Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Origin of the Boar s Head Feast Then was brought in the lusty brawn 3By blue coated serving man; Then the grim boar's nead frowned on nigh. Crested with bays and rosemary. "Well can the green garbed ranger teP How when and where the monster fell. "What dogs Vefore his death he tore And all the baiting of the boar. ?Scott. EtVEIiY Christmas the students of v Queen's college. Oxford. Engj land, bold **a right merrie jouste of ye olden tyme." which jynstrates how fondly the human heart and Imagination clin^-to pretty mummeries ages after tbefr origin and sigmfloanoe have been forgotten. There Jska notable gathering in the ball of the qpllege, with a notable feast in which not only the college dignitaries and students participate, but also a chosen circle of friends and strangers who are lucky enough to secure invitations. There*are a banquet and merrymaking and singing, and at a supreme moment there is enacted a spectacle which tor 564 years has warmed the hearts and delighted the eyes of the denizens of the venerable college. First comes a procession of the provost and fellows in all tbe-giory of their regalia. Then from without is heard the warning call of a trumpet, and following the procession come three bearers bringing in the historical boar's head. A monster head it is. one weighing sixty or seventy pounds, "surmounted by a crown, wreathed with gilded sprays of laurel and bay. mistletoe ?and rosemary, with smali banners surrounding." With the bearers comes the college precentor, who announces his presence and purpose by singing a carol, which is in one of its several forms as oM as the col t < . "TEX BOAR'S BKAD IN HAN? BEAR L" lege ceremony, though It most be thousands of years younger than the : precursors ef the function which it.en-, , livens. , After each stanza the whole company joins lustily in the Latin retrain: Caput apri defero. Reddens laudes Domino. After the feast the ornaments which had decked the boar's head are distributed among the invited guests. The tnelodv of the "Boar's Head Carol** is always the same, but there are several versions of the words. At the present time the following version i Is used: The boar's head in hand bear I. Bedecked with bays and rosemary. And 1 pray you, my masters, be merry ! Quot estis in convivio. . REFRAIN. j _ , Caput apri defero. Reddens laudes Domino. i The boar's head, as I understand. Is the bravest dish in all the land. When thus bedecked with a gaygarland j Let us serviro cantico. . Our steward hath provided this C In honor of the king of bliss. J Which on this day to be served is a In regimens! atrio. 2 There are two obviously older ver- | eions in manuscript collections. This ! from Balliol MSS. No. :JT>4: L The boris hrd in honde 1 brynge. | "With garlands gay and bvrde syngynga. 2 1 pray you all help me to. synge, if Qui estis In convivio. ! ' REFRAIN. Caput apri defero. Reddens laudes Domino. The borts hed. I understand. > Ye chiefly slrved in this ionde. !Wher so ever it may be fonde. Ceruiter cum sinapio. ' The boris hed. I dare well say. Anon after the xvth day He takcth hys leve and goth away. Exiuit de patria. More ancient than even this seems < to be that found in a fifteenth century I collection, known as the Porkington ' manuscripis. which logins ns follows: Hey. hpy. hey. hey. the borrys hede is I army d gave; j The borrys hede in hond I brynge. ; The hede ye furst mes k The borrts nede. as I vow say. w He takes nis lefe and gotiie his way. 3 Gone after the xij twel fft day. s with hey. The reference to the departure of ; the boar's head in the last stanzas of ! the last two versions goes plainly to j the custom of continuing the Christ- : mas revels till Twelfth Night Now. , whence came the custom which Queen's eoitege tins kept alive? Her sons treasure a legend that is almost ; if not quite as old as lire foundation. wliic'? is amusing it indefensible.