Is manipulating a
tea towel with all the vigor of her
eloven years lu the hopo of earning
the "extra nico present" which Broth
er Bob, writing from Chicago, has
promised her at ChriBtmas for lend
ing mother, a hand. Father pulle out
an old, blaokenod cob, and having
filled and lit it, props hla feet up on
the hob. From now till bedtimo, save
for sundry interruptions, ho is burled
to his eyebrows in tho weekly paper,
nnd neither Noro's growllngs at the
rumble of a distant wagon nor the
continued mutterlngs of the kettle
which steams and sputters on tho
stovo, can disturb his meditations.
And while father reads and mother
mends, with Lizzio frowning over her
lesson at tho table, an lnvislblo whlto
brush paints all the countryside with
tho sparkling rlno of the first frost It
sparkles from the cobweb under tho
eaves like drops of molten sliver; It
gleams from grass and Btubblo, and
slitters from overy treo, bo that when
tho moon comes over the barn, grass
and treo and stubble sclntlllato with
soft, sugducd brilliance.
Now is tho tlmo of all good things
that delight tho heart of man at the
paselng of summer. Hickory nuts,
fresh molaBses, apples, sweet cldar
and "punkin" plo, are all ushered In
with, tho npproaching vanguard of
winter, and until tho April raina re
turn wo shall bo basking In the
warmth and comfort, tho cheer and
dolight of home Paris, Mo., Appeal.
Spain annually uses tho huge quan
tity of 276,000 tonB of grapes for tho
making of other products than wine.
Young Farmers In Oatfleld.
tho southern statos, as thoso wero
considorod to havo a greater econom
ical nood for It. AIbo tho general ed
ucation board of Now York city offer
ed to help out tho work In tho south
In ordor to remedy bad agricultural
conditions, and thtB board has ma
terially aided In Inaugurating clubs
to Interest boys and girls in growing
corn, tomatoes and cotton.
In the mean time an urgent demand
aroso in tho northern and western
states for similar co-operatlvo work
for young peoplo. Tho successful
club work In tho south furnished an
impotus for a natlon-wido work and
the youth of tho north and west have
takon up tho national club work with
much enthusiasm. In tho co-operative
arrangement with tho southern Htntos,
each stato had a leader In charge ot
tho club work whoso expenses wore,
paid, half by tho depnitment nnd half
by tho local organizations Intoiestod
Tho domnnda of the north and west
havo boon so urgent that eight states
aro now waiting to pay half tho ex
penses of this club wcrk, bi't the de
partment ot agriculture has not nt
present tho funds to furnish tho other
half. However, tho work Is continu
ally being pushed Into now territory
as tho funds bocomo available.
Tho individuals and local organiza
tions throughout tho north and west
havo been most enthusiastic regurdlng
tho work of tho boys and girls. Sena
tors and ropresonUitlvos sometimes
aid tho work by generous contribu
tions. Last year flvo congressmen
from Illinois nlono each furnished suc
coBBful boy growers of corn with u
trip to tho capital. Other congress
men from tho Now England states,
Now York and West Virginia, brought
club champions to the capital.
MASTER JAILED, DOG STRIKES
Searching for His Owner, Hector Dis
appears and Police Are Asked
to Look for Him.
Minneapollsr-This is a story of a
dog that want on a hungor strike. It
is also a sVpry of a man tho dog adopt
ed, showing bis faithfulness and sot
ting tho wholo police department on a
bant for tho dog.
Hector Is tho dog and Frank Tret-
CARRANZA'S NEPHEWS TRAINED AVIATORS
Tho two young nephews of General Carrauza, commandec-lu-chief of the
rebel forces of Mexico, who wero sent to tho United States by President
Madero to learn to fly. Lieut. Gustavo Salinas (in machine) was educated at
Syracuso university, and his brother, Lieut. Alberto Salinas (standing), re
colved his oducatlon at Troy Polytechnic. Tho brothers were given their
pilot liconsos last yoar, and aro well known In tho aviation world. Recently
they succeeded In smuggling an aeroplane across tho Mexican border.
wick of St Cloud, Minn., Is tbo man.
Tho man took a drop too much and
wbb snagged Into tho East Sldo pollco
station. Tho dog accompanied him and
when hie friend disappeared collward
Hector set up u howl that kept the po
licemen awake, Franfc was fad in his
coll and food was offered Hector In
Lieut J. Quealey's oftlco, but Heotor
would not eat. Ho would only bowl.
When Frank was fined and It loofced
as It ho would have to spend a few
days in tho workhouse, arrangements
wero mado to have Hector cared tor at
tho pound, but Frank paid his fine and
asked for Hector.
Tho dog's howling has ceased, but
tho policemen were surprised whea
they discovered that Heotor was not
in the room where ho bad been lock
ed. He bad wriggled between narrow
bars and had gone to look for Frank.
Now the police bare been Instruct
ed to find Hector and restore Fra&k
to him.
Don't attenmt to remove nltrh.
nlsh or wax from a burned surfae.
JL
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