- According to this legend, some about !TT<? a student of Queen s was > reading his Aristotle in Shotover forest, four miles from Oxford. Suddenly there rushed upon him a wild boar. Taken by surprise and having no other weapon, he closed with the furious beast and thrust the book down its throat, exclaiming as he did ! so. "It's Greek!" ("Graecum est!") What with this terrifying formula and the tome clogging his maw, the boar yielded his life without more ado. The boar's head feast at Christmas was said to have been instituted to commemorate this event. The boar's head feast and celebration came down to us like Christmas day itself and. all its amiable associations?the houses decked with yew and mistletoe and holly, the merrymaking and the gift giving?from the Yule festival of our ancient ancestors. ?New York Tribune. If I Wore Santa Claus. If I were Santa-CIaus and might distribute things as I should please I'd bring the sorrowing delight and hang on all the Christmas tijees That in my travels I should find This little mctto: "Jus't Be Kind." If 1 were Santa Claus I'd bring the pessimist a hopeful heart. So that he might cease murmuring and manfully perform his part; I'd give to every lass and lad The wish to make some other glad. To her who coldly sneers at those who. having stumbled, long to flee From where defiled walls round them close I'd give a little charity. For every slothful one I'd leave The wish to labor and achieve. To them that are the slaves of greed I'd bring the wish to turn from strife. The longing, when they've ail they need. to lead the peaceful, quiet life. I'd scatter chances o'er the earth For all who long to prove their worth. If I we:e Santa Clans I'd bring the gift of beamy for each maid Ar.ct hopeful songs for them to sing who sit defeated ami afraid. And each should have in every land This iittle motto: "Lend a Hand." ?S LI Ki.t Chicago Record-Herald. The Sain ess cf Christmas. Chrism:::.-; :s usually regarded as a day of muueing. and for the children it often is a day of real pleasure. lint even upon the child, if it be a sensitive child, the melancholy begins to creep toward the late afternoon as the shadows of night draw close. Much more to the adult is the day, one in which if there is pleasure it is the pleasure of high comedy where tears lie very near the joyous surface. The young man or young woman is bored or pained by tbe congregation of his relatives, old and chill, about tbe table seeking'for-the amusement which ., escapes, and even if the day is spent about one's own immediate fireside there are. thoughts as the members of the family gather ^together for-deliberate joy that some one once.belonging there .will joy ne/more.So that the pensive man finds food- for,, the reflection that happiness comes, if at all, not for tbe seeking nor at any set time, I but as an unconscious function of the thoughtless soul engaged in the ordi| nary occupations of the gray and commonplace day. WHEN MARY'S^ BABE WAS BORN Dear day. hew glad we greet thy glorious jnorn While fleet winged thought speeds back to Nazareth town To picture how (hat Syrian sun smiled ! . ; down That furbff dawn when Mary's babe was [ !, > ****&?.>: * - i;! Think! In that Jewish home on that day ?a me * nnilpmie min.ohilil atrnnv at hoort and limb The purple blood of princes pulsed In Mim. Love gave that babe a common Hebrew name. He gifW beyond the I'mits of Ms race. Beyond the narrow vision of his time. He saw sun clear tlie towering truth sublime? Man ;s the incarnation of God's grace; A WOXDKOUS MAN-CHILD. S Man is the Kiernnl's finite counterpart. In essence through and through divine. i'.'Mii j*? eternity to strne and pine Until he finds his home in (Jod'a great heart. j So welcome we on every Christmas morn The high and holy thought suprenieOur sonship i* sure truth, not idle dream We. t.?i>_ like Mary's habe. it) Cud ate horn I Yea. w:;!, fi~in faith we hail that Christ t oUTb, ; The advent of Hie peerless Prince of ! I'eaee. s:ri t > cut". ?um sorrow to sttreca.-e. j The i .!lest iTioj.i t.hat ever dawns -m j ?*:; rf h. ? Mostoii Herald j I "Mr. Arfur's" Christmas Gift ? Henrietta, by the fireplace, was absorbed in the taking off of all Enclella's articles of wearing apparel and putting them on again. When the last garment had been adjusted she found time to look at "Mr. Arfur," who sat by the window, a picture of doldrums. "What do you want fob Kwismas?" she inquired. "Something I am afraid I can never have"in-all this wide world, Henrietta." The child gazed at him curiously. "Ifs a heart of fine gold that I want. Henrietta, and only one person can give it to me, and if she won't, girlie"? "Is she a^faiwy?" Henrietta's tone was reverential. "The qneen of them all." "And has a crown on?" "Yes. a crown of her7 own golden hair, and her eyes are like brown velvet pansies. and she has the sweetest red lips, nenrietta, but yesterday I met her, and she hurried by. scarcely speaking. and all because?you wouldn't haw believed such a queen of a girl would /] IMk ' M \\ So?5lH OH ras Q&CWIKO COA LS^S^ LLNA. care so much because she didn't get the prize at the masquerade, would you now?" "My!" ejaculated Henrietta, but her next eager question was cut short by "Mr. ArfurV springing to his feet. "Sister TVose" had entered the room, and Henrietta; knowing that she was decidedly do trop when they were to* gether, went reftictaBtly back to Bra agelina and the ^replace. "Good morning." said Sister Rase, her tone suggestive of a flurry of snow. "I hare an engagement." Bnt she sat ?.downi*.- ... >w.s? * ?? I "Oil. I am sorry; then 1 will go." ho said gently, but he also sat down. "I am sorry that you are angry," he began when the silence was gettiug tense. "Try to realize my position. Rose. I sat there, an unwilling Judge? my duty awarding prizes to the best sustained characters in the masquerade. Among the maskers was one to whom my heart went out. A slender little figure, whose white satin gown, caogut loosely around the waist with a silken girdle, fell in straight folds to her tiny feet. The chrysanthemum girl was the loveliest sight in the room, but she was not the best sustained character, so"? "I hope you don't think I care be| cause you awarded rlie prize to Grace Hereford." interposed tbe girl scornfully. "and please don't for a minute think 1 am angry at anything. I am only disappointed in you." "Will you kindly explain?" added Arthur. "I had always been so proud of your strength of character. And now to find out that you are nothing but a chameleon, after all." she wailed. "The other day when auntie was talk-' ing about the sin of wasting your time in /In nrt?n?? ????1 1U uuiiv.111^ JUII SrtlU lliill JUU with her that wbeu there was work to do folks ought to do it You said you were not going to the masquerade for that very reason." "Well. I didn't intend"? "You said you bad several hours' work at the office that night. Then Grace Hereford came along and asked you to go. and you went" "Miss Hereford had nothing to do with it. Rose." he said gently. "I went to work as I said. About 0 Mr. Jones came in and said that if I could find Hnsson and got his signature to a certain paper and get back by 11 o'clock he would make it worth my while, i had an idea that Hasson was managing that masquerade, and that's where I found him. lie buttonholed me at once to be judge of the concern and wouldn't sign the paper unless I agreed. 1 saw I could get back by 1.1, so I stayed." "And had plenty of time to daive with Miss Hereford," supplemented I tose "I looked for the < hr.vsanthemuin.girl first and couldn't find her." he said truthfully. "1 darned only mi'-e I'.ut what made you think M:s> llemfonl asked me I?> g< 7 "She said she would wager ^!ie could get yon to go and that ><?;i (lame wit!: let first. *>'> ; \v?*nt t?? >< ?* if?I didn't think you would when you said you wouldn't, but"? "I see." said the young man fjiiiet!y. An inborn loyalty to womankind kept him from telling Rose that just .as bo had-started away Miss Hereford had run to him, exclaiming that as he was so kind to award her the prize she certainly must reward him with the first dance, etc. With a sudden impulse he took Rose's little hand in his.' She sprang up and started for the tireplace. but he held her gently back. "Listen," he whispered. On the glowing coals smoked Evangeliea, and on the rug, with eyes turned to the ceiling, knelt Henrietta. "G God," s6e~was saying, "now I lay me down to sleep. I give my precions dolly, so you will make the faiwy queen wiv the cwown of her golden hiah to bwing Mr. Arfur the little beaht he wants for Kwisrna0 That's all, God, only please let mc e her when she comes. Amen." "Grace Hereford has black hair," observed Rose inconsequently. "I wonder if God will," Henrietta was murmuring. Rose went over to the fireplace and l kissed her small sister. "I think God will." she said reverently. Then she went back to radiant "Mr. Arfur."? Ina Wright Hansen in New York j Globe. ^ j Holly Song. Ore Is but a broken bubble. Trill the carol, troll the catch. Sooth., we'll cry, "A truce to trouble!" Mirth an.'2 mistletoe shall match. I i Harpy folly! We'll be jolly! Who'd be melancholy now? Willi a "Hoy. the hoj]y! il?\ tlie holly!" Polly hu:..-.s the holly bough. Lr tighter lurking in the eye. sir. sure f mis it frisk an:! free. lie v.h>> frowns or looks awry. sir. Fa:th, .a witless wight is he! Merry folly! What a volley j Greets the hanging of the bough! j With a "imy. the holly! Ho the holly!" Who'd be n:. laucliolv now? ?Clinton Scollard in Century Magazine. i Christmas In Merry England. Throughout Great Britain Christmas is the great week of the year. It is the one week when scattered families are reunited, when tender memories and old associations are revived, when friend greets friend with cheery expansiveness. in striking contrast with the characteristic reserve of the English nature. Business is practically suspended in London for the five days succeeding Christmas eve. There is nothing left of the obsolete orgies whibh so offended the Puritan element in the times of Cromwell. It would be an unimaginable English monarch who would forbid any observation of the 25th of December. The example is set by the family of the ideal way in which to spend tlie" happy, merry Christmnstide which the English people cherish. ' It was the custom ef King Edward VII. and Queen Alexandra to pass the holiday quietly at Sandringham and there to give personal supervision to the distribution of gifts.?Leslie's Weekly. SANTY CLAUS' PLAINT. Oh. dear. so many things to de Now Christmas eve has come! Here's fifty thousand Christmas trees To be delivered across the seas < And half a mJJHon dolls, tt yeji.please, ; To.scatter through Christendom. Here's bushels of sugar cats and dogs Te please the children small. Thousands of gilded nuts on strings And jumping jacks and candy rings And loads on loads of other things To drop in the chimneys tall. I'm sure I scarce ksow what to do With such a monstrous pack. A billion tons of sugar toys To give to as many girls and boys Is really too much for Santa Claus To carry about on his back. "A MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR ALL!" But mv sleigh Is much too heavy now For the reindeer team to pull. Ten million miles we have to go Over the ice and over tho snow To visit each home in the world, you know. And till tho stockings full. ! But while I go trudging m ound the world I In the starlight cold and dim ! The little ones sleep in their cozy he.Is. With p'easant dieams in their curly heads Of candies and cakes arid drums and >! ds i And stecituigs tilled tu the luam. | So eff V. e . ;V~: ie" and srew Wit !i ' r a : d > ::i..i;. Wit!. ; .ml * 'hri.-tmas tn "s To ! : ' .ei.; .er-.iss tin- seas A ' .< ' e dels, if y.ai t ! e.' \li.l ' . \ :: l-l mi t'< i ah The First Christmas Day In America Tire first American observanc of Christmas day was fa from a merry one. It \va spent by Columbus and hi ship's company among scenes of peri disorder and excitement consequeu upon the greatest disaster whic had befallen the expedition. O; Christmas eve the admiral's tlnirshir the Santa Maria, which had so stout Iy plowed unknown seas since that di? tant September day when she droppe* astern the outermost Canary island laid her clumsy Spanish bones to res off the coast of what is now Haiti Her crew spent the following daj Christmas, partly on the Haitian shot* and partly on her consort, the tin; caravel Nina. The story of the disaster and th day may he told in this wise: Sailing from;the Tortugan roadstead the flagship squared away for the coas of Haiti and entered upon her closin; days. In the morning watch of the 24tli the day following their return, Coluin bus gave orders that the cxpcditio! should start for Guaeanngari's cap: tal. The yards of the two craft wor triced away, and a start was made ii a light wind that blew almost dea< ahead. A strong current was sweeping th ship quickly along. Jtireelly in he path was a sand hank, on whi?*!t ih breakers swept with a roar which opei ears could have hoard half a mil away, but which now sounded n ! warning to any on hoard. Suddoni; | the Santa Maria's keel grated heavii; for some moments on the submerge* t'ni/1 rhr?n violent!' ! and lurched to one side with a strati j which sprung her masts. All was confusion. The wat?-h rush od to tho hows an 1 then jumped h I the ropes. Columbus. rushing out fron tlie cabin, took in the situation at lirs glance. ''Jo.su Maria!" lie exclaimed. "Wi have grounded!" Christmas morning dawned on : scene of singular interest. Our fane; THEY RAISED A CROSS. likes to range b?.ck through four shadowy centuries to the new world's first Christmas and that remote and otherwise insignificant* sand spit in the Caribbean, to that forgotten picture in which the devout children of holy mother church and the loyal subjects of their most Catholic majesties of i . 4 .. i T 4. -AlitJiWIl ilUll 1XWII WIICii in thankful fellowship with the generous savages whom they had regarded as heathen. To seaward of the stranded vessel lav the caravel Nina and a small flotilla of canoes. Around floated spurs, casks, coops and general wreckage. It had for some hours been evident that the ship was doomed to lay her bones to rest in Davy Jones' locker. and the admiral, with the coming of daylight, began to transfer to the Nina what was left of her provisions. In this work the cacique and his younger brother directly assisted him. Toward noon the Spaniards discontinued work. For almost eighteen hours they had labored with scarcely an intermission and nature coukl stand no more. Their immediate prospects wore as bright as they could reasonably hope for, as the more portable provisions and stores had been transported to the Santa Maria's consort They now determined to rest until the cool of the day, when they should resume work. On coming to this decision they rowed to the shore and, in accordance with their custom, erected a cross on the highest point within convenient distance. This done, the yellow banner 01 mo spnmsn kin^r donis. with its castles and lions, was displayed, and mass was celebrated in honor of the anniversary. Toward nightfall the work of transferrin:; was taken tip. bt:t so areat had been the moral and physical strain on the crews that it was soon judged Kvt to await the ensnin*-' tnornin::. and after a ves per ehant ail hands. >ave a sir.a'l wafeli. turned in. some on the sh? and some aboard tile Nina. Tints (aide;! <'olnmhns* ' iiristnias in the year of dhi-ovt-ry. I it'12. - bt. Louis (Ilobel-an o'-rat Preparing For Christmas. i "There was a man sent from God." The English of it could not be more simple or direct. e One sees as in a vision the mar. of r the wilderness, clothed in a garment * of camel's hair, face that of an ascetic, spare of frame?the man who fed on lt' locusts and wild honey. j h And then we stop there. "There was a a man sent from God"?that is all. ), Some of us perhaps who know his story follow him a little further in. our mental vision as he went about pro- j d claiming his tidings. Seme of us per-' 1. haps wonder' what the next picture t will be. Some of us say over, "There i. was a man sent from God," with considerable accent on the smallest wOrd, e i and mentally remark, "What of it?" | y But does it not occur to you that more than one b*s been "sent"?that e for seme reason, or other every living; soul has a mission,here and therefore I. that you and I have one. too, and, if we t were senft why? j A Not for the mere sending, as we like to believe. j u ci v: .>vriit iiiL'itr a j;ui pu^c i- in it. 1 u There are "tidings" for our spread-] i ing, just as there were in those days ofe long ago. and a work for us to do. ] 11 Are we doing it. or are we so occu-' . I i pied wiili our own lives and hopes andambitions and pleasures that we have! '' quite forgotten life was given us for, r something besides eating and drinking,] e sleeping and working and general en-i ii joymoiitV J IL' litis is wltat v.e have heen doing! 1 tliere is no better season in ;t!l the year! ^ for starting afiv.-h on a right basis to| do the work and cany the messages of ' happiness to others, for which we were sent. i Soil! *ho\v Christmas. with all its poetry. nas a most practical side. There is so much work to be done, i Are we preparing our Christmas gifts! i sellisln;*. giving only to those from r whom expect gifts in return, or are we planning to do a bit of the ? work for which we were sent?planning to make Christmas a happy time i for some of the less favored ones of 1 " earth? | And are you doing your utmost? Are we giving what we can in our Christmas gifts, or are we giving for the! ) 1 Christ's sake whatever happens to be! left over after we have bought expensive gifts for our friends which they do not need, luxuries for ourselves that we could do without, paving for him the leftover nickels an<Jft>ennies? No matter what Christmas has been : to us in past years, let us this year, give for tlie sake of the giving, for the sake of those who need it, for the sake of the reason for which we were "sent." . .No matter how small the offering if it be our best ' | No matter how poor It seems, nor ! how insignificant, it is yours to tell J your Christmas tidings, yours to bring\ Christmas happiness to some one. | Let us prepare our gifts in tbe.right^ > spirit?a spirit fo prove that we wast! to do our part and enjoy doing it, inspreading far and wide the joy and the 'happiness which Christmas day typi*| fics?joy and happiness which we have been $eot to make real to some heart } that'perhaps knows, but does not feel] because of its suffering or bitterness t or poverty.- Postcn Traveler. | -\ +> mmmmm \ AL '-l O.ll. 1 " unrisimas DDIII. f Ring the glad tidings, the Saviour is bornl Ring it. ye bells, on this glorious mora! | And perched on the branch of my Christinas tree j A motley assemblage of maidens see. j Know you what talo to their ear there tells. i Tour loud merry clanging, ye Christmas bells? Then list! To proud Maud looking tenderly down On jewels that flash on her silken gown. To long braided Gretchen, content with her share Of chains, though not gold, yet of sausages rare. Your chiming weaves sweetest and fairest of spells. Bears whispers prophetic of "wedding bells." All swiftly as out rings your warning tongue His sweetheart gets ready the tea for Ah Lung. And ebony Ciiloe of Fifth avenue?southIn welcoming smiles spreads her generous mouth. Far different to them is the treat it foretells? Your meaning, prosaic, just "dinner beil3." Bianca in tune shakes her gay tambou-' rine, j And lightly to ehurch trips demure Ange- ' line. j Bestowing no look to the left nor the right. Though noting full well the admirer In sight. But soon a sweet smile all his doubting dispels.. AnH o-?rlv vnnp f*\\ i m i n rr l??>tnlr<sn? ' alpffrb be lis." The children run out longed for gifts to receive. And all the world full is of jey. I believe. For northward nn 1 southward, to east and to west. The bells peal out plainly what each on? likes best. Then ring ye and swing ye, ye gay rlsttnas bells. Your chiming the fairest of messages tells. ?Etelka Fashion Album. A CHrictmas Song. [Waits' Carol.] So reste ye welle, kvnde gentlemen; So reste ye welle tonight. Ye moon siiyn^s in nn azure sky; Ye eastern ;tar has ris'n on high; So res re \e \v?-!lo tonight. So cjrop" vo sw-f f<\ f.iyrc gentle maids; So sb-et ye sv..-. :e funigh*. Ye s.e'we lies \\hyi?\ e s i:.\ ; dm* moans, Vo night'* tlyos on. y> blown, So Se ;.e .. sv. eCte t? . Vt So tv-sti' ve k g.-.tle f- k: May in y -,,-r tie :' vist CIS >1':- fan? Fynde !?ve foi . 11! -1 n \ e yo i oraee. So re-;;* y.> w<!!e :t IV.: . i in Ilutler.